Luckily, the south of Spain is generally pretty cheap. The cities are so full of history and interesting stories that you don’t need to spend a lot to see a lot. And when you need refreshment drinks range from one to three Euros and food from three to five on average. Granada is especially great for someone traveling on a budget too! Why? Read on!

Visit the Alhambra Grounds – Free!

Located into the hills surrounding the city, the Alhambra is a Moorish Palace and Fortress that is one of the most famous sites of the city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tickets to visit the interior and the gardens are 14,00 Euro for adults and I would absolutely recommend going inside, it is worth every cent.

However, what many visitors don’t know is that the area before the ticket point is also really nice! There is a beautiful view of the city below and you can get at least an initial impression of the massiveness of the palace. So just follow signs from the city center to the Alhambra and go as far as your free pass will get you!

Walk through the Albayzin and Sacromonte –Free!

I mentioned in an earlier article all of the cool things that the Albayzin district of Granada has to offer. Head away from the city center on Carrera del Darro and just wander through the winding streets. What I didn’t mention before is that just a little farther is the neighborhood known as Sacromonte, the traditional Gitano section of the city formed by the slopes of the hills. This is a bit more rural, but you can see a more traditional way of life where some of the residents live in the caves built into the hills.

Sample some tapas! –Cheap!

Granada is one of the best budget cities to eat and drink in because each drink comes with a free tapa! Not just some chips or olives, either. You can expect anything from a sandwich to a plate of fried fish. In some bars you can even choose your own from a list of many options. One of my favorite areas for great tapas bars is in the center near the Cathedral, but you can absolutely find so many great places all over the city.

Go inside the Granada Cathedral- Cheap!

No matter what your religious beliefs, to get a full understanding of the history, traditions and culture of Spain, you should start with the church. In most Spanish cities, these are located in the heart of the city center and typically are some of the most ornate, architectural creations. The Granada Cathedral is not the most stunning of the ones I’ve seen in Spain, but nonetheless it is really nice inside and, you guessed it, cheap to enter! Adult’s tickets are 5 euros and students 3,5 euros.

The Alhambra, Albayzin, delicious tapas, beautiful architecture, great university life and its general all-around coolness make it my favorite city on earth. And what is my all-time favorite hangout there? Why Café Fútbol of course!

Who would have thought that three American girls starting a four month journey studying abroad in Granada would be placed just a few blocks from one of the most iconic cafes in the entire city?

Well we were just that lucky, I suppose!

Where is Café Fútbol?

Located at the Plaza Mariana just a block from the Correos (post office) in the city center is Café Fútbol, a three-story restaurant, with a vintage interior that makes you feel like you stepped back into 1970. The waiters (generally older Spanish men) all wear white button downs and don’t think it’s out of the ordinary for one to be smoking a cigarette while they take your order. All part of the charm I suppose.

My First Café Fútbol Experience

My first experience with Café Fútbol was meeting friends for sangria before we had our tour of the Alhambra, the massive Moorish palace Granada is famous for. That may have been a bit of a mistake…

As this was my first extended time period in Europe, I still wasn’t accustomed to living life outside the American norms. In the U.S. sangria is typically really sweet, made with wine, fruit and some juices and it is never very strong. What we didn’t know was that in many places in Spain and definitely at Café Fútbol they also add some sort of liquor, in this case I think it was a brandy.

At only 2 euro-something each, it’s hard to drink just one of their delicious sangrias.

So, naturally, we had two.

And then we were drunk.

The sangrias at Café Fútbol are very strong.

That would have been okay if were just going back to the apartment or out for the night. But instead we were about to begin a multiple hour tour around one of the largest palaces I’ve ever seen, in temperature that was over 30 degrees Celsius! It was rough. But naturally, we now knew where to go for sangria!

Oh, And The Churros Con Chocolate Are Delicious!

I didn’t get to know the real specialty of Café Fútbol until a few weeks later, when our study abroad program invited us all for churros con chocolate (churros with chocolate) at an iconic Granada restaurant. You guessed it- Café Fútbol!

Words cannot express how delicious they were. I am dying to go back for more.

It turns out there is a reason the churros and chocolate at Café Fútbol are superb. It began in 1903 as a milk selling business, they moved to the current location in 1910, and over time began to specialize in ice cream and chocolate, thus churros and chocolate seemed to be the obvious next step.

Today, you can still choose from a wide selection of tasty looking ice cream dishes as well as typical Spanish meals.

For me, however, nothing will beat sitting out on their outdoor tables in the middle of the plaza on a warm fall day and drinking the best sangria I’ve had in my life with some great friends.

