Soak up the culture in Spanish sunshine

The delights of city, seaside and even skiing can be enjoyed on a visit to the Spanish city of Granada says Catherine Shanahan.

WHO needs sunshine supplements to ward off the chill of an Irish winter when you can get free Vitamin D with a simple shift of latitude?

I suggest a shift 15-degrees southwards to the Spanish city of Granada where history drips from the eaves and fine food and wines combine with warm skies to make an October vacation unbeatable.

One of the best things about a trip to Granada, apart from Alhambra, is the flight time. It’s just two-and-a-half hours from Cork or Dublin to Malaga Airport and the transfer time on the other side is less than an hour-and-a-half by road to this splendid Moorish kingdom. This makes it an ideal destination for a weekend city break.

It was my good fortune to travel with members of the Irish Travel Agents Association (ITAA) and they know all the best places to stay. They chose Hotel Carmen, a four-star smack-bang in the middle of the city. Ideally located for shopping and sight-seeing, it’s elegant, clean and spacious, has free Wifi and offers a good selection for breakfast. My only criticism is the bedrooms were dimly lit. For those whose choice of hotel is influenced by the leisure centre, the Carmen doesn’t have one. It does however have a small swimming pool on its rooftop terrace, ideal for a quick dip before snaffling a seat at the rooftop bar for a cocktail at sunset. The view is a stunning panoramic of the city against the majestic backdrop of the snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountain range, a great spot for skiing I hear, and a mere 30-minute drive away.

Granada is a city of many contrasts and I didn’t see the half of it. It’s come under Arab, Christian and Jewish influences, reflected in much of its food and architecture. For the Arabian influence, there’s the Arab Quarter (El Albayzín or Albaicín), a UNESCO World Heritage Site — if you visit, you’ll appreciate why. It rises up in a series of steep, quaint little winding streets to the Plaza de San Nicolas from where you can enjoy magnificent views of the Alhambra. It’s all white washed and cobbled and utterly charming and my biggest regret is not getting to spend an evening soaking up its relaxed atmosphere. The Albayzin is littered with original Moorish houses, café bars and ethnic restaurants and you get the sense that anything could happen. If you do head that way, pay a visit to the church of San Salvador and have a beer in the serene plaza that lies in its shadow.

Closer to the city centre is the Alcaicería, or Arab bazaar, a former silk market, now overrun by souvenir shops. Another quaint part of town, it has at its heart the Plaza Bib Rambla, used in Moorish times for bull running. Nowadays, it’s a nice spot to kick back and enjoy some tapas. Tapas in Granada is par excellence. So is flamenco. Don’t miss it. The performance I saw sent temperatures soaring among the men in our company. Some are still recovering. We enjoyed the dance in the magnificent setting of palace Carmen de los Mártires, a 19th century house and ornamental grounds not far from the city’s tourist jewel, the Alhambra.

Alhambra is described as the most important example of Muslim art in Europe, and given it attracts two million tourists a year, who am I to argue. It makes the Rock of Cashel look like a pile of stones at the end of your garden. If you go to Granada, you must pay a visit to the “Red City” (Alhambra is built from red clay). Book a tour guide because its history is complex and a walkabout will not do justice. As a testament to architectural endeavour, I’ve never seen anything like it. The gardens are also dazzling.

The city has other gems to offer, including Sacromonte, a neighbourhood of cave houses, and the Realejo, the old Jewish quarter. I can’t offer an opinion because I didn’t have time to visit, but my travelling companions assured me both areas are fascinating. I did visit Corral del Carbon, an ancient Arab inn in the heart of the city. Don’t miss it.

For fine dining, my favourite venue was Restaurante Chikito, in the centre of Granada and not far from the Carmen. Book in advance. Space is at a premium. Food is delicious and wine superlative. Chikito was a favourite with Spanish poet Lorca and judging by the photos on its wall, it’s a favourite with just about everyone who’s anyone. I also dined in Restaurant Panoramic 360, Spain’s “first revolving restaurant”. Unsurprisingly, the views are pretty spectacular. It’s in the business area of Granada, close to the Science Park and convention centre. Grub was not quite as good as the Chikito.

I had a real treat in the glass-walled restaurant of the Hacienda Señorio de Nevada, a 25-bed hotel located in Senorio de Nevada Winery in Villamena, 29km from Granada. It was a delicious teaspoon of organic Riofrio caviar. Andalusia is apparently the only place in the world where organic caviar is produced so it’s important to say I tasted this delicacy. It didn’t satisfy my appetite, but it was a tasty prelude to an equally tasty meal. I have to say the experience of dining in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range was pretty spectacular. The hacienda, which has a seasonal outdoor pool and produces its own wine, is picture perfect. Suggest it for your Best Friend’s Wedding.

Further relaxation came by way of a day trip to the Costa Tropical, specifically the town of Almuñécar, approximately 75km from Malaga and 80km from Granada. It’s to the east of the more well-known resort of Nerja and, being on the Med, has an average temperature of about 18.5-degress Celsius with 320 days annual sunshine. On the approach, it looked like a hilltop jammed with apartment blocks, but once we got down to beach level, it was all glorious promenade and azure water. There’s a nice buzz about the town and it’s quite family-friendly with plenty of beachside services. Our trip included a visit to the utterly underrated beachside three-star Hotel Helios. Views from the sea-facing rooms were stunning and there’s a swimming pool and hot tub. Make sure to visit the rooftop terrace.

The tourist officials in Almuñécar tell us they’re targeting “snow birds”, retired people with a few bob to spare, anxious to escape our mean winters. It’s cheaper, they say, to come to Almuñécar and avoid the heating bills at home while at the same time catching a few rays and spending your days relaxing. I’ve suggested it to my parents. The town has a couple of little gems including the Botanical Park which boasts the ruins of an ancient fish-salting factory; an ornithological park and a bonsai garden.

I think the ideal plan if travelling to the Andalusian region of Spain would be to take in both Granada and the Costa Tropical, so you can get your city fix and also the chance to kick back at the seaside. And if you’re blessed with abundant energy, you could also head with your skis for the hills of Sierra Nevada. Either way, this is one holiday that won’t disappoint.

* Aer Lingus flies twice daily from Dublin to Malaga (daily during the winter schedule), daily from Cork to Malaga (reduces to twice weekly services in winter), twice weekly from Shannon (summer only). Fares start from €75.99 one-way.

* Ryanair operates a year-round service from Dublin, a summer service from Cork and Shannon (three weekly returns), a summer service from Knock (1 weekly return). Fares one-way start from €34.99.

* Hotel Carmen (4-star), Granada: Rooms start from €60 (double); €70 with breakfast, or if for single use only, €65 with breakfast. Hacienda Señorío de Nevada (4-star), Villamena: Rooms start at €57 (double); €67 with breakfast. Hotel Helios (3-star) Almuñécar: Prices vary, when we visited in October, the room rate was €60.