Granada

With a population of 237,663 inhabitants and an area of 88 square kilometers, Granada is considered one of the pearls of Andalusia, and of course, of Spain, and has become a priority destination for the millions of tourists that visit the country every year.

With its privileged location near the Mediterranean coast and at an altitude of 680 meters at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Granada has all the tourist attractions that a visitor could desire and can easily be reached from any point in Spain. It is located at a distance of 434 kilometers from Madrid, yet only 256 kilometers from Seville, 343 kilometers from Alicante and a bit further from Palma de Mallorca at 698 kilometers.

The province of Granada has a large variety of tourist attractions in an area of only 13,000 square kilometers: the Alhambra, the most visited monument in Spain and one of the most beautiful in the entire world; the Sierra Nevada Mountains, one of the best ski resorts in Europe; and at just a little over an hour´s drive away, where we exchange the snow for the warmth of the coast and pleasant temperatures which can be enjoyed all year round, the breathtaking beaches of the Mediterranean. A tourist can get from Granada to the ski resorts of the mountains of the Sierra Nevada in 45 minutes, and to the nearest sandy beach, Salobreña, in only 50 minutes.

The combination of sea and mountain produces the differences in Granada’s climate, which has excellent temperatures during winter and summer. The annual average temperature is 15.1 degrees Celsius, with a maximum of 22.8 and a minimum of 7.5 degrees.        

Granada has a large amount of hours of sunshine. In September, the number of hours of sunshine ascends to 262. In the same month, the temperatures vary between 29.4 degrees Celsius on average maximum and 12.4 degrees Celsius on the average minimum.

There is very little rain in Granada during the month of September. According to weather statistics gathered over the last 30 years, the average number of rainy days for the entire month is two, while only 52 days of rain is the average for the entire year, based on the calculation of a day of rain as one in which 1mm or more of rainfall has been registered.

The city of Granada rose from the Hill of Albayzin. The Zirids are credited with having founded and structured the city in the year 1010.  However, it would be the Nasrid that would later make it the last city and a bastion of Al Andalus (Muslim Spain) between 1238 and 1492, constructing the Alhambra and turning it into a refuge for art, science and peaceful coexistence.

Almost 100 years later, up until the rebellion and expulsion of the Moors from Granada (1568-1571), that culture endured. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Granada was one the destinations most visited by the so-called romantic writers, attracted to the city by its beauty and legends.

The millenary city of Granada enchants its visitors with its history and its monuments. It has a first class cultural calendar, a variety of festivals

		Granada has a rich history.

and traditions and a lively atmosphere, thanks to the 60,000 students enrolled in the University of Granada.

There are very few cities in the world like Granada, whose history is so clearly reflected in its streets and through its monuments. Granada is not a city that can be visited and seen in a single day. The historic complex of the Alhambra and the Generalife require an extended visit if one is to fully enjoy all its beauty.

Tourists should not leave without walking through the streets of the Albaicin neighborhood, with its scent of jasmine.  Other sites that must be seen are the mausoleum of the Catholic King in the Royal Chapel, the Cathedral and the Science Park (the most visited museum in Granada).
From the west to the high plateau, passing through the Marquesado, the Coast and the Alpujarras Mountains, the entire province is full of historic monuments and cultural attractions. Some of the towns in the area surrounding the capital have left their mark on history and world culture. Santa Fe was constructed by the Catholic Kings to besiege Granada and it is where Christopher Columbus planned his voyage to America. Fuentevaqueros is the birthplace of Federico Garcia Lorca, one of the most important writers and poets of Spanish literary history.

 

By Air:
The Federico Garcia Lorca Granada-Jaen airport is situated in the area of La Vega de Genil, only 17 kilometers from Granada and 106 kilometers from Jaen. The name of the airport pays homage to the poet from Granada by adding his name to Granada and Jaen, thus strengthening the presence of these two Andalusian provinces in the international tourist circuits. The airport registered a total of 875,827 passengers, 15,746 operations and 65,8 tons of cargo in 2005.

By Road:
Granada is well connected to Madrid by road by means of the N-323 and to Seville through to Baza by means of the A-92. The national roadway N-432 connects the city with Cordoba. The A-92 passes by Puerto Lumbreras and Murcia after Baza and it connects to the “Mediterranean Highway” that passes through Alicante and Barcelona toward France.

By Rail:
The train station in Granada is near the city center, next to the Avenida de la Constitucion. The Talgo train takes 5, 30 minutes from Madrid and it takes 4 hours, 30 minutes to get to Seville. However, most people choose to ride the bus when traveling from Malaga or Almeria.

 

2006

Indoor Trial World Cup
Stage of the Spanish “La Vuelta” Cycling Championship
Armed Forces Race
I Equestrian Raid Andalusia
City Rally of Granada
Spanish Sports Championship for Handicapped and Learning Impaired
The Corpus Trophy for various sporting events
Half Marathon of Granada
Coca Cola Soccer Cup
Granada City Swimming Trophy

2005

ACB “Showtime” and the European Super Cup
International Basketball Match: Spain vs. Croatia
Indoor Trial World Cup
Andalusian Rhythmic Gymnastics Championship
Starting Point for the Spanish “La Vuelta” Cycling Championship
Stage of Barcelona-Dakar Rally
Half Marathon of Granada
European and World Snowboard Cups
Spanish Car Dirt Rally Championship
Spanish Motorcycle Dirt Rally Championships
Spanish University Rally
Granada City Rally
Spanish Sports Championship for Handicapped and Learning Impaired
International Grand Prize of Badminton
Granada City Swimming Trophy
Race Against Cancer

2004

International Basketball Match: Spain vs. Croatia
Indoor Trial World Cup
Stage of the Spanish “La Vuelta” Cycling Championship
Umbro Indoor Soccer Cup played outdoors
Half Marathon of Granada
Spanish Car Dirt Rally Championship
Spanish Motorcycle Dirt Rally Championships
Granada City Swimming Trophy

For more information about the city, go to www.granadatur.com.