#SmilingCities
Granada

Walking through the city of Granada without being constantly overwhelmed by Stendhal Syndrome is hard. There is a feeling that one is endlessly discovering yet another beautiful place. For this reason, in this walk through the Nasrid capital we have focused on some routes that allow you to explore a city that is built on a very manageable scale. Put on your shoes and join us.

Google Map of Granada
Illustration of two tourists walking around the map of Granada

Eating and drinking

Food plate illustration
Lemon Rock

Montalbán, 6

As Granada is one of the most musical cities on the planet, it would be difficult not to find a temple that paid homage to contemporary sounds.

Lemon Rock is a bar, restaurant, cocktail bar and concert hall with several floors and settings, an elegant and rock’n’roll air and a menu based on local and classic ingredients with a contemporary and international twist.

https://lemonrockgranada.com/
Photograph of one of the rooms of the Lemon Rock Granada bar with a long table and colored walls
Photograph of one of the rooms of the Lemon Rock Granada bar with tall tables and plants Photograph of one of the rooms of the Lemon Rock Granada bar with the walls drawn
Illustration plate of mussels
Bar FM

Av. de Juan Pablo II, 54

The FM is a classic, a break from the always noisy city center. The fact that it is always full despite its location says it all. The secret: (probably) the best fish in the province is served at its bar and at its tables.

And since we are big fans of enjoying the journey, we are more than happy to make the most of the walk back after such a feast.

https://www.facebook.com/BarFMGranada/
Illustration plate of prawns with lemon
Diamantes

Navas, 28

The story began in 1942. Since then, Los Diamantes has been an icon of tapas in the city. Fried fish with an exquisite touch and dishes based on the quality of the product without too much decoration.

As they are very popular, we recommend you get there early to get a seat. It all started in their store on Calle Navas, but now you can find them in 5 different venues.

http://www.barlosdiamantes.com
Plate of food illustration
Atelier

Sos del Rey Católico, 7

After trotting around the world to soak up smells and flavors, Raúl Sierra returned to Granada in 2017 to become a reference point in his field.

He defines his cuisine as "one that is recognizable to everyone at first, but with contemporary techniques, and local products enriched with some things that are slightly more unusual."

A wine list chosen with care and an attentive and friendly service round off a proposal that does not fail to please.

https://ateliercasadecomidas.com/
Image of the interior of the Atelier restaurant house of meals
Sardine dish illustration
Mascarones

Pagés, 20

A true urban anthropologist discovers cities by diving deep.

Los Mascarones is purely Albaicin, with local wines, local cuisine tapas and an atmosphere that could not be more authentic.

A must, even if it is just to listen to the art of the people of Graná.

https://losmascarones.com/
Ysla

Acera del Darro, 62

It was in 1858 that the distinguished Ceferino Isla created a sweet in honor of Pope Pius IX, aka Pius Nono.

To keep things simple, this cake was named pionono and, since then, it has been an icon of Granada pastries and a feast of sponge cake, sweet syrup and toasted and torch-burnt cream.

Casa Ysla's patisseries (there are several in Granada and beyond) are its original home.

https://pionono.com/ Dessert plate illustration
Huerto del Loro

Cuesta de la Churra, 4

Image of the terrace and the sunset of Huerto del Loro
Illustration of several friends toasting with bottles

Accustomed to looking at Granada from the Albaicín, sometimes we forget to look at the Albaicín from the opposite sidewalk.

An ideal place to do so and to watch as the afternoon fades is the Huerto del Loro, a cocktail bar with a magical air and a terrace with views that you will remember all your life.

Because your walks through Granada deserve moments like this.

https://www.huertodelloro.com/
Plate of food illustration
Sibarius

Plaza de Bib-Rambla, 20

After a restoring walk, a touch of sophistication. Sibarius bases its cuisine on market and seasonal products.

Its ideas revolve around a prism halfway between Mediterranean and Nikkei cuisine. And all of this is served in a pleasant and elegant space in the Plaza de Bib-Rambla.

What a nice house for an urban explorer.

https://restaurantessibarius.es/restaurante-sibarius/
Carmen de San Miguel

Plaza Torres Bermejas, 3

We are lucky that these views take away our breath but not our appetite, because it would be tremendously bad luck to arrive at the Carmen de San Miguel viewpoint and not be hungry.

On the menu, classics of Spanish gastronomy, both from the sea and from the land. And in front of you, all of Granada can be seen in a hypnotic panorama.

https://carmensanmiguel.com/ Squid plant illustration
Casa Torcuato bar illustration
Casa Torcuato

Paseo de la Sabika, 26 / Pagés, 31

The Albaicín, Granada, Andalusia, and Spain shine brightly in a menu carefully inspired by popular traditions.

Casa Torcuato —with two locations, one next to the Alhambra and the other in the heart of the Albaicín— is one of the gastronomic icons of the Nasrid city.

Enjoy tapas, lunch, and dinner like Boabdil in the palace.

https://www.casatorcuato.com/
Terrace image of the Casa Torcuato bar
Taberna la Tana bar illustration
Taberna La Tana

Placeta del Agua, 3

La Tana is always one of the first names to come up on lists of the best tapas places in Granada.

A few steps from the Fuente de las Batallas, this bar has one of the best selections of wines in the whole country —more than 600—, as well as a great selection of cheeses, cured meats and products from the Andalusian garden.

https://www.tabernalatana.com/
Illustration Wine and Roses Home Food
Wine and Roses Home Food

Álvaro de Bazán, 12

A stone's throw from Granada Cathedral, this little place combines wine expertise with a good collection of dishes that start from traditional cuisine to create fresh dishes with a contemporary twist.

