Granada | 5 Fab Tapas Bars

Leave a reply

Although Seville is acknowledged as the “capital of tapas”, most towns and cities in Andalusia have a thriving tapas culture that is a little different in each place, and Granada is no exception. There are plenty of local hangouts all over the city, but the streets around Calle Navas and Plaza del Carmen are “tapas bar central”, and give you a nice range of choices in a relatively small area.

One feature of the Granada tapas scene that seems unique to that city is the many bars that offer a “free” tapa with your drink. But beware! As the man said, “There is no such thing as a free lunch”. It’s actually included in the price of the drink, which makes the drinks more expensive in Granada than in other Andalusian cities as a result.

These are our recommendations for five of the best places to eat in Granada, from cheap and cheerful to upmarket gourmet tapas.

Los Diamantes
Their are two of these, but the original eatery in Calle Navas is still the best (the second location in Plaza Nueva is very touristy). Fried fish is the speciality of the house, but the thinly sliced fried aubergine (often served as the first “free” tapa), is not to be missed.
Navas 26
Tel. +34 958 227 070

Bar Avila
Busy little bar where you can choose your “free” tapa. The “jamón asado” (a bit like a ham donaire kebab) is the house speciality. There’s lots of good seafood, too, but give the fried octopus a miss.
Veronica de la Virgen 16
Tel. +34 958 263 928

El Mentidero
A friendly local bar with excellent traditional tapas, including some meat dishes that you grill at the table on a hot stone, for which it is justly famous. Owner and maître d’ Fiti will take good care of you and make you feel at home.
Piedra Santa 15
Tel. +34 677 862 459

La Moraga
A branch of the gourmet tapas chain, and a relatively new addition to the tapas scene in Granada, La Moraga has some great tapas and excellent wine at reasonable prices, in a very comfortable and spacious bar. There is also a nice sidewalk terrace. Make sure to order the bulltail burger, the speciality of all La Moragas everywhere.
Rector Morata 3 (just off Plaza Carmen)
Tel +34 958 221 507

Senzone
A short walk away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre, the Senzone restaurant is hidden away inside the beautiful shady gardens of the Palacio de los Patos Hotel is an oasis in the centre of the city where you can stop in for anything from a couple of tapas to a full meal, and enjoy them in calm, peaceful surroundings.
Solarillo de Gracia, 1
Tel +34 958 53 57 90

Seville | Velá de Santa Ana in Triana

3 Replies

Triana has long had a reputation for knowing how to fiesta, and every year in late July Sevillanos flock to “the other side” for the barrio’s biggest annual street party – the Velá de Santiago y Santa Ana – which starts this Friday July 20th. The evening streets around Plaza Altozano will fill up with revellers, and busiest of all will be Calle Betis, where a small fun fair for children and a variety of food and craft booths will be set up. It’s a great place to stroll, to see and be seen, and to enjoy a beer or a glass of fino with some “pescaito frito” or the traditional green hazelnuts.

As usual plenty of concerts and activities are planned for the week-long festival, including fishing and rowing competitions, and the traditional cucaña (greasy pole).

The Velá dates back to the thirteenth century, and you can learn more about its history, and the history of Triana at the “Desvelando Triana” (Revealing Triana) photography exhibit at the Castillo de San Jorge, which is on until August 26th, opening times 10 am – 2 pm (until July 26th you can also visit the exhibit 7 pm – 11 pm).

Velá de Santa Ana
20 – 26 July 2012
Triana

Seville | Rooftop Swimming Pools

5 Replies

If you’ve been dreaming of spending your summer holiday somewhere warm and sunny with your own swimming pool to cool off in after a hard day of strolling around one of Spain’s most beautiful cities, the good news is that you can make the dream come true, and it doesn’t have to cost you a fortune either.

We have two spacious holiday apartments in Seville with private swimming pools – Teodosio Terrace and Miguel Terrace – as well as two one-bedroom rentals with access to shared swimming pools – Ibarra Terrace and Pedro Miguel – where you can enjoy those bright blue skies (don’t forget your shades and sunblock!) and unwind in sumptuous surroundings with all the comforts of home.

