Guejar Sierra
In the heart of the Sierra Nevada
Guejar Sierra is a beautiful white washed Andalucian village in the heart of the Sierra Nevada National Park. With a Plaza Mayor (village square) a beautiful 17th century church and numerous bars shops and restaurants hidden amongst the tiny cobbled streets, it is a truly great place to explore. Granada and the awesome Alhambra Palace are only 20 minutes away, and the Sierra Nevada ski resort at Pradollano 30 minutes.
With its Stunning walks & outdoor activities (skiing, walking, climbing, canoeing, paragliding etc) it is a place that caters for everyone. For beach lovers, the Costa Tropical is only 60 Minutes drive away and the Costa del Sol 90 mins.
Guejar has long been popular, both as a summer and winter destination, among Spanish visitors and now the budget airlines have started flying in to Granada Airport (45 Minutes) this beautiful area is easily accessible to us Brits! It offers the opportunity to combine both the varied skiing of the Sierra Nevada (with views of Africa from the upper slopes) and the experience of staying in a traditional Spanish village.
The City and the Alhambra Palace
Granada was first settled by native tribes in the prehistoric period, and was known as Ilbyr. When the Romans colonised southern Spain, they built their own city here and called it Illibris. The Arabs, invading the peninsula in the 8th century, gave it its current name of Granada. It was the last Muslim city to fall to the Christians in 1492, at the hands of Queen Isabel of Castile and her husband Ferdinand of Aragon.
One of the most brilliant jewels of universal architecture is the Alhambra, a series of palaces and gardens built under the Nazari Dynasty in the 14th C. This mighty compound of buildings – including the summer palace called Generalife, with its fountains and gardens - stands at the foot of Spain's highest mountain range, the Sierra Nevada, and overlooks the city below and the fertile plain of Granada.
At the centre of the Alhambra stands the massive Palace of Charles V, an outstanding example of Spanish Renaissance architecture. Other major Christian monuments found in the city are the Cathedral, including the Royal Chapel where Isabel and Ferdinand lie buried, the Monastery of La Cartuja and many churches built by Moorish craftsmen after the Reconquest, in Granada's unique "mudéjar" style.
The hill facing the Alhambra is the old Moorish casbah or "medina", called the Albaicin, a fascinating labyrinth of narrow streets and whitewashed houses with secluded inner gardens, known as "cármenes". The Plaza de San Nicolas, at the highest point of the Albaicin, is famous for its magnificent view of the Moorish palace.
The Sacromonte hill, which overlooks the city from the North, is famous for its cave dwellings, once the home of Granada's large gypsy community.
For refreshments the Arabic influence has developed the tradition of teterías - teahouses where you can sample a wide range of teas and Arabic delicacies, with typical décor consisting of low tables surrounded by oriental carpets and piles of cushions. Following this theme the Arabic baths in the centre of Granada are an ideal place to spend a relaxing evening, where you can soak in the therapeutic waters and enjoy an aromatherapy massage.
The city centre has a lively feel with modern shopping area interspersed with historic monuments and plazas. You can take a guided tour to help you with orientation or jump on an open top bus and see all the places of interest and learn a bit of the history of this wonderful city, including the best places for shopping, After the tour you can ´shop 'til you drop', visit some of the many churches and monuments, or simply sit in a café-bar and watch the world go by.
The Costa Tropical
One of the main characteristics of Andalucia and less than an hour's drive from Granada is the Tropical coastline. Named as such due to the climate, vegetation, fruits and water temperature all being somewhat tropical, with 320 days of sunshine a year and an average temperature of 20ºC. The latitude, quality of the soil and protection by the mountains has created a kind of hothouse here which is reflected in the crops grown which include, sugar cane, avocados, custard apples and mangos.
Due to its location and fertile soils, the area has been conquered by numerous civilisations such as the Phoenicians, Romans and Arabs, who have fought over it and left behind traces of their cultures. Interspersed with the newer developments you will find Phoenician & Roman remains housed in museums, Roman aqueducts and Muslim castles.
The coastline consists of both long beaches and secluded coves all with a backdrop of some of the largest mountains in Europe. The area hasn’t quite avoided the invasion of tourism but is much less developed than the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol. You can enjoy the sun on one of the many beaches or for the more energetic water sports include, diving, windsurfing, snorkelling, sailing and water skiing.
For those who are not so keen on the beach, the area also offers other activities including golf, four-wheel vehicle driving in the National park, horse riding and paragliding.