things to do in Granada, Spain

After a whirlwind week in the coastal city of Alicante, I was off to the mountains of southwestern Spain.

I boarded a bus in the morning and began my 6-hour-long journey through the countryside of Spain. While the ride was long and I picked up a cold along the way from the sneezing man two rows behind me (joys of traveling!), I did get to see much of the Spanish terrain and quite a few local towns where we picked up passengers along the way.

Arriving at the central Calle Gran Vía de Colón, I lugged my suitcase up a few steep streets in the Albaicín district, or the Arabic quarter to my apartment.

The hike was worth it, and my view over the brown Moorish rooftops was spectacular. Like many ancient cities, world religions had an influential and lasting role in shaping the Granada we know today.

Granada Mountains

Christian Quarter

The Christian quarter encompasses a mostly flat and dense part of Granada. Be sure to walk through Plaza de las Pasiegas, on the other side of the Cathedral, and grab a coffee at La Finca, Granada’s best specialty coffee shop. Most cafés will serve a typical Spanish breakfast : tostadas with jamón iberico, cheese, and tomato spread.

Arabic Quarter

Perhaps the most famous quarter, the Arabic quarter, also known as El Albaicín, is located east of the Christian quarter, on mostly sloping and hilly land. Its bright white buildings and narrow cobblestone walkways are sometimes draped with gorgeous purple flowers.

I was delighted my visit to Granada at the end of November was blessed with warm weather – at the height of the day temperatures reached to the mid 60s. Sadly I was battling a cold and thus, did not make it to the famed Alahambra, but I did get to see some spectacular views from across the river!