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Articles > Europe > Spain > Granada > Tales of the Alhambra - The Story of a Hostel in Granada
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Tales of the Alhambra - The Story of a Hostel in Granada
Granada
The scene from the rooftop of my Granada hostel was absolutely spectacular. Swallows darted in and out of the rooftops of the houses. The city stretched out before me, the cathedral golden in the setting sun. High above, a tower of the Alhambra Palace loomed dramatically.
I was staying at Funky Backpackers. And you'd be hard-pressed to find a hostel with a better view. As I sat and watched the sky darken other guests came up and mingled on the balcony over a few drinks. Someone started to play a guitar. It was perfect.
Granada hostels are by no means limited to Funky Backpackers: In Rambutan, Makuto and Oasis Backpackers, there are also a host of other great places to choose from. Smaller than many places in Europe, the hostels in Granada offer a slightly different, more intimate take on the backpacking theme. All are, in their own way, top-class.
Funky, though, is genuinely wonderful. Housed in a beautiful old Granada townhouse, the place is dripping with character. The reception area is set in a typically attractive patio complete with a fountain; above it plants hang down like creepers from a forest canopy.
As a guest, friendly, a well-informed member of staff is always around to help. In the evenings the hostel puts on regular flamenco displays and gets live musicians to serenade the guests. Rooftop paella nights are also always hugely popular.
Stunning views
Granada is truly a city like no other. The Alhambra may be its standout monument, but the city is full of wonderful sights and more than just a hint of mystery. Outside the hostel, the alleys of the Realejo (the old Jewish quarter), a labyrinth of crumbling houses, make for wonderful exploring.
Granada is an outrageously romantic place. Dotted across the city evocative chunks of masonry – mighty gates, fortifications and ornate arches – offer a slightly melancholic vision of what the city must have been like in its Moorish heyday.
Wandering up through the cobbled streets of the Albayzin is an incredibly sensual experience. Hidden fountains tinkle in walled gardens. The air is heavy with the intoxicating odor of flowers wafting down from window-boxes. From time to time, a strain of Flamenco echoes out into the street from an open window.
At the very top, the Mirador de San Nicolás offers yet another stunning. During the winter months, the sun setting pink against the Sierra Nevada Mountains, with the mighty Alhambra in the foreground, is nothing short of breathtaking.
Free tapas – the savior of your budget
After a long day's wandering, a good way to start the evening is with a pot of tea on the Calle Caldería, the city's pleasingly-faux Moorish strip. Outside in the street, hawkers noisily tout their Moroccan lamps, rugs and slippers.
From the point of view of the backpacker or budget traveler the city's nightlife couldn't be better. From charmingly rustic little neighborhood bars full of swinging ham legs to more upmarket, and self-conscious places, it's the custom throughout the province of Granada to provide free tapas with every drink purchased.
This might be little more than a slice of 'manchego' cheese, a couple of slithers of 'jamón serrano' or perhaps some olives and a few crisps. Or it might be a hearty plate of stew. Some places work on a sort of reward systems whereby the longer you stay, the better and more substantial the dishes become. It's all very welcome, in any case...
Nearby Funky Backpackers, wine-lovers will enjoy the Casa de Vinos, a tiny nook serving excellent tapas and wonderful wines. Over on the other side of the hostel, (just off Calle Molinos) the Campo del Principe has a number of excellent little places.
Trying not to succumb to the dubious charms of Granada 10 (the city's big, cheesy club), tucked away down Postigo de la Cuña, a nearby alleyway, Eshavira is rarely less than outstanding. Several times a week, authentic live flamenco and occasional jazz are put on for a largely local crowd.
After the musicians have shuffled off home, outside on the dilapidated Calle Elvira has there are plenty of pleasantly seedy little bars that are worth stopping in for a few drinks. If you're not ready to quit yet, up in the cave district of Sacramonte, Camborio stays open until people decide to call it a night (or more usually, a morning!) and go home.
And so to bed?
The last time I was in Granada, after a long night, tired and a little bleary-eyed, we headed back through the grey dawn to the hostel. Up on the terrace again, sun coming up, the cycle was complete.
It had rained in the night, and the roofs shone and sparkled in the watery sunlight. As I gazed out across the city, I was struck by the popular expression: "...there is nothing crueler in life than to be blind in Granada." Never before could it have been more apt.
