MY CITYHow long have you lived in the city?
I’m originally from Nottingham but moved to Spain in- I lived in Barcelona for many years, then moved
to Granada in 2006, although I first visited in 2000.
Tell us what makes your city unique.
The last bastion of Al-Andalus, Granada was under
Muslim rule for almost 800 years. It’s very different
from other Spanish cities – the architecture and
the cuisine have clear Arabic traits. The geography
is pretty special, too. The province has sub-tropical
microclimates and also the Sierra Nevada mountain
range, including Mulhacén – the highest point
on the Iberian Peninsula at 3,479m.What’s it like in April?
April is busy in Granada. Semana Santa – Easter week- is an important time in the local calendar. For many,
it’s the first time since Christmas that they’ve had
some time off work. And it’s usually the beginning of
warmer weather. The city’s Easter processions start
on Palm Sunday and last until Easter Sunday. In each
procession, between two and five ‘brotherhoods’ walk
through the city with images from the Easter story.
These groups consist of many participants: penitentes
wearing pointy hoods form the main part of the
procession; camareras are ladies dressed in black lace
who accompany the virgin figure; the costaleros bear
the wooden f loats carrying the religious sculptures.
Locals may abstain from eating meat at Easter,
sticking to fish dishes or chickpea and spinach
stew, and traditional sweets, such as Torrijas (like
French toast) and leche frita, appear in bakeries.
What time of day do you most enjoy?
Sunset is beautiful in Granada – corals, pinks and lilacs
fill the sky most months. It’s particularly pretty from
viewpoints in the Sacromonte and Albaicín quarters.What’s the nature like?
There’s lots of vegetation, trees and wooded areas
within Granada itself, thanks to water from the Sierra
Nevada above the city and the two rivers: Genil and
Darro. The Alhambra palace is located inside a thick2»
* There’s no better way to get to the heart
of a city than through the people who
live there. Every month we ask someone,
clearly in love with their city, to take us
on a personal tour and tell us what makes
it so special. You may feel inspired to visit
one day or to rediscover the charms of a
city closer to you, but for now just sit back,
relax and enjoy some armchair travel.(^1) The Alhambra, or
‘red castle’, stands
guard over the city.
(^2) Swathed in reds,
corals and golds, the
Andalusian sunset
won’t disappoint.
(^3) An impromptu kick
around in front of the
city’s cathedral.
(^4) The whitewashed
village of Lanjaron
provides a contrast to
Granada’s red hues.
(^5) Rugged charm
- locally produced
colourful jarapa rugs
543MY CITYHowlonghaveyoulivedin thecity?
I’moriginallyfromNottinghambutmovedtoSpainin
1998.I livedinBarcelonaformanyyears,thenmoved
toGranadain2006,althoughI firstvisitedin2000.
Telluswhatmakesyourcityunique.
ThelastbastionofAl-Andalus,Granadawasunder
Muslimruleforalmost 800 years.It’sverydifferent
fromotherSpanishcities– thearchitectureand
thecuisinehaveclearArabictraits.Thegeography
isprettyspecial,too.Theprovincehassub-tropical
microclimatesandalsotheSierraNevadamountain
range,includingMulhacén– thehighestpoint
ontheIberianPeninsulaat3,479m.
What’sit likein April?
AprilisbusyinGranada.SemanaSanta– Easterweek
- isanimportanttimeinthelocalcalendar.Formany,
it’sthefirsttimesinceChristmasthatthey’vehad
sometimeoffwork.Andit’susuallythebeginningof
warmerweather.Thecity’sEasterprocessionsstart
onPalmSundayandlastuntilEasterSunday.Ineach
procession,betweentwoandfive‘brotherhoods’walk
throughthecitywithimagesfromtheEasterstory.
Thesegroupsconsistofmanyparticipants:penitentes
wearingpointyhoodsformthemainpartofthe
procession;camarerasareladiesdressedinblacklace
whoaccompanythevirginfigure;thecostalerosbear
thewoodenf loatscarryingthereligioussculptures.
LocalsmayabstainfromeatingmeatatEaster,
stickingtofishdishesorchickpeaandspinach
stew,andtraditionalsweets,suchasTorrijas(like
Frenchtoast)andlechefrita, appearinbakeries.
Whattimeofdaydoyoumostenjoy?
SunsetisbeautifulinGranada– corals,pinksandlilacs
filltheskymostmonths.It’sparticularlyprettyfrom
viewpointsintheSacromonteandAlbaicínquarters.
What’sthenaturelike?
There’slotsofvegetation,treesandwoodedareas
withinGranadaitself,thankstowaterfromtheSierra
Nevadaabovethecityandthetworivers:Geniland
Darro.TheAlhambrapalaceislocatedinsidea thick
2»
- There’s no better way to get to the heart
of a city than through the people who
live there. Every month we ask someone,
clearly in love with their city, to take us
on a personal tour and tell us what makes
it so special. You may feel inspired to visit
one day or to rediscover the charms of a
city closer to you, but for now just sit back,
relax and enjoy some armchair travel.
(^1) The Alhambra, or
‘redcastle’,stands
guardoverthecity.
(^2) Swathed in reds,
corals and golds, the
Andalusiansunset
won’tdisappoint.
(^3) An impromptu kick
aroundin frontofthe
city’scathedral.
(^4) The whitewashed
village of Lanjaron
providesa contrastto
Granada’sredhues.
(^5) Rugged charm
- locally produced
colourful jarapa rugs
543