Travel time: 30 minutes car. No direct bus available.

The river running through Pinos de Genil

Negratín Reservoir: If you look at a satellite picture of this place on Google Earth, it looks amazing. Go to the place in real life and it looks just as impressive. This is one of the largest freshwater lakes in Andalusia and is a great place for a picnic or a relaxing break away from Granada city. There is also a small beach-like area where you can take in the sun and there is also canoeing and sailing activities available at the local nautical club. The backdrop of this beautiful lake is stunning with rugged mountains which are reflected into the cobalt blue water of the lake. Something not to be missed.

Travel time:  1 hour and 20 minutes by car. You can get a bus to Baza, the closest major town to the reservoir, then get a taxi but it is probably better to rent a car and drive.

Lake Negratin From Satellite

Lake Negratin View With Mountains In The Background

If you have any other ideas or recommendations for places you have visited, please let us know and we will add it to our next blog post!

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Guadix: Only 1 hour away from Granada on the bus, Guadix is one of the most historical towns in the Granada province.  The main site to see in the town centre is the old Cathedral, built in the 16^th century. The main feature of this town is the weirdly-shaped cave houses that half of the population live in. It had also been said that you can go inside some of the cave houses as the residents are very proud of them and like it when people show interest. If you want to stay the night, you can also find cave-house style hotels so you can get a proper, authentic Guadix experience.

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotels-g608987-Guadix_Province_of_Granada_Andalucia-Hotels.html

Travel time: 45 minutes by car and 1 hour by bus. Cost: €10 return

View of Guadix town, the cave houses and Cathedral in the background

Lanjarón: Situated between the Southern tip of the Sierra Nevada and the Mediterranean coast lies the famous region of Las Alpujarras.  The town of Lanjarón is the first major town on the Western side of the region, the first town you will probably encounter if you are travelling here from Granada. The famous festival of fire and water starts off in Lanjarón as it is famous for the bottled water which is sourced in the town and sold all over Spain. The abundance of natural springs and the quality of the water here is why many people visit the Balneario Lanjaron (spa). The town can also be used as a starting point if you want to visit the rest of the Las Alpujarras region and all of the picturesque towns at the foot of the Sierra Nevada.  If you want to visit the rest of Las Alpujarras, it is more practical to go by car, but you can get a taste of the region by visiting Lanjarón on a short break or day trip.

http://www.balneariodelanjaron.com/index.php/en

Travel time: 45 minutes by car and just over an hour by bus. Cost: €8 Euros return

View of Lanjaron town in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada

If you have any questions about how to visit any of these towns, feel free to ask us at reception. Part 2 will be out next week!

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View of Malaga

What To See:

• The Alcazaba: Another famous old Moorish fortress built on a hill. The architecture is not as lavish as the Alhambra but the fact that the majority of it has not been restored gives it a magical touch. The views of the city from the towers are also brilliant.
• The Cathedral: Another breathtakingly beautiful cathedral situated at the heart of Malaga’s old town. It is free to enter and it is a must see while you are here
• The Picasso Museum: Check out the work of one of the famous artists in history in his home city. You can also visit Picasso’s place of birth which is only a short walk from the museum.
•  The Bullring: You can see the bullring stand out from every viewpoint in Malaga. It is separated from the coast by a line of high-rise apartment buildings and symbolises the mix of the old and new in Malaga.
• La Malagueta & The Port: For a city beach, La Malagueta gets the job done. It is quite a big beach and it is sandy unlike the beaches closer to Granada. Walk along the beach towards the port and Muelle Uno, a line of shops and cafes which overlook the port. Here you can relax by the sea and marvel at the ships coming in and out of one of the oldest ports still in use in the world today.

La Malagueta Beach, Malaga

Muelle Uno Along Malaga's Port Is Lined With Shops & Cafes

The 'Hot Room' In The Hammam

You start off in the ‘Warm Room’, then go to the ‘hot room’ and then try the ‘cold room’. Then you can use the traditional steam room and relax with some mint tea. The building itself is beautiful and very Moorish in its design, with intricate details and tiling that are reminiscent of the Alhambra. Sit back and relax in the traditional baths while listening to soothing Arabic music, drinking tea and smelling beautiful natural aromas that will put you at ease. You will feel completely refreshed and relaxed once the experience is over and will probably want to try it again. If you want to treat yourself even more, you could also book a traditional massage as part of your experience. The massages vary from a basic massage to a traditional Moorish full body massage.

Beautifully decorated entrance to the massage area in the Hammam

You can find more details on how to book and what options are available here: http://granada.hammamalandalus.com/en

You could also ask us at reception if you would like more information and we will do our best to help.

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• Motril: The closest beach to Granada and it only takes an hour to get there. You can
  

  Motril Beach

  either get the bus to the town of Motril and explore its history first, or, you can get a bus that goes straight to the beach. If you go straight to the beach, you will be dropped off by Playa Granada, the main beach in the area. The beach is situated next to a beautiful golf course and it is the most convenient option if you want to take a break by the sea for the day. Bus tickets only cost €11 return.

• Salobreña: The good thing about Salobreña, is that you will get dropped off in the
  

  Salobreña Beach

  town centre, which is only a 10 minute walk from the beach. You can take this opportunity to stroll through this beautiful and historic whitewashed town. The highlight is the old Moorish castle which sits above the town. The two main beaches are separated by a large rock in the middle and are both great with crystal clear waters. The price is great too at only €12 return from Granada.

• Almuñécar: Another important town with a rich, and still visible, Moorish history. You
  

  Almuñécar Beach

  will get dropped off in the town centre, which is only a 5 minute walk from the beach. The beaches here are big and very popular. There are a few beaches near the town too which you could venture out to, if you are feeling adventurous; however the main beaches are sufficient for relaxing. The bus takes around an hour and 20 minutes and costs just €15 return from Granada bus station.

