FS6 PROJECT—GRANADA, SPAIN

If you know very little about Granada Spain this text should answer most of your basic questions.
It is written by an Englishman who has lived in Granada for 18 years.
Population:
250-350, 000 depending on the source. Maybe the wild fluctuation is due to Granada being a student city with a large amount of people
coming from outside to study.
Climate:
In January there are lots of blue skies and it is warm when the sun is shining but it gets cold at night. There are occasional frosts. The
best time to visit Granada is in the Spring and Autumn when the temperature is just perfect with warm sunny days. During July and
August it can be very hot and some days the temerature reaches 40C. Granada has a dry heat which is much more bearable than the
humid heat which you will find in Barcelona. There is very little rainfall although every few years there are spells when it rains very
heavily. For average temperature and rainfall statistics click here. view of the cathedral
Spain is generally very monocultural in comparison to most of the other developed countries. During the years of Franco there was very
little immigration and 95% of the population are white Catholics. For centuries Spain was host to Arabic culture and this has left many
strong imprints both genetically and culturally. The "granadainos" don't have a particularly good reputation and they are renown for their
"mala follar" which as far as I understand means cantankerousness or bad humour. There is some truth in this, and I would say that the
granadinos are less friendly and lighthearted than the average Spaniard (but that still means that they are more friendly than the
English)

Granada is located just at the point where the Sierra Nevada mountains meet the fertile plain of the vega. Behind it are steep mountains
and in front there is flat agricultural land. I suppose it was first inhabited and grew because it was easy to defend from behind and
although it is dry in the summer there is always a supply of water coming from the mountain fueled by melting snow, the rich soil in the
Vega provided an ample food source. The altitude is 630 metres.

Granada has its usual quotient of churches, museums etc. typical for a southern European city. However, Granada has the Alhambra
which is considered by some to be one of the 10 wonders of the world. In case you don't know, the Alhambra is a massive castle
constructed over many centuries. It consists of gardens, fortifications and sumptuous palaces. It was the home of many of the Arabic
Sultans who ruled the whole province so I suppose for centuries it received the optimum in interior decoration and architecture. If you
read the Koran it continually repeats the idea that heaven is a garden with running water. From this perspective you could say that the
Alhambra is an Arabic attempt to create heaven on earth. Nowadays it receives 8000 visitors per day and is Spain's most visited
monument. Even the biggest philistine would be impressed.click here to see a panormaic view 290 kb

The Albaicín is the old Arabic quarter located on the hill opposite the Alhambra. It is characterised by cobble stoned streets with white
washed houses. Despite several centuries of neglect and architectural barbarities allowed by the town council it still retains a a strong
Arabic feeling. (the Arabic population was ethnically cleansed just over 500 years ago) There are many squares with terazas and places
to laze about and have a bite to eat. The Albaicín is an oil painter's paradise and almost at every turn of the head there is an attractive
view, almost always involving glimpses of the Alhambra. If you go to a shop which sells any of the typical granadino pottery (white
background with strong blue shapes) you will be sure to read the oft quoted refrain: Give him alms woman because there is nothing as
bad as being blind in Granada. Go to Mirador de San Nicolas and you will see what they meant. see photo

The English wear bowler hats and read the Times, the Swiss make good watches, wear short leather trousers, climb mountains and
yodel, Americans eat hamburgers, are not shy, drive big cars, and talk loud, the typical idea of a Spaniard is of a dark haired fiery gypsy
woman dancing flamenco with a red rose clenched between her teeth with a bit of bullfighting going on in the background. All the
national stereotypes are based on something and the Sacromonte is one of the places that gave rise to the connection between Spain
and Flamenco.