The scene from the rooftop of my Granada hostel was absolutely spectacular. Swallows darted in and out of the rooftops of the houses. The city stretched out before me, the cathedral golden in the setting sun. High above, a tower of the Alhambra Palace loomed dramatically.
I was staying at Funky Backpackers. And you'd be hard-pressed to find a hostel with a better view. As I sat and watched the sky darken other guests came up and mingled on the balcony over a few drinks. Someone started to play a guitar. It was perfect.
Granada hostels are by no means limited to Funky Backpackers: In Rambutan, Makuto and Oasis Backpackers, there are also a host of other great places to choose from. Smaller than many places in Europe, the hostels in Granada offer a slightly different, more intimate take on the backpacking theme. All are, in their own way, top-class.
Funky, though, is genuinely wonderful. Housed in a beautiful old Granada townhouse, the place is dripping with character. The reception area is set in a typically attractive patio complete with a fountain; above it plants hang down like creepers from a forest canopy.
As a guest, friendly, a well-informed member of staff is always around to help. In the evenings the hostel puts on regular flamenco displays and gets live musicians to serenade the guests. Rooftop paella nights are also always hugely popular.
Stunning views
Granada is truly a city like no other. The Alhambra may be its standout monument, but the city is full of wonderful sights and more than just a hint of mystery. Outside the hostel, the alleys of the Realejo (the old Jewish quarter), a labyrinth of crumbling houses, make for wonderful exploring.
Granada is an outrageously romantic place. Dotted across the city evocative chunks of masonry – mighty gates, fortifications and ornate arches – offer a slightly melancholic vision of what the city must have been like in its Moorish heyday.
Wandering up through the cobbled streets of the Albayzin is an incredibly sensual experience. Hidden fountains tinkle in walled gardens. The air is heavy with the intoxicating odor of flowers wafting down from window-boxes. From time to time, a strain of Flamenco echoes out into the street from an open window.
At the very top, the Mirador de San Nicolás offers yet another stunning. During the winter months, the sun setting pink against the Sierra Nevada Mountains, with the mighty Alhambra in the foreground, is nothing short of breathtaking.
Free tapas – the savior of your budget
After a long day's wandering, a good way to start the evening is with a pot of tea on the Calle Caldería, the city's pleasingly-faux Moorish strip. Outside in the street, hawkers noisily tout their Moroccan lamps, rugs and slippers.
From the point of view of the backpacker or budget traveler the city's nightlife couldn't be better. From charmingly rustic little neighborhood bars full of swinging ham legs to more upmarket, and self-conscious places, it's the custom throughout the province of Granada to provide free tapas with every drink purchased.
This might be little more than a slice of 'manchego' cheese, a couple of slithers of 'jamón serrano' or perhaps some olives and a few crisps. Or it might be a hearty plate of stew. Some places work on a sort of reward systems whereby the longer you stay, the better and more substantial the dishes become. It's all very welcome, in any case...
Nearby Funky Backpackers, wine-lovers will enjoy the Casa de Vinos, a tiny nook serving excellent tapas and wonderful wines. Over on the other side of the hostel, (just off Calle Molinos) the Campo del Principe has a number of excellent little places.
Trying not to succumb to the dubious charms of Granada 10 (the city's big, cheesy club), tucked away down Postigo de la Cuña, a nearby alleyway, Eshavira is rarely less than outstanding. Several times a week, authentic live flamenco and occasional jazz are put on for a largely local crowd.
After the musicians have shuffled off home, outside on the dilapidated Calle Elvira has there are plenty of pleasantly seedy little bars that are worth stopping in for a few drinks. If you're not ready to quit yet, up in the cave district of Sacramonte, Camborio stays open until people decide to call it a night (or more usually, a morning!) and go home.
And so to bed?
The last time I was in Granada, after a long night, tired and a little bleary-eyed, we headed back through the grey dawn to the hostel. Up on the terrace again, sun coming up, the cycle was complete.
It had rained in the night, and the roofs shone and sparkled in the watery sunlight. As I gazed out across the city, I was struck by the popular expression: "...there is nothing crueler in life than to be blind in Granada." Never before could it have been more apt.
About the Author
Before becoming a copywriter for HostelBookers.com, Ben Cooper was the founding manager of a backpackers hostel in Andalucia. During his time in the south of Spain, he stayed in a number of Granada hostels.
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Total views: 394
Word count: 824
Character count: 5112
Article rating: 5.00 out of 5.00
Number of votes: 1
Rate this article now: