About Granada
Granada is one of Spain’s most captivating historic cities, best known as the last Moorish kingdom on the Iberian Peninsula. After nearly 800 years of Islamic rule, it fell to the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, in 1492—an event that marked the end of the Reconquista. The magnificent Alhambra Palace still stands as a reminder of Granada’s remarkable blend of Moorish and Spanish heritage.
Today Granada is a lively university city where centuries of history sit comfortably alongside a modern Andalusian lifestyle. The maze-like streets of the Albaicín, bustling tapas bars and spectacular views of the Sierra Nevada make it one of Spain’s most rewarding places to explore. It’s a city where every corner seems to tell a story—and where stopping for “just one tapa” rarely ends with just one. 
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With our silver wedding coming up, and because Granada holds a special place for us, we decided to celebrate by driving across to it from our home in Vilamoura.
There are 3 posts that describe our wonderful weekend in Granada:
Alhambra Palace Hotel
The hotel is one of the iconic hotels of the world.
Opened in 1910, the Alhambra Palace Hotel was built to provide luxury accommodation for the growing number of visitors drawn to Granada’s world-famous Alhambra. Designed in a distinctive Moorish Revival style, its richly decorated interiors complement the nearby palace without attempting to imitate it. Over the years, it has welcomed royalty, politicians, artists and celebrities, becoming one of Spain’s most iconic historic hotels.
Our stay
We rented a Mercedes Vito 9-seater, allowing us to drive James and Lucy, who had joined us in Portugal, along with good friends Phil and Gill Coleman, who also own a home near ours, across to Granada.
We left around 10.30, yes Steve had managed to get Nikki out of bed, and arrived at th Hotel at 5pm. It was some drive, mostly motorway, through mad and extremely hot Seville, and with many views of open countryside and hills packed with olive trees (not so many vineyards). Steve, Phil and Nikki shared the driving, with the latter negotiating the narrow streets of Granada while being instructed by 3 satnav views. Still we got there without a wrong turn so it all turned out ok. We checked in and looked forward to our 4-nights of fun.
By this time, brother Mike and his wife Julia; cousin Gary and his wife Jayne, along with Uncle Fester had also arrived. We had the first of many beers with them!
We then went to our rooms (luggage delivered in the time honoured fashion) and ours was magnificent – opulent would be my way to describe it, with intricate decor and a magnificent view to the city and the Sierra Nevada beyond.
A lovely meal was had that evening in a classic Spanish bar Puerto del Carmen, as recommended by hotel reception. We had split into groups for the evening and we were joined by the Coleman’s and Fester for a brilliant meal and much fun conversation, surrounded by ornate walls and bottles and lots of rapidly speaking Spanish – were they having a row or were they telling each other how much they love each other. Who knows?
Friday
On Friday, whilst some started exploring the city, we decided to plonk ourselves in a bar in Callas Navas, one of the main tapas bar streets in Granada. Through the day a stream of new arrivals saw Pete and Rose and Clint and Liz join us. Nikki got a text message “Nice hat” and it turned out Liza from Ireland had just driven past us in a cab!
Last to arrive were Michelle and Grant, a quick catch up in the hotel bar and then get ready for evening (OK as many will know, Steve had a small kip).
We had set our heart on Friday evening being informal. No way were we going to try and herd 18 folks to a restaurant. Many years ago a lot of us had hooked up in Seville and we had a brilliant night in a proper tapas bar, not restaurant, where we drank beer/wine and grazed on small plates of food through the evening. It’s a great way to circulate and chat and we thought it would be ideal. A quick check with reception again, and their recommendation, Bodegas Castaneda, delivered in spades.
Most of us assembled there, some dipped out, and it was everything we hoped for. Buzzy would be an understatement; a mad waiter (let’s call him El Loco) who kept yelling at people to get out of the way, a barman who recognised you were waiting with the merest wink of the eye, free plates of food with every round of drinks, El Loco insisting every 2 minutes that Sardinhas were the best, and everyone getting on famously. We were there a good 3 hours, 16 of us, stacks of food and drink, many of us ending up on Pedro Ximenez, ok, gulp, I had better get the bill. €302, about £280. Could not believe it!
Fun time at Bodegas Castaneda
Nightcaps at hotel
By the way .....
…. we had an earthquake ….
Some felt, some didn’t.
Saturday
Saturday was our special day being our actual wedding anniversary and it is described in Alhambra Palace and Silver Wedding posts.
Sunday
Sunday was very much start of the wind down. Michelle and Grant were leaving because Michelle has her 17th holiday of the year starting on Thursday.
A few of us set off to wander down into the town which, being a Sunday, was by and large shut (well at that time anyway). We of course found a riverside bar and as was the way of these things, the group steadily grew as we hit the beers with free tapas. Much merriment including the quote of the holiday:
Uncle Fester: “I had a girlfriend once, Geraldine, she was …… “ unfortunate pause ….
Pete, seizing the pause: “inflatable”
How we laughed.
Sunday evening was relatively quiet as we ate in the hotel and others did their own thing. Monday we set off back to Vilamoura with Steve concluding that 4 nights going to bed between 1 and 2.30am is not as easy as it used to be.
We think everyone agreed Granada is absolutely fabulous and we really cannot understand why the likes of Ryanair or easyJet have not brought many more Brits to sample its wares.