Fodor's Travel Talk Forums

Fodor's Travel Talk Forums (https://www.fodors.com/community/)
-   Europe (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/)
-   -   Christmas in Granada....food! (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/christmas-in-granada-food-1599010/)

rivermama Dec 9th, 2017 02:44 PM

Christmas in Granada....food!
 
Hi,
Almost ready to go to Spain!!
We will be staying in BCN when we first arrive, my question is about our stay in Granada.
We fly into Malaga on 12/24 at around 2pm, and then rent a car to drive to Granada. We are staying in an apartment. So here is my question....

Where to eat/buy food!

We are traveling with 2 teen boys. We don't mind preparing Christmas feasts in our apartment but have no idea if any grocery stores will be open, or markets. Will any be open in Granada on Christmas eve around 5pm???

Should we go to a grocery in Malaga prior to driving?

Should we just eat out? but we wont have fancy dress...likely just jeans (8 kg limit).

Should we just buy stuff in BCN and try to fly with it?

Thanks!!

Robert2016 Dec 9th, 2017 08:50 PM

You can expect everything to be closed Christmas Day, so you’ll have to go shopping on the 24th. Málaga would offer more options.

ribeirasacra Dec 9th, 2017 11:44 PM

The 24th is a Sunday. Shops that open will be limited.
Suggestions.
https://www.carrefour.es/tiendas-car...os_malaga.aspx
Next one click on the " Horarios detallados y días festivos " for details.
https://www.elcorteingles.es/centros...mercial-malaga
you will have to check yourself below as to what shops are in the "malls"
http://www.enterat.com/ocio/centros-...vos-malaga.php

ribeirasacra Dec 9th, 2017 11:50 PM

You will find the same sort of shops in Granada too. We have national brand chains in Spain
https://www.carrefour.es/tiendas-car...r/granada.aspx
https://www.alcampo.es/empresa/tienda/granada
https://www.elcorteingles.es/centros...omercial-genil
http://www.nevada.shopping/es/contacto
http://www.nuevocentro.es/Horarios-Aperturas.asp

rivermama Dec 10th, 2017 11:08 AM

Thanks so much @ribeirasacra! I'm going to check all the links now. We would love to get some seafood, since we have heard that is the Christmas meal in Spain. Any advice on the best place for that? I suppose it will have to be at a grocery store since I'm sure the food markets will have closed up shop :(

Bedar Dec 10th, 2017 11:10 AM

Have you reserved your remtal car yet ? zo'd do that first off. AitoEurope. You don't want to waste time in the airport looking for a car !

As Robert said, I'd shop in Malaga. By the time you get to Granada, it will be getting dark, and you won't want to be searching for an open market AND your apt.

ribeirasacra Dec 10th, 2017 12:02 PM

to question this post:
https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...mment-10147949
Why search for an open market? They could well be closed on Sunday.
I gave links for shops and or malls. They will be open.

To answer this post. https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...mment-10147947
As for getting products from the sea. Either you will be too late to get the best bits.
And or you will have to queue up hours to purchase some. OK not hours but a very very long time. Everything you purchase is cut and dissected to how you want. The whole fish will be weighed before it is cut up.
If your Spanish is not very good then I personally would not bother. Things could be different from what you see at home, including the names.
Every supermarket will have some produce from the sea.

Bedar Dec 10th, 2017 12:39 PM

Ribeira - In English, "markets" can mean big municipal ones, supermarkets, or little tiendas. I think Malaga would have a better selection of everything including seafood.

Robert2016 Dec 10th, 2017 09:16 PM

Since you’re renting an apartment, have you called the owner and asked about stocking the kitchen with some provisions? It could be helpfull.

ribeirasacra Dec 10th, 2017 11:26 PM

bedar you are not correct. the end.

