enzian

We will be visiting Andalucia for the first time next May, with 3 nights in Granada. I am making my reservations early as this will be a very busy time. I would like to run my plans by the knowledgeable Fodorites to make sure they are reasonable.

Our main interest in Granada is the Alhambra. We are reading all we can about it, and would like to immerse ourselves in the experience. We also love to walk, and don't mind long walks uphill or downhill, expecially on pedestrian paths (or steps) instead of busy streets.

So here's what I'm thinking: two nights in the Alhambra, at Hotel America (we cannot afford 2 nights at the parador). I have read the reviews and will expect the breakfasts to be mediocre, but it looks otherwise quite charming. Then we would move into town (Hotel Fontecruz?) for the third night. Day to day plan would look like this:

Day 1: arrive by train from Cordoba, take a taxi from the station up to the Hotel. spend the afternoon expolring the grounds (the free areas). Either walk down to the Albaicin for dinner (suggestions?), or dine at Hotel America or the parador. (I cannot find reviews for these, so comments are welcone). We might do the late-night visit of the Nazrid Palaces this night.

Day 2: book the "Tour of the Landscape and Urban Environment", which goes from 9:30 to 2.

http://www.paseosporlaalhambra.com/promo/index_en.html

They will be doing the "Conquest of Water" route on this day. Afterwards, lunch (is 2:00 to late---will restaurants still be open for lunch?) Then walk down to the Albaicin or downtown to explore, possibly staying to hav dinner somewhere. (I am assuming it is safe to walk back up late at night?)

Day 3: complete tour of the Alhambra, including the Generalife, starting first thing in the morning (yes, we will book well in advance). We'll check out of the hotel, assuming we can leave our luggage for a few hours during our Alhambra visit. As we will already have spent a lot of time there, I imagine we'll be finished around noon. We can retrieve our bags and head downtown to a different hotel. I am thinking of Hotel Fontecruz, which seems well-located both for sightseeing and for access to the train station for the next morning. We will want to catch the 7:15 am train to Ronda. I hope taxis will be running that early?

After checking in to the Fontecruz (or other hotel if you think there is a better one for our purposes), we will have all afternoon and evening to explore Granada. We would appreciate recommendations for dining in particular. (I did see Rober 2533's recommendation for Restaurant Oliver, and will look at that one for sure). We are trying to keep our lodging below 180 euro so that we will have more to spend on dinner; we don't like to compromise on quality here.

Day 4: up early to catch that 7:15 am train.

So. . . what do you think? am I crazy? Way off? Or is this reasonable for 2 people who wish to focus on the alhambra but also see a bit of Granada's other sights as well?

I really appreqciate your help--thank you!

caitg

2pm will be fine for lunch. Lunch is eaten much later in Spain than in most other countries.

The night visit to the Alhambra is lovely and well worth doing if you have the time.

Can't help with restaurants .. we were in Granada with a 4 year old in tow who cannot sit still in restaurants!

Enjoy.

annhig

really, enzian, I don't see the need to check into a different hotel for the 3rd night.

we stayed at the hotel guadelupe right opposite the alhambra and had no problem exploring the town. it's a pleasant 10 minute walk down to the town, and either a 15 minute walk back up, or there's a bus that runs from the square up to the alhambra ticket office. it also runs from there right up to sacromento where the [alleged] gipsy flamenco shows are - you can walk back down through the albercin area which is very beautiful and every so often, you get views of the alhambra across the valley.

as for restaurants, we ate in the hotel [oxtail stew, very tasty, but I'm not sure they believed us when we said that we ate it at home!] the night we did the night tour of the alhambra [truly not to be missed] and the other nights had tapas at a variety of bars.

