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
What I LIKE
- 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
- 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!
- 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
- 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)
- 5:00 – arrive Nerja – staying @ Parador
- 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
- parador is from the 60’s – not much charm – just location
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.