Granada Culture :
Granada was the last of the Arab kingdoms on the Iberian peninsula, and retains a great deal of these influence, not only in the architecture, but also amongst the people, cuisine, musical traditions, etc. The City of Granada fell to the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, in January, 1492, the same year Columbus was sent on his first voyage. The Moorish-influenced style of Granadino culture is generally called Morisco or Mudejar. The greatest cultural attraction of Granada, and the most visited historic monument in Spain, is the Alhambra Palace, a treasure of Mudejar architecture. It and the Albaycin neighborhood form part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Albaycin retains the character and charm of an ancient Arab neighborhood and is well worth exploring on foot. Granada also contains a treasure trove of Rennaissance architecture, especially downtown surrounding Plaza Nueva. The most prominent example is the Granada Cathedral and the Royal Chapel (Capilla Real), but also includes buildings such as the Royal Chancellary, now the Supreme Court of Andalusia, and parts of the University of Granada.
Flamenco is another important cultural component of Granada. In the gypsy cave village of Sacromonte, the visitor will find numerous tablaos, or small, family-run flamenco venues that offer a combination of dancing and singing in this distinctive style.
Granada Health and Safety :
There is a lot of nightlife in Granada, and a lot of people out in the streets in the evening, but common sense should be used when walking around after dark, especially in secluded alleys which can be difficult near the Cathedral area.
Granada Weather :
Unless you are near the coast, Spain has a very dry and arrid climate. The nice thing is that it's never really that humid that you feel like you can't go outdoors, but it can get extremely hot, especially in the spring and summer. While the Spaniards are used to the heat, even they sometimes get overwhelmed by the temperatures. Temperatures can usually reach the high 90's- low 100's in the height of the spring and summer months. Granada can get extremely hot because it is in the deep south of Spain. Though it is located an hour from the beach and an hour from the mountains, neither the sea breeze nor the mountain chills reach the city. With that in mind, it is probably best to avoid visiting during the middle of the summer if you can avoid it or have problems with extreme heat. The best time to visit is probably in the earlier spring months or the fall. The reason for this is you will avoid the extreme heat, as well as the colder temperatures of winter. If you like to ski, however, winter is a good time to go because you can go to the mountains to ski, but it is not freezing like other locations where you would be skiing. Another thing to keep in mind is that Spain has tons of students studying abroad. During March, they will be on spring break and will be going wild all throughout the country. If you want to avoid this, plan your trip around that to avoid that mess.
Granada was the last of the Arab kingdoms on the Iberian peninsula, and retains a great deal of these influence, not only in the architecture, but also amongst the people, cuisine, musical traditions, etc. The City of Granada fell to the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, in January, 1492, the same year Columbus was sent on his first voyage. The Moorish-influenced style of Granadino culture is generally called Morisco or Mudejar. The greatest cultural attraction of Granada, and the most visited historic monument in Spain, is the Alhambra Palace, a treasure of Mudejar architecture. It and the Albaycin neighborhood form part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Albaycin retains the character and charm of an ancient Arab neighborhood and is well worth exploring on foot. Granada also contains a treasure trove of Rennaissance architecture, especially downtown surrounding Plaza Nueva. The most prominent example is the Granada Cathedral and the Royal Chapel (Capilla Real), but also includes buildings such as the Royal Chancellary, now the Supreme Court of Andalusia, and parts of the University of Granada.
Flamenco is another important cultural component of Granada. In the gypsy cave village of Sacromonte, the visitor will find numerous tablaos, or small, family-run flamenco venues that offer a combination of dancing and singing in this distinctive style.
Granada Health and Safety :
There is a lot of nightlife in Granada, and a lot of people out in the streets in the evening, but common sense should be used when walking around after dark, especially in secluded alleys which can be difficult near the Cathedral area.
Granada Weather :
Unless you are near the coast, Spain has a very dry and arrid climate. The nice thing is that it's never really that humid that you feel like you can't go outdoors, but it can get extremely hot, especially in the spring and summer. While the Spaniards are used to the heat, even they sometimes get overwhelmed by the temperatures. Temperatures can usually reach the high 90's- low 100's in the height of the spring and summer months. Granada can get extremely hot because it is in the deep south of Spain. Though it is located an hour from the beach and an hour from the mountains, neither the sea breeze nor the mountain chills reach the city. With that in mind, it is probably best to avoid visiting during the middle of the summer if you can avoid it or have problems with extreme heat. The best time to visit is probably in the earlier spring months or the fall. The reason for this is you will avoid the extreme heat, as well as the colder temperatures of winter. If you like to ski, however, winter is a good time to go because you can go to the mountains to ski, but it is not freezing like other locations where you would be skiing. Another thing to keep in mind is that Spain has tons of students studying abroad. During March, they will be on spring break and will be going wild all throughout the country. If you want to avoid this, plan your trip around that to avoid that mess.
