Granada
- The Alpujarras - Guadix
- The Costa Tropical - The
Costa Del Sol
Resort Night
Life & Aprés-Ski
Night time in Sierra Nevada unleashes an extremely lively scene
for the party animal especially during the high and mid season
periods. There is a little catch however...you do not go out until
11pm at the very earliest. This is when most bars open their doors.
Winding their way up the road into the mid-zone of the resort
you will find numerous disco-bars in which to party the night
away until dawn if you so desire.
The most popular of bars include: Mango, Chiminea, Sticky Fingers,
Sol, Soho and Chicle. During the course of the season they offer
countless promotional "fiestas" giving away gifts upon consumption.
For those of you looking to start your evening off slightly earlier,
the best option is the highly atmospheric "chill out"
lounge of the Crescendo. Located in the "Pradollano"
square, at the base of the pistes between the Genil and Parador
chairlifts, this warm and cosy bar with its flaming fireplace
and designer seating is perfect for lapping up the afternoon sun
on its ample terraces and setting off your evening before your
dinner.
Chill out before the night bars really get going, sampling their
homemade vino caliente and lumumba. Englih is spoken here. The
bar generally opens from 11am through to 1am serving excellent
snacks, meals and drinks throughout, (the kitchen closes at midnight
except during low season when it will close at 10pm).
If you are looking for something a little more traditionally Spanish,
the passageway beneath the Mont Blanc Hotel/Apartments is home
to some excellent tapas bars whereby upon buying a drink you recieve
a small plate of food, (Tapas), an excellent idea for getting
rid of those munchies before your dinner without ruining your
appetite. Popular bars are El Cartujano, Bar Esqui and El Mazon.
Areas
of Interest Around Sierra Nevada
Granada:
The area around the resort of Sierra Nevada holds some stunning
sites and places of interest that are well worth making the effort
to visit. Just 30 minutes drive down the mountain, the historical
city of Granada holds countless treasures of National Heritage.
The most famous of these, and one of the seven wonders of the
world, is the Alhambra Palace.
During the reign of the Moors, Granada became their regional Capital
and the Palace home to the Royalty and other Noblemen along with
their slaves and workers. Taking some 700 years before its final
completion the Palace consists a variety of architectural styles
from differing times with its most intricate and awe inspiring
designs featured on the inside, particularly the ceilings.
Outside run the extensive Generalife gardens. Immaculately trimmed
and watered, you can spend hours strolling through this stunning
setting backed by the immense snow capped peaks of Sierra Nevada.
Another main feature of Granada's ancient history is the old moorish
quarter, the Albayzin. It's labyrinth like cobbled streets gradually
wind their way up the hill side eventually leading out to a large
balcony at St. Nicholas Church. From here you can snap away at
will at the views over the Alhambra Palace backed by Sierra Nevada
in all its snowy glory.
Granada city centre holds a very lively and friendly atmosphere.
A network of long narrow streets fill the centre with a vast amount
of shops, bars, plazas and historical buildings.
A visit to the cathedral is a must and very worthwhile the 2.5
euro entrance fee.
Granada is Spain's "Tapas" capital. The area around Plaza Nueva
at the base of the Alhambra hill, is full of tapas bars that are
humming full of activity each evening from around 6-8pm. For every
drink you purchase, a different tapa you will be given. After
3 or 4 drinks you will not need to eat anything more!!
FOR MORE INFORMATION
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The Alpujarras:
About one and half hours drive from resort heading
in the direction of Motril, a definate must is a visit into the
Alpujarras. These are the lower mountains that lead up to the
Sierra Nevada and are home to some of the most exquisite white
villages in the region along with a feeling of time standing still.
One of the most renowned is the award winning pictoresque village
of Pampaneira. Whilst an important tourist attraction, it has
lost none of its original character with its narrow streets winding
up the mountain side, the flat slate roofed houses, and waterways
running down the centre of many of its streets.
