Day 4 - Welcome to Andalucia and the gardens of Granada - The Bishop/Kalinowski/Olsen Tour

An early pick up at the hotel for a morning flight to Malaga was on the menu for this morning. The hour-long flight to the capital of the Costa del Sol was enjoyable, and the pilot pointed out Sierra Nevada as we flew over  the highest mountain in southern Europe. After arriving in Malaga and picking up our rental car, we started our inland drive to Granada. One of the things that often surprises people is just how mountainous Spain is. the drive from Malaga to Granada is rarely a flat one, as we drove past countless olive groves and smaller towns. We reached Granada and our hotel, a converted 16th century palace, with enough time to relax a bit and grab a bite to eat before Rosa met us at the hotel to show us around the city. The hotel's location made it easy to find a restaurant, and we took a seat outside for lunch at a nearby place that looked inviting.

One of the the things I love most about Granada is their penchant for including a tapa with every drink you order. Our first tapa was migas con chistorra, fried bread crumbs with sausage, and our table was soon filled with a several more plates. Mealtime in southern Spain is really an experience in itself. There is no concept of hurry at all. And the fact that today coincided with the Fiesta de las Cruces meant that there were a number of people in traditional dress, from little girls dressed in flamenco dresses to men riding their horses in full regale.

Rosa met us at the hotel at 4:00 and we began our adventure through Granada. The vibrancy of the city throughout the day was tangible, and Rosa guided us expertly through the winding streets of the old city, directing us to some of the most beautiful cruces in the city. As we walked she explained the long, often complicated history of the people of Granada (converting to Christianity, then to Islam, then back to Christianity, etc.) and showed us some of the many carmens (gardens) of the city. As we walked up the old Albaicin quarter, we encountered a full fledged celebration in one of the upper plazas. After maneuvering through the crowds and up to Saint Nicholas lookout for a beautiful view of the Alhambra, we walked down the more direct route and passed through the calle de te, filled with tea shops and nifty little shops. Rosa left us for the day at the bottom of the street, and we headed back to the hotel.


Dinner was a sit down affair, the restaurant was reasonably empty given the early hour (it was, after all, only 8:30), and we all enjoyed some splendid local cuisine. Highlights included Susan's fish, Darlene's venison and the bottle of red wine.

For more information or to plan your own private guided tour in Spain, contact The Spanish Touch at 888-480-0013.