Spanish Bombs

When we were researching our trip to Granada the unlikely name of Joe Strummer popped up. He had an affinity with Granada and visited multiple times, seeing the city as symbolising the struggle against fascism and the loss of artistic freedom. Spanish poet Federico García Lorca was executed in Granada in 1936 by Franco’s forces early in the Spanish Civil War. Strummer admired Lorca for his politics, art, and fate and referenced him directly in the Clash song “Spanish Bombs.” The locals took Joe to their hearts and named after a street and a small square after him. It wouldn't be the only musical hero we would bump into on our exploration of Andalucía.

Nasrid Palaces, Granada

Our first destination was Granada, but we'd decided to take in a few lighthouses on route from Malaga Airport. It was a forty-minute drive along the Mediterranean to the very pretty Faro de Torre del Mar, a nice blue and white striped lighthouse perfectly placed in front of the beach.

Faro de Torre del Mar, Andalucía

Then it was a short hop along the coast to Faro de Torrox, equally picturesque and another light overlooking a sun-soaked beach.

Faro de Torrox, Andalucía

We then headed inland and were pleasantly surprised by the scenic drive to Granada winding through the Sierra Nevada, Spain’s highest mountain range. We passed the impressive Rules Reservoir Dam, a modern, gargantuan structure not looking out of place nestled beneath the mountains.

Granada against the backdrop of the Sierra Nevada

Our first night in Spain was a Saturday and Granada was alive with a youthful and vibrant atmosphere, no wonder given its status as a major university town. Naturally, you are spoilt for choice for options to eat and drink. We are normally sticklers for or having a reservation, but this isn't always possible in some of the more popular tapas bars so we found heading out just before the 8pm rush meant you could get a seat pretty much anywhere. Some places don't open until 8pm or 830pm and they do fill up almost instantly!

Sierra Nevada, Granada

Exploring the city the following morning on a wonderfully sedate Sunday was in stark contrast to the previous night's revelry. We wandered through Granada’s historic heart, starting at the Royal Chapel (Capilla Real), final resting place of Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella, whose conquest of Granada in 1492 marked the end of Muslim rule in Spain. 

Catedral de Granada

Nearby, the Monasterio de San Jerónimo and Basílica de San Juan de Dios showcased the city’s rich religious architecture. The central Catedral de Granada provides stunning backdrops to restaurant-lined streets as the limestone catches the sun in often spectacular fashion. We then followed the narrow Darro River to Sierra Nevada, which is the city's natural gateway to the famous Alhambra Palace.

Alhambra Palace, Granada

The Alhambra is the crown jewel of Granada, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a masterpiece of Islamic architecture. You must prebook for an allocate time slot to visit the Nasrid Palaces within the complex, but you can arrive earlier to explore the rest of the vast site before visiting the palaces. These tickets do sell out months in advance during peak periods so get organised.

View of the Alhambra from Generalife Gardens

The serene Generalife Gardens unfold in elegant terraces, offering sweeping views of the Alhambra framed by fountains, cypress hedges, and olive trees. It’s a surprisingly tranquil escape, with few crowds until you reach the Palaces, and even then, the sheer beauty of the place makes it easy to forgive the throngs. The intricate stucco, flowing arabesques, and hushed courtyards of the Nasrid dynasty cast such a spell that everyone’s simply trying to absorb the magic....and get a selfie in front of the famous mirrored water features.

Generalife Gardens, Alhambra

The final section of the Alhambra visit takes in the fortress of Alcazaba. And the views of the city from the battlements of this huge military castle are incredible. And that was us done in a very tidy two hours.

Mirrored gardens of the Alhambra Palaces

We descended back to the Plaza Nueva via Cuesta de Gomérez which is a wide tree-lined boulevard and the main route to the Alhambra, although we ascended following the Darro River and I'd advise going both ways to explore the huge grounds surrounding the Alhambra.

Granada from the hillsides of Sacromonte

On our final day in Granada we explored the Albaicín, the old Moorish quarter. It's a mish mash of narrow cobbled streets and whitewashed houses that hug the hillside in the north of the city, offering glimpses of the Alhambra at every turn.

Square in Sacromonte

The Mirador de San Nicolás is very popular but we found even better ones as we climbed higher to the Museo Cuevas del Sacromonte, which was a very nice museum area dedicated to preserving the history of the folk who inhabited the caves of the Sacromonte. The hillside community take some credit for the birth of Flamenco, and this Spanish music and dance pulses through the neighbourhood below, with countless bars tucked into the hillside.

Flamenco Bar, Sacromonte

Our short visit to Granada was coming to an end but there was time for an authentic Andalusian evening of tapas at Bar La Riviera where every drink came with a free tapa. You get to choose your tapa, so on our three drinks we worked our way through the menu having fried squid, chorizo, meatballs, fried aubergine, hake and croquettes. It was fabulous and explains why people queue for hours to get in. We arrived just before it got packed out.

Alhambra Palace Complex, Granada

Then we propped ourselves up at the nearby Bodegas La Mancha, a proper old school wine bar hiding behind ornate wooden carved doors and decorated in huge hams. Bar tenders wore ties and aprons and there was no frills wine from the bottle or huge casks. The free tapas was great but we had to refuse after the first round as we were stuffed! A fabulous end to our time in Granada. Next stop Almería.

Bodegas La Mancha, Granada