Overlooking a deep gorge from an altitude of 1000m with views
up to the snow on the Veleta peak in the Sierra Nevada, the setting
is idilic. Many rural & general living traditions are still just
as much in use now as in the decades gone by.
Following the road up from Pampaneira you arrive at two similarly
pictoresque villages of Bubion and Capilleira. From Capilleira,
the road continues in a rough dirt track, (suitable only for 4
wheel drive vehicles), up onto what is the highest road in Europe,
passing by the highest peak in Spain, the Mulhacen, and onto the
Veleta before finally dropping down into the ski resort itself
and further on to Granada.
Please note that due to the National Park status of the Sierra
Nevada, special permission must be granted to drive the full route,
(not recommended in winter due to snow!!).
Slightly further around and deeper into the Alpujarras, another
superb little village is Trevelez. It is the highest village in
Spain at 1400 metres and well known for its personal character
and stunning views around this is well worth the visit.
Whereever you visit, don't forget to try the "Jamon Serrano",
www.spanish-hams.co.uk (Cured Ham), which is known to be amoung
the best you can find. Another traditional dish is the "Alpujarreño",
a very meaty dish consisting of Jamon Serrano, Chorizo Sausage,
Morzilla Blood Sausage, Fried Egg and Chips or "Patatas a lo Pobre",
a fry up of semi sautéed potatoes with green peppers and lashings
of olive oil and garlic......a definate for a large apetite!
FOR
MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CLICK HERE
Guadix:
Heading in the opposite direction as if towards
Murcia and approximately 30 minutes drive from Granada, Guadix
is a traditional Spanish/Moorish town famed for its "Casas Cuevas",
(Cave Houses). Dominated by a huge church in the centre, the town
is full of colonial style buildings with Moorish influence mixed
in, bars/cafes, restaurants not to mention its vibrant weekly
market.
The main tourist attraction is the "Barrio de Cuevas", an area
above the town that is dotted with white fronted cave houses burying
themselves deep into the hillside. Combined with the dark reddish
earth colour the contrast with the white houses gives the onlooker
a strangely exotic and somewhat alien feel to the place.
The Costa Tropical:
Adjoining the Costa Del Sol, this stretch of coast
runs essentially from Motril to Nerja. The drive to Motril takes
less than an hour from Granada. Whilst I personally do not think
much about Motril itself, the village of Salobreña is well worth
exploring. Topped by a fort the views from here look out over
a huge expanse of flat agricultural land running along the coast
with the mountains behind stretching up to the Sierra Nevada where
snow can easily be seen during the winter months.
Driving along the coastal road from here you will pass other places
of interest such as Almuñecar, La Herradura, Marina del Este and
finally Nerja. The drive takes you along some stunning coastal
mountain scenery making the experience even more memorable.
If you have the time a highly recommended route to take from Granada
is along the mountain road to Almuñecar. As you leave Granada
heading in the direction of Motril along the recently finished
motorway, look out for the sign "Carretera de Montaña a Almuñecar".
I guarantee you will not be disappointed!
FOR
MORE INFORMATION CLICK HERE
The Costa Del Sol:
It is not common to be in a position to ski in the
morning and bask on the beach in the afternoon.
The Costa Del Sol is barely 2 hours drive from the
ski resort allowing this to be entirely feasible. In addition
to the beach attraction the Costa Del Sol is a Mecca for Golfers
with countless high quality courses dotted along the coastal stretch.
The provincial capital of Malaga is an interesting city steeped
in history and with a large commerial port dominating its sea
front. The area of "El Palo" is particularly renowned for its
fresh seafood. The city centre is typically criss-crossed with
narrow pedestrianised streets lined with high colonial buildings.
Tapas bars are abundant and the main shopping areas concentrate
in the numerous "Centros Commerciales", (Shopping Centres), such
as the Larios Centre and El Corte Ingles.
