What to Do:
Everyone will tell you that you cannot leave Granada without seeing the Alhambra. For this you must book in advance (I would suggest at least a week ahead to avoid being disappointed). Click here for the Official Alhambra Website. I was unfortunately unable to get hold of a ticket but went and saw the Alhambra grounds anyway which I would still highly recommend going to even if you do not manage to get a ticket. There is still a lot to see without going inside and I walked around for a whole afternoon. Alongside the Alhambra there are various historical buildings to see throughout the city to get your culture fix.
In the city centre there are also lots of shopping opportunities if you want to pick up any of the many Spanish brands (obvs you have Zara but one of my favourite discoveries was Uterqüe which is also the Inditex Group but not in the UK yet). Another shop I would recommend visiting which I only found in Spain is AleHop. Watch this space for a post on Spanish brands coming soon. 😉
What to Eat/Drink :
Tomato bread accompanied by an espresso is the typical Spanish breakfast I would recommend. The cafe I went to is on Calle Elvira which is a lively street filled with lots of little shops and tapas bars. As this part of the southern coast of Spain is so close to Morocco there is a huge Moorish influence here of everything from the buildings (ie the Alhambra), to the shopping and the food. On this street you can find Hookah bars as well as tapas and little market stalls with owners who have migrated from Morocco.
The bar that I got this great breakfast from is Al Sur de Granada which was recommended to me by a local that I travelled with in a Bla Bla Car (look out for a post on different ways to travel Europe coming soon). I didn’t get the chance to go to there again but dinner is meant to be very good there too. What I loved about this place was that all the products used are local including wines from Granada. For me that is very important as I love supporting independent local businesses and let’s face it the food/drink is always better that way!
What to Wear:
Granada is a city but a small one so I would recommend to wear flat sandals. I did not get any public transport while in Granada as I was staying on the main street and it is possible to walk everywhere (the Alhambra was about 40 mins walk from Eco Hostel). I went in May and it was hot enough to wear shorts and add a light layer for the evening.
Where to Stay:
I cannot recommend staying at the Eco Hostel more! The staff there were so accommodating and really genuine and caring. I was unfortunately not very well whilst staying there and they took such good care of me I could literally not have asked for more. When I was there in May the hostel was very new – the decor is on point and very modern. I liked that although I was staying in a room of 6 each bed was in its own (generously sized) ‘box’ (influenced by Japan) so I felt like I had some privacy. Each ‘box’ had its own plug for phone charging and little shelf to keep belongings safe while you sleep.
I would highly recommend that anyone who stays at the Eco Hostel goes on the tours and activities organised by their sister hostel. The tour that I went on was an evening tour and included was a trip to the caves which is an experience I will never forget!
Libera Femina 