Granada, Spain

The Mindful City

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Granada, Spain

Oh Granada, you little hidden treasure in Spain. The perfect mixture between Arabic and Spanish culture makes you so incredibly unique. You are a perfect example of showcasing the beauty, inviting in only the good, and knowing that flaws and insecurities belong elsewhere.

A mindful city, slow, accepting, open, honest, go with the flow. You are a place that merits much more than you are given, yet you don't care. You are happy with the way you are and we love you for it.

Granada is a city in southern Spain in a region named Andalucia which was under Moorish rule from the 8th -13th centuries, which is evident in its architecture, castles, and palaces. One of which is the breathtaking Alhabra, one of the main attractions in Granada.

Let's start with Alhambra

When in Granada, you cannot hide from Alhambra, as it can been seen from nearly everywhere, as it overlooks the city as sort of a protector and mother.

The iconic Alhambra‘s name is derived from the Arabic word meaning "The Red Castle" due to it's reddish walls. It is said that Alhambra's construction began in the 9th century but some buildings are said to have been standing long before that, possibly since Ancient Rome. In the 13th century Alhambra was transformed into a palace after the establishment of the Nasrid kingdom and the construction of the first palace, by the founder king Mohammed ibn Yusuf ben Nasr.

The fortress became a citadel which housed two main areas: the military area, or Alcazaba, the barracks of the royal guard, and the medina or court city, the location of the famous Nasrid Palaces and the remains of the houses of noblemen and plebeians who lived there.

The Generalife is a complex of monuments also has an independent palace opposite the Alhambra, surrounded by orchards and gardens, which was where the Granadine kings relaxed.

Alhambra merits a half a day at least, if not a whole day. The details carved into the Alhambra, the Arabic writing, the panoramic views, the gardens, the history; it will take your breath away and leave you confused as to how something so detailed and precise was built so long ago.

The beautiful Reflection Pool.

Here are some more pictures of the details

Getting Lost in Small Streets

Granada is full of tiny streets, each with it's own unique personality. Churches, trees, restaurant, bodegas, bazaars, and coffee shops fill the city. It's easy to loose yourself in all the bright colors of the hanging rugs, scarves, and lights that outline streets and alleys. You will hear people talking in a mixture language of Spanish and Arabic because in Granada, they are proud of their Arabian history that has blended in so well with the Spanish.

Food

If I learned anything about life in Granada, it would be to slow down and enjoy. I tend to be a fast eater as I have been said to "inhale" lots of food in a short about of time. But in Granada, the mindful city, I wold not dare.

The Paella we enjoyed was delicious, a true, large, family sharing paella filled with all the delicious seafood you would expect to have. It was nice because as part of the experience the servers bring the paella out to you in a family sized paella pan and then serve it to you in a plate at the table. It's great watching them scrape out the best parts of the crispy rice, known as socarrat, and then pick out just enough seafood for each person to ensure no one gets the short end of the stick!

of course they also served us Hummus as an appetizer, to serve as a friendly reminder of the Arabic influence In Granada.

Paella

As for drinks, I had set my expectations on drinking Sangria the entire time in Spain, but it turns out that there is a summer drink they prefer to drink in the hot months called Tinto De Verano, which translates to Red Wine of Summer. This is similar to sangria in it's fruit flavor. It is a Spanish wine mixed with lime soda and summer fruits and it is so simple yet so refreshing!

Flamenco

Flamenco is the traditional song and dance of the gypsies, known as flamencos!

Andalucia, the region where Granada is located, is known for it's role in the origination of this form of art and culture. Flamenco includes canoe, toque, baile, Jaleo, Palmas and pitos (singing, guitar, dance, vocalizations, clapping, and snapping)

Flamenco is a folk art form with variations from intense, profound, and passionate that demonstrate deep emotion in the artist to light and loving.

There are many variations of the story of how flamenco came to be but the most widely accepted one is that flamenco came to be by the mixture of the cultures of the Moors, Gypsies, and Andalucian cultures that met in this region of Spain.

In Granada there is a quarter called Sacromonte, known as the gypsy section, of the city. It is located in the hills above Granada and is mostly known for its unique caves which serve as homes, restaurants, museums, and most importantly dramatic flamenco shows. We were sure to watch a flamenco show there.

We wend to Zambra Maria Canastera. This historical place was the home of one of the most influential flamenco dancers in Granada, Maria La Canastera. In this family home, flamenco was a common family tradition. The Cave is now taken care of by Maria's son who has preserved it in its original condition. Zambra Maria Canastera is considered one of the museums of Granada which hosts flamenco shows.

When you first walk in, it is unlike anything you have ever seen before. A cave, filled with hanging pots, pans, pictures of the family across the generations, and of course chairs for the guests to watch the flamenco show of the night. The tickets grant you a seat and a glass of sangria to enjoy the show.

Travel & Accommodations

We like to travel often and therefore we are always looking for affordable prices in order to make sure we don't break the bank. Before getting to Granada, we spent some time in Portugal exploring Porto and Lisboa. We decided it would be more affordable and a cool experience to drive from Lisboa to Granada.

The trip took us about 6 hours an no need for customs or border checks so it was pretty smooth. I, personally, was hoping for a more scenic route but we were a bit underwhelmed at the route we took.

When we arrived to Granada we were greeted by our awesome Air B&B host Pradib. Padrib owned most of the apartments in his building and was by far one the best host we had ever encountered. He was friendly, accommodating, helpful, and full of information about Granada. Our accommodations were right in the center of old Granada, in a quiet, cozy, yet luxurious apartment that was right under the Alhambra. There was a rooftop and at night it was so nice to sit upstairs on the roof and look up at an illuminated Alhambra. Aside from it being the best accommodation we stayed in, it was the cheapest as well! Click here to check out where we stayed

Here is out video!