Spain 2023 - Part Six - Granada

This is part six in a series documenting our trip to Spain in 2023.

Spain 2023 Part One: Our trip plan and our first two days in Madrid.
Spain 2023 Part Two: Seville (Day One): Our first day in Seville.
Spain 2023 Part Three: Seville (Day Two): Our Second Day in Seville.
Spain 2023 Part Four: Córdoba: Our one day visit to Córdoba.
Spain 2023 Part Five: The Alhambra: Visit to the Alhambra and Generalife Gardens.

Day seven in Spain was a very special day....Michele's birthday! We started our day by "sleeping in," and when I say we slept in, it really just means we woke up at the regular time just without an alarm set 🤪.

We had a lovely traditional Andalusian breakfast of tomato and toast, with hard boiled eggs and coffee, on the veranda of our guest house. After breakfast we made our way down into the city center for the rest of our agenda: a more leisurely day....touring the cathedral and the Royal Chapel of Granada, followed by lunch and then a traditional Arabic Hammam experience in the Albaicín.

We first toured the Granada Cathedral. Like the other cathedrals we've visited Andalusia, The Granada Cathedral was built on the site of a former mosque, however, unlike the other cathedrals we've toured in this region, there is little to no evidence of it...instead, the Granada Cathedral stands as a majestic example of Spanish Renaissance and Baroque architecture. Officially known as the Cathedral of the Incarnation, it was constructed between 1523 and 1704. We did the audio tour inside, moving from chapel to chapel to learn about the history of each. The highlight for me was the magnificent pipe organ, a true testament to the craftsmanship of the era.

We next headed to the Royal Chapel of Granada (Capilla Real de Granada), which is adjacent to the Granada Cathedral. Built in an elegant Gothic style, it was constructed between 1505 and 1517 under the reign of the Catholic Monarchs, King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile. The chapel stands today as a both a mausoleum and museum for these rulers, witness to their influential reign here. Unfortunately there was no photography allowed in any of the interior spaces, but inside you'll find soaring vaulted ceilings, stained glass windows, and the beautifully carved marble tombs of Ferdinand and Isabella, along with various artifacts of their rule. It's a beautiful, historic space and it's definitely worth a visit while you are in Grenada.

After touring the Royal Chapel, we grabbed a tapas lunch, then made our way to Hammam Al Ándalus, for the Craftmaster's full birthday pampering experience. I've been to plenty of Spas in my day, and while I'm not exactly a Spa aficionado or anything, I will say that there are some experiences that stay with you long after they’re over, and I'd put our visit to Hammam Al Ándalus in Granada as one such spa experience. Tucked away in the heart of the historic city, this hammam, or traditional Arab bath, offers a unique blend of relaxation, cultural immersion, and historical exploration. There was also no photography allowed here (for obvious reasons).

After our sublime hammam experience, we walked around the Albaicín for a bit, then as the sun was about to set, we found ourselves in a cozy, traditional tea room (or teteria), Teteria Palacio Nazari...so why not have the full experience and try a little shisha! The teteria, with its Moorish décor and dim, ambient lighting, offered an array of flavors; the proprietor assured me the flavor we chose was tobacco free. The sweet aroma of shisha combined with the taste of traditional teas and snacks, and the overall vibe of Middle Eastern culture here really made us feel like we were a world away.

Having been fully decompressed as a result of our tea room and Hamam experiences, we got cleaned up, then headed for dinner at Gastrobar La Botillería, a restaurant recommend by our host, Alessandro. I couldn't pass up another opportunity to have acorn fed Iberian pork. After dinner we walked more in the Albaicín....up, up, up to our final destination for today: an evening of flamenco in an ancient Roma cave at El Templo Del Flamenco to cap off our day and further celebrate another trip around the sun for Michele.

Our next day in Granada was also our final full day in Spain. We had a mid afternoon train to catch back to Madrid, so we spent the majority of our remaining time getting lost in Granada’s ancient neighborhoods: The Albaicín and Sacromonte, the old Moorish and Gypsy quarters, respectively.

We first climbed up to Mirador de San Nicolás, a gorgeous bustling lookout point to get a Birds Eye view of the Alhambra and the Sierra Nevada mountains in the background. We then wandered the narrow streets and alleyways, poking our heads into the various shops and generally just experiencing the richness of the colors, textures, tastes, and smells of the old neighborhoods.

After lunch at Amazonia Fine Food, and one last stop at our beautiful hotel, we hopped on our train.

Back in Madrid, we had an amazing dinner at La Malontina, a small intimate modern Spanish cuisine restaurant that was wonderful. One of the best brisket dishes I've ever had! Lastly, we took an after dinner stroll through Plaza Mayor and Puerto Del Sol and some chocolate and churros at the world famous Choclateria San Gines to cap off our trip.

Spain, you are amazing….we’ve fallen in love and we will be back!