"Give me alms, woman, for there is nothing worse in life as to be blind in Granada"

"Near or far, Spanish or Moslem, there is no city so foolish as to deny Granada her beauty."

One of the things to strike you about Granada is her contrasts. It is neither Eastern nor Western. The Granadino poet Federico Garcia Lorca described it thus: "Shocking contrasts are observed, mysticism and lust. Mingling in the air the strumming of guitars and the echo of nuns’ voices. It is as if you are sleeping and dreaming. Everywhere and everything borders on the inexpressible."

From the plains of the vega you see the Alhambra and the Generalife rising above you and behind them the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada. Roads that pass beside deep valleys and rugged hills like that of the Sacromonte, whose contours have been carved by Granada’s rivers and her caves carved by her Gypsies.

Granada is a city rich in culture with theatres, flamenco venues in bars or the caves of the Sacromonte, impromptu guitar sessions in er squares and much more. It also offers the best of Andalucian, Spanish and International cuisine. It is a city with a vibrant night-life, from the hundreds of tapas bars to the discoteques of the student quarter, there is something for everyone.

The modern city of Granada is very well connected by rail, bus and air services. Three hours by train from Seville, an hour and a half from Malaga, Granada offers all modern communications. The extensive motorway system passes the head of the valley and connects to all major cities, Seville, Madrid, Cordoba and beyond. Granada’s Federico García Lorca (GRX) airport is situated in the Vega de Granada, only 17 km from the city centre.