This was probably one of our more spectacular fails when it came to organising and booking all the elements of our holiday, independently. We ended up in the middle of nowhere! “Walking distance to small village with several bars and restaurants”, it said. “Oh brilliant” we said. Nothing better than having bars and restaurants within walking distance of where you’re staying.
It didn't mention the perilous walk along the river bank to get there and that the bars and restaurants were all either closed, pensionistas or looked dirtier than a dirty protest! Hmm, we’d be eating in or having the annoying option of driving somewhere and not being able to drink. Or at least me, the designated driver.
We had lots of BBQs.
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| Shade in Alhama |
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| Great architecture in Alhama, and places to cool off! |
Where to stay:
Valenzuela is a tiny hamlet in Granada near Alhama de Granada. We stayed in a lovely 2 bed cottage that is suitable for the winter months too. Although this is no modern abode, the red door that greets you is cheerful and as you enter you feel sheltered from the heat of the sun. It’s comforting. It’s a space you want to spend time in.
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| Love this red door to the cottage |
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| Views around Alhama de Granada |
There is a health spa on the road that takes you to Alhama which you should visit. The town is called such after the thermal spa here, al-hammam in Arabic The waters here supposedly have medicinal qualities. There is a nice walk here too. You should also spend some time investigating Alhama de Granada, as this is the best place within striking distance of Valenzuela. It has a very Roman feel to it and some of the architecture is quite impressive in a shabby ancient way. It also has some breathtaking views. Some are obvious others you just stumble upon.
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| Take a stroll along the stream at the hot spings |
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| Stunning buildings at the Alhambra |
When we left Valenzuela we both agreed that this was a holiday that would have been made all the better if we’d done it as a part of a fly drive holiday, and visited other parts of Andalusia. Tthe driving really isn't an issue. The roads are good and not very busy. It was a great feeling driving through the mountains. You’d also do quite well to visit in the winter. It snows here and I can only imagine the scenery looking fabulous in the white. I’d also consider staying in Alhama, just for the convenience.
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| The Alhambra is a must visit |
Where to eat:
Now here’s the thing. You’ll struggle to find restaurants. Or at least you’ll struggle to find restaurants with interesting menus. Spanish food can be very simple. That’s not a criticism as i’m a huge fan of Spanish food. But what you will find is plenty of places serving food. Confused? It appears that in this region of Spain they still uphold a traditional way of life. and that is giving you a ‘free’ Tapa with your drink. And the drinks are cheap! We tipped reasonably well in percentage terms, just because we felt so bad at how cheap everything was. And how good!
In Alhama our favourite place was in the main square before the big hill. They cooked your tapas before your eyes and the beer was cold. There was always a selection. Well, meat, fish...
And this was our experience of eating out. We did find one restaurant that seemed quite popular and frankly, the tapas at the bars was better. So when in Rome er, i mean Granada, do as they do, and drink and eat tapas!
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