Just spent 3 great weeks in Granada (June 2003).

In a nutshell, some recommendations:

1) Stayed at Hostel Meridiano

2) Security. I felt very safe in Granada, albeit I take all the usual precautions discussed elsewhere. The street people don't seem threatening. If you deny them, they don't give you a hard time. I give money to nobody... you're not doing a social service, just supporting another industry (IMHO). I was there long enough to identify all the locals and their storylines in the central area.

My fav... Don't accept a gift of rosemary from the ladies around the cathedral. It's just a gift, no money, now let me tell your fortune, blah blah, 2 euros please, whhat??? no money, give me my gift back. Ha. I never fell for it in the first place (no no no... keep walking, push back gift), and after awhile I started to specifically go around the cathedral to tell them to bugger off and then watch them work the more gullible. It's fascinating to watch the process, and how many people they do entrap. Make "street scenes" part of your sightseeing... it's quite an interesting social study if you know how to do it.

3) Fav Tapas Bars: Mason de Romana (next to Meridiano) and La Riviera (Cetti Meriem, 7 next to the Brit pub Hannigan & Sons) Check them out for the great tapas. Check out Hannigan & Sons for a mini break from Spain (ha ha).

4) Do all the usual "in city" stuff Alhambra, the various city quarters. Make sure you visit the Carmen de los Martires gardens. Early morning you'll have the place to yourself if you like some leisurely self-reflecting or romantic time.

5) Do the Arab Baths

6) Plan a day trip to the Sierra Nevada mountains. I think return trip bus was 6 Euros. Once there, another bus takes you to within 1 hour walk of the summit of El Veleta. Oh my gawd what an experience. Was quite something to stand on the peak with *nothing* higher than you. The views were dizzying. On a clear day you can see Africa, but there was haze over the Mediterrean that day. Oh well, I knew it was out there.

Chilly too... still snow patches up there... stubborn hard packed holdouts from the previous winter. Have a windbreaker or good sweater. Also make sure you have sunblock and a hat... although it's cold, the UV rays are blasting you big time.

Felt good to be in the absolute pristine clear cool air, knowing the stiffling heat was down below. Had lunch at the peak... we had the whole place to ourselves. Before leaving, we built an innukshuk to mark our passage there. A piece of Canadian culture. Try one of your own.

We spent an hour or so at the summit. A one hour walk back to the bus, which we missed by 5 minutes. So, rather than wait for the next one, we decided to slog our way back to the base. Take the foot paths (they'll be obvious), and you can walk the entire way down in an additional 2 hours. Glad we did it.

Timelines... left Granada at 9, started the walk to the summit at 11, reached summit at 12 (gasp gasp... thin air), left summit at 1:15ish, reached base at 3:30ish, a bit of shopping and a beverage, on the bus at 4:30, back to Granada by 6ish. I'm no Airborne Ranger... if you're in reasonably good shape, there's no prob doing this.

Anyway, quite a romantic day. I think it'll stand out as the zenith of the trip.

7) Plan a day trip to Pampaneira - Bubion - Capileira, 3 mountain villages which until recently (last 50 years or so I think) were quite isolated. Get your return ticket for Capileira, and walk to Bubion or Pampaneira to catch the return... they're within walking distance of each other. It'll make sense once you're there.

Clusters of whitewashed houses crawling up the steep incline of a valley. Very neat place to wander the serpentine streets, enjoying the view. Enjoyed fresh cherries picked from the trees. Good day, but my girlfriend was a bit motion sick from the drive up & back. The mountain roads were a bit much for her, I was thinking "oh, for a motorbike right now" (we were in a bus).

Conclusion. Granada will give you a great taste of Spain. You can do culture, the mountains, and the beach from one spot. Consider it.

More info here.