GRANADA

One of the reasons that I chose to work as a Language assistant in Castilla La Mancha was due to its proximity to Andalucía as I was hoping that there would be many transport links between the comunidades. In reality it didn’t turn out to be quite so straightforward but nonetheless, I finally saw a spot in the calendar in late November where I could combine my desire to visit Andalucía and to attend a match at one of their notable football teams. So, Granada it was!

I only had a short time of 1 day to get a feel for the place and see the game but I’d heard lots of positive comments about the city so I was excited to finally get a taste. After arriving late one evening I managed to get a glimpse of the famous Alhambra lit up at night and to appreciate just how popular the downtown area was, before settling down to rest at my Airbnb room in preparation for the following day. The Saturday then arrived and it was a stunningly crisp day with the temperature set to reach about 20 degrees even in late Autumn. I walked slowly for half an hour down to the city and really started to appreciate some of the beautiful streets and buildings that were difficult to view in the darkness the night before. There was a really nice cosmopolitan historic blend to the setting, and I particularly loved the tree-lined Calle Gran Via. The autumn colours on the trees with the deep blue sky behind the buildings gave an amazing feeling to the place.

It really was a very brief visit and I saw far less of the city than the average tourist would want to see, and after meeting some friends and walking around the paseo de los tristes whilst admiring the Alhambra from a distance but this time in daylight, it was time to take a stroll across town towards the stadium in preparation for the game (with a few refreshment and tapas stop offs of course!). I was enjoying my time in the city but it did feel a little cramped. A lot of the streets and side streets are quite narrow, which is very characterful but it also means they can be very densely packed due to the huge number of tourists.

The football game was particularly enjoyable and the simple but nice stadium has a beautiful location in front of the snow peaked mountains. After the game we relaxed and indulged as the city’s nightlife became increasingly vibrant heading towards midnight! I always love seeing how the locals in Spain come out in numbers later in the evening compared to the earlier times we tend to socialise in the UK.

The next morning it was time for me to head back to my little town of Alcázar de San Juan in La Mancha. Overall, I’d enjoyed my brief visit to Granada and it certainly motivated me to plan more travels in Andalucia, and particularly to organise a trip to what for many is the jewel in the crown, Sevilla!