Featured image from fraboof via Flickr.

Origins of the Albayzín

The Albayzín is a one of the most important and interesting sites for any visit to Granada. Dating back from Roman times, the Zirid Monarchs first established their court there during the 11^th century, with an encircling citadel wall, with some ruins still visible today.

The origin of the name “Albayzín” or also sometimes written as “Albaicin”, is not exactly clear. Most historians credit the name as meaning “quarter of the people of Baeza”. This refers to when the Moors were driven out of the city of Baeza, near the Spanish city of Jaen in the 13^th century by the Christians. They fled to Granada and settled into what is the Albayzín district, which would develop further with a distinct Moorish influence.

After the fall of the Spanish city of Cordoba in 1236 the center of Moorish power was then transferred to Granada, which brought a massive flood of nobles, architects and most importantly, money to the city, which ultimately led to the construction of the ornate Alhambra palace, which sits directly across the hill from the Albayzín quarter.

When the Christians conquered Granada after an 800-year Moorish ruling, they built over the many mosques that were constructed in the Albayzín, which is why you can still see some Moorish features today, such as external cisterns for the ritual washing of the faithful.

What’s the best way to see the Albayzín?

Exploring the Albayzín is best done on foot. You can easily walk there from the Plaza Nueva in the center of Granada in less than a half hour. The coolest part about this district however, is just casually strolling through the maze of small streets and plazas, so I would recommend setting apart at least a few hours. This gives you plenty of time to explore, stop at one (or a few) of the many tapas restaurants or tea houses  that are buried deep into the winding cobblestone streets, visit some of the churches, which are typically open to visitors, and enjoy the Moorish vernacular architecture, which blends with the traditional Andalusian styles.

I loved how many of the homes are designed, with really bright colors and tons of flowers and greenery.

What many consider the highlight of this district, is the view of the Alhambra and the city below from the Mirador de San Nicolás, located in the Plaza Mirador de San Nicolás, especially at sunset.

At night, the area also has lots to offer from traditional Flamenco shows in the cuevas (caves) built into the hills to some cool bars or nightclubs.

One famous one for students of the city, especially international ones, is El Camborio, which has a large terrace that has spectacular views of the lights of the Alhambra. Just keep an eye out for pick pockets as this neighborhood can sometimes be known for having some seedy characters lurking!

[UNESCO], [Andalucia]

At one of the highest points of the neighborhood, the Mirador (lookout point) has long been a point of interest for locals and visitors alike. Throughout all hours of the day you can find local artists selling their crafts, bohemian musicians tocando el guitarra (playing the guitar) and people just simply hanging out and enjoying the relaxed atmosphere.

The view is one of the most insane things I’ve ever seen. Just sitting there, having a completely unobstructed view of the Alhambra, once in consideration to be one of the seven wonders of the modern world, is something I simply can’t put into words. To contemplate all of the history that has happened in this palace is incomprehensible, from the control of the Muslim kings, the Spanish emperors and the Catholic monarchs, whom have all called this place home. Plus, its sheer size is a marvel on it’s own. And the best part? You get this view for free!

The magic of the Mirador, however, comes when the sun begins to set behind the palace. During my time living in Granada, we went up to the Mirador a few times and always the sunset didn’t disappoint. Dark oranges, purple and pink hues blending with the Sierra Nevada made the experience truly unforgettable.

When you visit Granada (something I definitely recommend), you’ll realize it is actually quite small easy to navigate. Special about the Mirador de San Nicolás is that it is located in the very unique Albayzin quarter of Granada. Traditionally the Muslim quarter, it still retains a huge amount of history. You can easily spend the day walking through the cobblestone streets, admiring the interesting architecture, stopping at local shops, enjoying some delicious tapas, and cap it all off with one of the most beautiful sunset you’ve ever seen! And usually with a little background music as there is almost always someone playing guitar in the plaza.

To reach the Mirador from the center of Granada, there are a few options. The first is walking though the Albayzin by foot, which would take about 20-30 minutes. The next is to take the bus numbers 30 or 32 or you could take a taxi from the city center, which shouldn’t cost more than 5-7 Euros.

As this is a popular tourist spot, you also want to keep an eye out for pickpockets, who regularly take advantage of visitors too distracted by the amazing scenery.

Even after the sun goes down, stay a bit longer. The Alhambra will soon turn on its lights, illuminating in the backdrop of the night sky and you will see just why Granada is so magical, and frankly, one of my favorite places on earth!

Featured image from Jack Zalium via Flickr.