Robert2016 Dec 11th, 2017 07:44 AM

Upscale food markets in Málaga:
Mercado de la Merced, Calle Merced, 4 - closed Sunday
Mercado Central Atarazanas, Calle Atarazanas, 10 - closed Sunday
Mercado El Carmen, Calle la Serna, 5 - open Sunday

Regular markets:
Carrefour, Av. Simón Bolívar - closed Sunday
Supermercado Lidl, Calle Hilera, 10 - closed Sunday
Supermercados MAS, Alameda Colón, 12 - closed Sunday
Supermercados MAS, Av. Jorge Luis Borges, 11 - open Sunday
Supermercados MAS, Ctra. Carril de la Chupa, 5 - open Sunday
(http://www.supermercadosmas.com/Supermercados.htm)
Maskom Supermercados, Calle la Unión, 71 - open Sunday

Central Mall
Larios Centro Mall, Av. de la Aurora, 25

There are a number of mercados in Granada, but as Bedar says, you probably will not be arriving until late in the afternoon (when it's getting dark). After picking up your rental car, it's close to a 2-hour drive into Granada, on a road you're unfamiliar with and in traffic, and it's getting dark.

quiltingmamma Dec 11th, 2017 08:15 AM

I was in Granada a few weeks ago. The CarreFour are fairly handy, but may have differing hours depending on location. There are also small grocery stores that have varying hours as well.
Yes, it gets dark early. Yes, it is a pain to have to search for groceries, but I do see that Carrefour has hours for Sundays AND holidays which would appear to mean 'something' is open.
Get what you can in Malaga, but I would also look to your apartment host for a map with groceries.
Note that at times, irrespective of hours posted on line, or on the door, they just might not be open.
Hasn't this been an ongoing theme of threads for your plans? Or else, you are not alone trying to feed a family on Christmas Day.
Make sure you have a pack or 2 of Power bars and use Christmas to walk the streets getting the lay of the land, and see what shops are open. Look at is as an adventure. They have McDonalds....I wonder of they close?

quiltingmamma Dec 11th, 2017 08:35 AM

I noticed Google Maps lists a number of Chinese Restaurants on Gran Via Colon or Gonzalo Galas. Most are open every day of the week. There is a good chance one of them will be open Christmas as well. Map 'chinese restaurants granada spain' and you will see options.
Worst comes to worst, pick it up on the 24th and reheat it.
It might not be ideal but picking up food from restaurants the afternoon before may be more feasible.Beats surviving on pepperoni sticks from the gas station.
Also, engage your kids that meals are going to be an adventure and enlist their buy in that things won't be the same, and might be 'very interesting'. Hopefully, that will reduce expectations and stress.

rivermama Dec 12th, 2017 04:21 PM

@bedar yes we have rented the car.

@robert that is a great idea to see if the owner would stock us up. And thank you for the links.

@quiltingmama this may be an ongoing topic of my threads...what can I say...we like to eat! But great idea for Chinese, it will be like a Christmas story!

Also I think I have found a carrefour that is fairly close open till 10. So we will not starve!

Thanks everyone!

Bedar Dec 12th, 2017 04:34 PM

No Carrefour, or any other store, will be open till 10 pm on 12/24 or 12/25. Just the way it is.

Robert2016 Dec 12th, 2017 07:30 PM

As Bedar mentions, stores, including Carrefour, will be closing early on Christmas Eve. That’s the way life is in Spain.

ribeirasacra Dec 12th, 2017 11:41 PM

badar yet again you are incorrect please read the website i linked to.
Robert please do not repeat fake news!!

Bedar Dec 13th, 2017 07:55 AM

Oh, how trendy you are in Galicia, "fake news.". Guess you don't realize websites can be wrong. Life in the outback must indeed be simple and you gullible.

rivermama Dec 14th, 2017 04:16 AM

@bedar, I’m looking at the carrefour site that has holiday listing for all of their grocery stores, hyper markets, express markets. Most or all closed on 12/25, but most are open normal hrs on 12/24. Some open only in the AM. Should I not believe this site?

Bedar Dec 14th, 2017 07:25 AM

I guess you can believe what you want, but I, having lived in Spain for many years, wouldn't. When it says Sundays and holidays 10 to 22 hrs, to me it doesn't mean the special holiday, Noche Buena, or Christmas Eve. I can't imagine anyone being willing to work then or there being any customers. Everyone will be at home where they'll be eating a big, festive dinner. Good luck to you. Please let us know what you find, if Spanish customs have been turned upside down on the altar of capilalism.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 11:13 PM.