JO'S SPOTLIGHT ON GRANADA, SPAIN | OCTOBER 2018 | Blog

Granada is a city where you never get bored! Located in the foothills of Sierra Nevada, surrounded by sleepy little villages (or ‘pueblos’) where generations of families still all live closely together, the gentlemen regularly gather to play dominoes and drink a copa or café con leche, and the grandmothers sit on the front doorsteps whilst the children play out in the streets.

Granada is a cosmopolitan city combining the old with the new. Steeped in history, it’s known for grand examples of medieval architecture dating to the Moorish Occupation in 1492, namely the Alhambra Palace. This sprawling hilltop fortress complex encompasses royal palaces, serene patios, and reflecting pools from the Nasrid dynasty, as well as the fountains and orchards of the Generalife gardens. Then there are the University campuses, and the nightlife that surrounds them – the hustle and bustle of student life in the Calle Pedro Antonio all enjoying a copa with unlimited tapas – to the more traditional gypsy flamenco shows high up in the Albaicin and Sacromonte.

For events, the possibilities are endless. Just 30 minutes’ drive into the mountains, there is the option to ski at certain times in the year – or head south to the Costas (about an hour’s drive) for a day at the beach. The city boasts a huge selection of corporate 4 and 5* hotels, from smaller boutique hotels to quaint little retreats on the outskirts of the city.

Definitely a wild-card destination to tempt people away from the regular Spanish go-to cities of Barcelona and Madrid, even if I am a bit biased!