A hidden gem in the streets of Granada.

https://www.facebook.com/vinoyrosashomefood/
Interior image of Los Manueles
Plate of food illustration
Los Manueles

Reyes Católicos, 61

Another classic in a classic city.

Conveniently located in the perfect place for a rest from all that walking, for decades Los Manueles has been offering the kind of Andalusian cuisine that made your grandmother your favorite woman in the world.

The meatballs, the croquettes, the fried fish. That kind of thing that fixes a bad day in a jiffy.

https://www.losmanueles.es/

Strolling

Tourist illustration in the Alhambra
Alhambra

Antonio Arias, leader of Lagartija Nick, says that the magic of Granada is generated by telluric currents caused by the waters that run under the mountains of the Alhambra.

Perhaps that is why the influence of the palace is so magnetic. Be that as it may, the difficult thing is to explain in words something that you have to see and experience.

https://www.alhambra.org/
Interior photography of the Alhambra
Image of the Alhambra from a viewpoint
Illustration of a square in Granada Ruta Clásica

Another walk: the Granada that will leave you speechless.

The route begins from the Arco de Elvira, continues along the Gran Vía to the cathedral. Delve into a city of alleys and squares such as the Jewish quarter, Bib-Rambla and Trinidad. Go to the Carrera de la Virgen to say hello to the patron saint of the city, the Virgen de las Angustias, and wander up the Realejo to the Campo del Príncipe at the foot of the Alhambra.

And then continue to live, happy because of how lucky you have been to witness such beauty.

Ruta de la Música Bora-Bora record store illustration

Granada, when it comes to music, always offers more.

The Granada of indie, flamenco, Joe Strummer... And that's why it's also full of venues that help perpetuate the legend. Start with Bora-Bora, the record store where you can spend the afternoon chatting about music.

Continue through El Bar de Erik —the best drummer of the last 30 years— and continue on an exploratory walk through Planta Baja, Ruido Rosa, the Placeta Joe Strummer and the Bar Soria, where there are always more people in a band than not in a band.

Bora-Bora store record image
Bora-Bora store record image
Ruta del Valle

We are not sure if this is the name of this route, but as we know it and it calms our soul, we have given it this name.

It starts from the Plaza Nueva, continues along the Camino de Darro and continues along a path that goes up the valley of the Granada river. Head towards the Fuente del Avellano and your prize will be the best views of Sacromonte, the sound of the trees and a sense of peace that is good for anyone.

Of course, avoid the central hours of day, during the hottest months.

Illustration of a fountain on the Valle route
Image of Pikolinos women's heeled ankle boots on a wall with flowers

Experimenting

Illustration of the Albaicín neighborhood Albaicín

Ok, here we have not been original because we don’t think anyone should miss such a special neighborhood, one that is so peculiar, so white, a World Heritage Site, with those cármenes, those intricate streets, those hills, those viewpoints and those magical places, such as the Plaza de San Miguel Bajo and the Placeta de Carvajales, where the murmur of the fountain makes time pass at a different speed.

Illustration of the Huerta de San Vicente house-museum
Huerta de San Vicente house-museum

In the same way that the village from the film Amanece que no es poco often professed devotion to Faulkner, in Granada we find an unshakable faith in Lorca. Or Federico.

The town's poet has left a legacy in the city that materializes, for example, in his summer home, in the Huerta de San Vicente, which is almost the same as when his family lived there.

Por el río se va mi amor, por el río…

http://www.huertadesanvicente.com/
Illustration of the interior of the José Guerrero art center
José Guerrero art center

Oficios, 8

The name José Guerrero is closely linked to the highest levels of abstract expressionism in the 20th century.

The artistic center that bears his name, a few meters from the cathedral, is a place to enjoy contemporary art and a building that in itself is an architectural find. This is thanks to another avant-garde master, the architect Antonio Jiménez Torrecillas.

https://centroguerrero.es/
Illustration of the decorated street of Cuevas de Sacramente
Cuevas Sacromonte

The Sacromonte caves are another of the cornerstones of Granada's identity and, specifically, of its gypsy population.

Here, art, flamenco, popular culture and other folklore continue to try to survive in an increasingly globalized world.

Caves, zambras, cantes and, ultimately, the Granada of a lifetime.

https://www.lacasaderobertgraves.org/
Image of some brown men's dress shoes by Pikolinos on the sign at the entrance to the flamenco dance cave, Venta el Gallo
San Nicolás viewpoint Illustration of the views of the San Nicolás viewpoint

The icing on the Albaicín and the place that brings together the most avid explorers in search of memorable snapshots.

We do not know if they are the best views of the Alhambra, but perhaps they are the most iconic, to the extent that Bill Clinton said that here one could witness the best sunset in the world.

And who are we to contradict a democratically elected head of state?

Photograph of the views of the San Nicolás viewpoint

Sleeping

Illustration of two people at a table in Marquis Hotels Issabel's
Marquis Hotels Issabel's

Plaza Isabel la Católica, 5

A modern and sophisticated hotel in the heart of the city, right on Plaza Isabel La Católica.

It is rounded off by its -vegan and sustainable- Wildfood restaurant.

https://marquis-hotels.com/hotel-marquis-issabels/
Illustration of the Casa de la Trinidad boutique hotel.
Casa de la Trinidad boutique hotel.

Plaza de la Trinidad, 2

The boutique hotel La Casa de la Trinidad is set in a restored 19th-century building.

Very close to Granada cathedral, it is full of the lively bustle of the square with which it shares its name.

https://www.casadelatrinidad.com/