hope this helps,

regards, ann

Egbert

I also wouldn't change hotels for the 3rd night. The area around the Alhambra is quiet and although you can't step out the door and into a good tapas bar it is near the Alhambra. As you walk down the hill through the forest into town you will be thinking about all of the legends and ghosts you have read about. (You could also take the bus or taxi). A lot of overpriced mediocre restaurants in Granada. I like Chikito for its old school Granadian charm and great Andalucian food but it's certainly not cutting edge. Sit down meals in Spain can be expensive, starts at 9 or 10 and can go on a long time. We usually go from Bar to Bar filling up on delicious tapas like at Bar Diamante until we've had enough.

enzian

Thank you for your thoughts (and food recommendations!) We will indeed mainly dine on tapas rather than the full sit-down dinner.

changing hotels for the third nigh tis not something I relish, but I am concerned about getting to that 7:15 am train from way up on the alhambra. do the busses run that early? Would we have trouble finding the right one? I am afraid I'll lose sleep worrying about it! this is really the main reason we would change to a downtown hotel.

The other reason is that I am picturing us being starved for a real brreakfast at this point, after 2 nights at Hotel America with no bar or other options nearby. The TA reviews uniformly say breakfast there is bad (meager, stale bread, etc.) and not worth the money. We would probably take it just to have the coffee and tea, and then tough it out until lunch. But I'm thinking two mornings of that might be enough.

"As you walk down the hill through the forest into town you will be thinking about all of the legends and ghosts you have read about." Thank, Egbert, I am really looking forward to that! Is the haunted forest path the one on the back side (the "little king" path) or the main one on the front, by way of the Granada gate?

ekscrunchy

E; I am interested in this thread, too, since I will be there in January. I am very food focused. Restaurant Oliver sounds good, and the AC hotel has a good restaurant that is probably pricey. I am wondering about this place, just outside the city--perhaps it is one too investigate, too, although it means a taxi ride:

http://www.rutadelveleta.com/ingles/...etaingles.html

Can someone comment on the Ruta del Veleta?

Anyway, I am sure to have lots of info for you after my own trip....by the way, thank you for the link to the walking tour; I had not heard of that before.

enzian

ekscrunchy---I am benefitting from your thread as well!

Here is a better link to the tour information, more official and with complete descriptions, prices, etc.:

http://www.alhambra-patronato.es/ind...5d637b1e38d/0/

Look on the right and you'll find the link for the Tour of the Landscape and Urban Environment. There's even a full-color brochure in PDF. The tour is 30 euros but I believe one gains access to areas that are otherwise closed to the public. There is a different one oach day of the week.

ekscrunchy

Thanks so much! Now I am a bit sorry that I am only planning 3 nights! We will have to compare notes--there will be a lot to fit in with the Alhambra and the other tours, plus aimless wandering!

The Fontecruz looks really good, by the way.

ekscrunchy

Enzian: I hope you (or someone who has taken the tour) can explain the Conquest of Water tour to me a bit more. Does one need to purchase the tour and also purchase Alhambra timed entry for the time with the tour? Or does the tour include the Alhambra entry? Is it your understanding that most of the Conquest of Water tour takes place inside the Alhambra grounds? (I am trying to understand if we should return to the complex at another time or if we can see much of it during this tour--we only have two full days, a Friday and Saturday.

annhig

but I am concerned about getting to that 7:15 am train from way up on the alhambra. do the busses run that early?>>

why not get a cab to the railway station? - I'm sure that the hotel would get you one.

The other reason is that I am picturing us being starved for a real brreakfast at this point, after 2 nights at Hotel America with no bar or other options nearby. The TA reviews uniformly say breakfast there is bad (meager, stale bread, etc.) and not worth the money.>>

I can't help with this. the breakfast at the hotel guadalupe was fine. i have recommended this hotel to others on this board and no-one has complained - yet! and it had a bar/cafe, as well as a restaurant. 3 or 4 years ago we paid €60 per night for a very big room and full bathroom; the breakfast may have been extra but it was still a bargain.

Egbert

I'm thinking of the rd. from the main gate that turns into cuesta de Gomerez.