FUN-travel: Nerja to Granada, Spain

September 3, 2012 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Nerja to Granada, Spain

Trip Day 46 – Saturday, August 25 – Nerja to Granada, Spain & La Alhambra

Granada

What I LIKE

Alcaicería

8:30 – good hot coffee
9:30 – take lift down to beach
walk along promenade & back on the sand
10:30 – breakfast fruit & sandwich for later
12:00 – checkout & ready for next big adventure
1:30 – arrive Granada
2:00 – check into parador in La Alhambra
2:30 – beer on patio overlooking gardens
4:30 – 10-minute walk down hill to city of Granada
using Rick Steves guided tour – start @ Plaza Nueva – see Cathedral – Royal Chapel Square
Plaza de Bib-Rambla – the original main square & focal point of market & festivals
Alcaiceria – originally a Moorish silk market with 200 shops – packed into narrow alleyways
Plaza Isabel La Católica – beautiful statue shows Columbus unfurling a long contract with Isabel
6:00 back to Plaza Nueva for a beer
then walk up Paseo de los Tristes –
“walk of the sad ones” – once the route of funeral processions to the cemetery
take the #31 mini bus to Albayzín – walk up to San Nicolás church – majestic views of La Alhambra

View of La Alhambra

8:00 bus back to Plaza Nueva – tapas & beer stop @ restaurant with sign that reads “Los mejores tapas en todo el mundo” – broadbeans & ham – YUM!
Plaza Isabel La Católica
8:30 – dinner Cunini – locals love this place – bar is standing room only – we have table outside – fresh veggie salad & sea bass
taxi back up hill $10 Euro

What I DIDN”T LIKE

charged $94 Euro for breakfast
dinner was included but no one told us @ check-in
during high season hotels add “half & full board” charges
would have liked to spend more time here
need to make sure you order fillet of fish otherwise you get whole fish with bones (ordered turbot on waiter suggestion, had to send back)

FF (FUN-fact) – For a time, Granada was the grandest city in Spain.

FUN-travel: Tarifa to Gibraltar, UK to Nerja, Spain

September 2, 2012 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Tarifa to Gibraltar, UK to Nerja, Spain

Trip Day 45 – Friday, August 24 – Tarifa to Gibraltar, UK to Nerja, Spain

Rock of Gibraltar

What I LIKE

7:30 – coffee @ La Palmera Churreria – locals breakfast spot
they have a niche market – very limited menu – & they’re packed
have great FUN just being with them
10:00 – load up & head out!
11:30 – arrive Gibraltar
parking garage just outside saves from us from actually driving in & having to wait in a very long line
good walk through town
nice breeze – 80’s
12:30 – take aerial tram to top of rock
see monkeys with brand new babies
see where John & Yoko got married
1:30 – lunch stop @ Angry Friar – fish & chips, beer
2:30 – back to car
easy in & out – (cars backed up 2 miles to get into Gibraltar)

Mama & Baby

5:00 – arrive Nerja – staying @ Parador
Nerja Plaza
grand outdoor patio overlooking the sea
pool & grass terraces high on the bluff
views of the mountains to the north
8:00 – walk into main plaza
Balcón de Europa – pedestrian only
really cute & upscale feel – the Laguna Beach of the Cost Del Sol
8:40 – dinner @ Haveli – Indian restaurant – chicken vindaloo, rice, dal & garlic nan – food just so-so

What I DIDN”T LIKE

FF (FUN-fact) – We still haven’t figured out how the people in Spain eat dinner so late at night and get up and go to work.

Balcón de Europa