• Nerja: Now onto one of the most famous resorts on the Spanish coast. Nerja straddles
  

  Nerja Beach

  between the Costa del Sol and Costa Tropical and acts as the gateway from the pebble, gravel beaches to the fine sandy beaches further along the coast. The town is beautiful and buzzing with more of a European tourist vibe than a mainly Spanish one you will find at the other beach towns. Most of the beaches here are fine sand and you will be able to find small kiosks on the beachfront selling helpful things (like an Ice Cream!). The bus costs just under €20 and it takes around 1 hour 45 minutes to get there.

Watch Films For Free Outside Granada's Cathedral

Cines Del Sur – Festival De Granada

This is a big film festival which showcases films and dramas from all around the world. It is more of a global cultural experience as opposed to a typically Spanish tradition; however, it is still very interesting and can open your mind to new things. There are two venues which are hosting open screenings so you can check out what’s on offer. They are in: Plaza De Las Pasiegas (pictured above, outside the Cathedral entrance) and Corral Del Carbon. There are also venues with exclusive screenings that charge a small entrance fee. You can check out what’s on here: http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/culturaydeporte/cinesurgranada/?lang=en

https://www.facebook.com/GranadaCinesdelSur?v=wall

Patrimonio Flamenco Primavera 2014

You cannot visit Granada without going to see an authentic Flamenco show. The Teatro Municipal la Chumbera is a famous venue in the Sacramonte district of Granada and it hosts a flamenco show every Saturday. Tickets are very affordable (starting at 6 Euros) and you can watch some of the most famous flamenco dancers in Granada in a breath-taking setting behind the Alhambra.

You can find more information here: http://www.granada.org/inet/wagenda.nsf/wwcetod/Teatro%20Municipal%20la%20Chumbera

Watch Authentic Flamenco Shows With The Amazing Backdrop of the Alhambra

Aljibe del Rey – Classical Music and Literature

Every Wednesday in June and July, there will be special events taking place at this historical site in the Albaicin district of Granada. The Aljibe del Rey was a historical cistern used by the Moors in Granada and the poems and music performed at these events will be in reference to their surroundings and history. The entrance is free until all seats are taken and you will be able to relax in a beautiful surrounding whilst listening to intimate poetry and music that will enhance the experience.

For more details, visit http://www.radiogranada.es/2014/06/02/musica-y-literatura-en-el-verano-del-aljibe-del-rey/

The beautiful gardens of the Aljibe Del Rey, Granada

If you have any questions or would like some more information, feel free to ask us at reception and we will do our best to help.

Amazing View of Granada

Educational Reasons:

• The Andalusia region is the heart of everything Spanish, as it is where tapas, flamenco and bullfighting came from
• Granada is still culturally very Spanish unlike the bigger cities of Madrid and Barcelona. People still have siestas here!
• There are no other official languages spoken in Granada, (I.e. Catalan in Barcelona) so you are less likely to get confused
• Granada is one of the cities where you can still clearly see the historic mix of cultures and religions in Spain’s history
• There is a high possibility of finding people to do a language exchange (intercambio) with

Plenty of Flamenco To See In Granada

Social Reasons:

• Granada is a beautiful city with a warm climate and amazing scenery, as it is surrounded by mountain ranges and the Sierra Nevada national park
• There are amazing beaches just over an hour away and the Sierra Nevada ski resort is also close-by. You can spend one day skiing in the mountains and then the next day getting a tan at the beach!
• Thanks to its large student population, there are plenty of student events you can go to
• People in Andalusia do love their fiestas. There is always something going on and you can enjoy the celebrations with the locals.
• Granada is one of the only places in Spain where you can get a free tapa with your drink. It doesn’t get much better than that!

We Also Organize Language Exchanges In Our Hostel Where You Can Meet People From Around The World

At Itinere Hostel, we can offer you the best experience if you decide to come here to learn Spanish. Our owners are native Granadinos and can let you in on some of their top tips on what to do while you’re in the city. Our Spanish language school and hostel are in the same building, so getting to and from lessons is not too much of a commute!

If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch with us as we would love to help. Estamos esperándote!

http://itinereschool.com/inicio/idiomas/learn-spanish/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLmVMmn3sFw – A review from a past student

Secret Tourist Tip 1: Los Cahorros & Monachil

Natural river flowing between the mountains

If you are up for a bit of adventure then you’ll love a trip to Monachil, a tranquil town just 30 minutes away from Granada by bus. From here, you can follow the river down to the slightly-famous, and signposted, hiking trail which leads you into the stunning scenery of the Sierra Nevada national park. It’s not for the faint-hearted and it does take some energy but the views you get are definitely worth the trip. Marvel at the imposing cliffs and immerse yourself in the beauty of this natural wonder. Crystal clear water flows through small rivers and waterfalls are plentiful so feel free to cool off if the hike works up a sweat (Be careful though as the water is very cold!). Now onto the “Pièce de résistance”, the hanging suspension bridges of Los Cahorros. You’ll feel like Harrison Ford in the Indiana Jones movies when you are crossing these slightly-daunting, but very safe, suspension bridges situated between the rugged cliff faces of the national park. Make sure you bring your camera to capture your adventure!

Monachil is very easy to get to from Granada and the buses run roughly every hour. Check out the bus timetable here: http://siu.ctagr.com/es/horarios_lineas_tabla.php?linea=679

More information: http://www.treksierranevada.com/cahorros.html ;

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Beautiful natural waterfall in Los Cahorros