As a bonus, you’ll also get to smile smugly to yourself when you’re at the top of the Giralda Tower and overhear someone comment enviously on the rooftop pools. And while in Seville you can also sample the famous local cuisine in some of its many tapas bars, stroll along the river, or take in a flamenco show (or opera at the market!). Sound like a plan?

 Cooling off in your own pool is just one of the many ways to beat the heat in Seville.

Granada | Miradors in the Albaicín

3 Replies

[view from San Nicolás mirador]

If you’re in Granada, the main reason is probably that you’ve come to see the Alhambra. You may already have been inside the complex, wandered around the palaces and gardens, and climbed the towers of the fortifications, or you may still have that pleasure to come. Either way, it’s worth the effort of making your way up into the Albaicín, the old Moorish quarter of the city that faces the Alhambra across the deep, narrow valley of the River Darro, for a totally different point of view of this amazing fortress.
There are a number of miradors (lookout or vantage points) where you can get the best views, of which the best known is the Mirador San Nicholas. From here, you can see exactly why the fortress was considered impregnable. You can also see the the slightly-out-of-place Palace of Carlos V, and the tiny figures of myriad tourists on the walls and towers. Just below the mirador is a little terrace bar and restaurant called the Huerto de Juan Ranas, where you can enjoy the sight with a long, cool, if slightly pricey, drink. A bit further up, but with the advantage of being directly accessible by the little minibuses that serve the Albaicín, is the Mirador San Cristobal.

Walking up the hill into the Albaicín is quite strenuous, and the hillside faces south, so the best times to do it, especially in summer, are the early morning or the evening. But whenever you go, be sure to wear comfy shoes! You can find several good tapas bars on the way up. Our favourites are Mesón el Yunque in Plaza San Miguel Bajo and Bar Aliatar in the Plaza Aliatar. If you want to splash out then the Carmen Mirador de Aixa in Carril de San Agustín offers exquisite views and excellent food.

After dark the walls of the Alhambra are spectacularly lit up and it’s definitely worth going up a second time, though you may want to take a taxi back down afterwards rather than braving the steep narrow streets, which can be tricky to navigate even in daylight.

Recipe | Tortilla de Patatas

Leave a reply

We want to start off our new recipe feature with that most basic of Spanish dishes, a potato omelette – tortilla de patatas. You can find these at every tapas bar in various types and sizes. With this recipe you can make any kind of tortilla you like by simply adding different ingredients such as spinach, roasted red peppers, jamón and chorizo, cheese, etc. Some of my favourite ones don’t have any potato at all.

The most important thing is to have a good thick frying pan that maintains heat evenly, and to make sure the potatoes are thoroughly cooked through before you add them to the eggs, but without letting them brown too much. Everybody has their own way of making tortillas, along with various flipping methods. Feel free to experiment!

  • 1 kilo potatoes, peeled and sliced
  • 1 onion, peeled and chopped
  • 6 eggs
  • sea salt to taste
  • olive oil

Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise, then slice them again crosswise (into about 1 cm slices). Cut the onion into quarters and slice or chop finely. Heat a 22cm pan and add about 2 tbsps of olive oil. When the oil is hot add the sliced potatoes, stir well to coat them with oil, then turn heat down to med-low and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring gently now and again. Add the onions and salt, mix well and continue cooking for another 15 minutes or so, until the potatoes are cooked through.

 Beat the eggs in a large bowl and add the cooked potato and onions (don’t worry if the egg starts cooking in the bowl). Stir well. Using the same pan add a bit more olive oil if necessary and turn up the heat until the oil begins to sputter, then add the egg mixture and immediately turn the heat down to low. When the omelette starts setting shake the pan gently so the sides of the omelette don’t stick, then continue cooking on low heat until it’s about 3/4 done. Slide it out onto a plate, invert the pan over the top and flip the omelette back into pan. Return to low heat and cook another five minutes or so until totally done. Let the tortilla cool to room temperature before serving.