Indian Chief Travel Guides

Granada Orientation

Granada lies at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains and stretches into the flat, fertile plains of the Vega. Its 300,000 inhabitants navigate the streets and sidewalks of a cityscape that appears, at least upon first inspection, dominated by drab high-rise buildings from the ’70s. Don’t be dismayed; a rich architectural heritage forged by Spanish and Mudéjar influences colors the city in unexpected and spectacular ways. In fact, when juxtaposed with Barcelona and Madrid, one can easily be partial to the oriental air of Granada, the steep and dark slopes of its oldest remaining neighborhood, the gypsies and the hippies and the Moroccans selling jalabas and incense. Its Catedral, Alhambra Palace and ancient Moorish city, the Albaicín, are among Spain’s most alluring attractions.

Apart from its agricultural and tourism industries, the city is known for the quality craftsmanship of guitars, pottery, and various wood marquetry products. The dry climate here ranges from bone-chilling nights and occasional snow in January to the unrelenting heat of July and August (up to 40°C/104°F). The spring and fall, however, have dependably fantastic, sunny weather with heavy rain only occasionally.

Students, many of whom are international, account for about 20% of the population and undoubtedly inject “life” into the nights. Granadinos speak in clipped phrases: “mas o menos,” which means “more or less,” comes off sounding like “ma o meno.” To thank someone in Granada you say “gracia’” rather than “gracias.” The locals bear the stamp of their dark-skinned Arabic predecessors in appearance and are renowned throughout Spain for their “mala folla,” which, roughly translated, means bad humor. Such regional stereotyping is common in Spain just as it is in the US, where New Yorkers are occasionally considered unfriendly by Southerners or Kentuckians thought of as backwards hillbillies by Northerners. Enlightened world travelers realize that broad generalizations are for the birds and they rarely do a complex and beautiful place such as “Grana” justice.