I have spent three marvellous days in Granada. Although the temperatures have dropped (normal for the month of March, I suppose) the sun has been out shinning. Our hostel was located in a very tranquil but centric street, two minutes away from Bib -Rambla Plaza and the Cathedral.
The city of Granada is small and absolutely walkable. With a map and good shoes to cope with the stoned streets you will be able to see most of it in only a few days. Step after step you will be amazed by the presence of cute white houses with tiles (azulejos) going up the hills, moorish style churches and buildings and you will not stop discovering little squares with restaurants and windy roads with shops selling you leather goods, clothing and jewellery coming from Morocco. The only thing that bothered me the entire time was that the prices were not shown in any craft shop. You have to ask for the price and be ready to bargain and I am totally awful at that.
One day we took bus number 7 up to the last stop, Haza Grande and headed to find the Ermita of San Miguel Alto, the highest point of Granada in the district of Albaicin and walked down enjoying the view of the city and architecture along the way. We passed by Plaza Larga, San Nicholas church and lookout and other places of interest recommended.
I first thought that my favourite area in Granada was the AlbaicÃn hood but I quickly changed my mind after visiting the imposing Alhambra. The day I chose to go to The Red One was a memorable one. We decided to get there by foot but there are buses that take you up. The highlight of the visit were the Nazrid Palaces (Palacios Nazaries), I spent almost four hours, slowly walking through the rooms that were available to see. By the time I finished seeing the Alcazaba and the Carlos V circular palace I was starving but sure to continue the visit. I strolled around Generalife gardens, the summer royal retreat of the Catholic kings and on my way back ended up having a late lunch at a great restaurant called Alfaguara.
Granada reminded me of San Francisco in the sense of being a small city with a lot of hills and lots to see and to do. Even though the mix of cultures and architecture is completely different it has a similar type of magic.