The gypsies arrived about 600 years ago and one of the places where they congregated was in the caves of the Sacromonte. The
mixture of Arabic influence combined with the particular lifestyle and temperament of the gypsies created Flamenco.
If you read any of the tourist guides to Granada they will tell you that the Sacromonte is a tourist trap, inviting gullible tourists to see
second rate Flamenco performances washed down with watered red wine. Maybe that was true a few years ago but nowadays it's not
too bad. Even Bill Clinton went to one when he came. There is no point in buying a ticket off someone in the street. Just go there
yourself. You can buy a ticket in your hotel and they will pick you up in a minibus.

When I lived in the Sacromonte I regularly got swamped in the street by 60 northern European purple rinse grannies as they got out of
the bus on the way to see the Flamenco. People ask me which is the best Tablao (Flamenco gypsy cave) I am not an expert nor a
flamenco fan, I liked the Rocio because they dance right in front of you as they go up and down the cave. Most of the others have a
stage which is less intimate. The best one nowadays is at the Museo run by Enrique Canestera. If you want to stay in the Sacromonte
stay here

Granada is the opposite of most cities in that in the holidays it is much quieter than at other times. The reason for this is that the
students go home to their pueblos and in the summer many people go to the beach. All Spanish cities have a vibrant nightlife usually
involving consuming copious quantities of cubatas (spirits mixed with a long drink) and staying up late, Granada is no exception. I am
English where the whole nation has to go home (or go for a curry) at 11pm when the publican rings the bell. So when I first came to
Spain I was naturally enthralled at my new freedom.
Although it is becoming more indistinct, there are two main zones full of bars. Pedro Alarcón attracts a generally younger set of people
18-22 and the area around Plaza Nueva and the Calle Elvira maybe a bit older. In the winter there are often bands playing in the bars,
the best way to find out what is going on is to go to bars and look at the posters on the wall, ( a good place to find posters is the Telón
or the Pata Palo just off the Gran Vía) or go by word of mouth. There used to be a lot of jazz and blues but music in bars is becoming
less common because the authorities are more strict about noise levels and complaints by the neigbours than before. There is a lot of
Jazz and Flamenco at the Eshavira in the Calle Elvira. They don't charge an entrance fee but they increase the price of drinks when
there is music playing.

From the time historical records began Granada was ruled by many Caliphs, Arabic sultans and dynasties. The Arabic/Moslem empire
once stretched right up into the north of Spain. The various Christian groups settled their differences, joined together and steadily drove
the Arabs out of Spain. Granada was the last stronghold and finally succumbed to Isabel and Ferdinand (the catholic monarchs) in
1492. The Moslems and the Jews were forced to leave the country or convert to Christianity. A period of what would nowadays be
described as ethnic cleansing ensued. At the same time Christopher Columbus came to Granada to ask Isabel and Ferdinand for a
grant to build ships so that he could conquer the Americas. They gave him the money and I am sure you already know the rest.
Probably the most famous granadino is the well known playwright and author Garcia Lorca. He is reputed to be one of the best writers
this century. What makes him even more memorable is the fact that during the bloody Spanish civil war 1936-39 he was taken to a
village near to Granada and shot by a firing squad.

Granada is located next to the Sierra Nevada mountains in Andalusia in the south of Spain. It is about 70km from the coast. Being in
this position means that it is possible to go skiing and sunbathe on the beach in the same day.

Granada was first settled by native tribes in the prehistoric period, and was known as Ilbyr. When the Romans colonised southern
Spain, they built their own city here and called it Illibris. The Arabs, invading the peninsula in the 8th century, gave it its current name of
Granada. It was the last Muslim city to fall to the Christians in 1492, at the hands of Queen Isabel of Castile and her husband Ferdinand
of Aragon.

One of the most brilliant jewels of universal architecture is the Alhambra, a series of palaces and gardens built under the Nazari
Dynasty in the 14th C. This mighty compound of buildings – including the summer palace called Generalife, with its fountains and
gardens - stands at the foot of Spain's highest mountain range, the Sierra Nevada, and overlooks the city below and the fertile plain of
Granada.

At the centre of the Alhambra stands the massive Palace of Charles V, an outstanding example of Spanish Renaissance architecture.
Other major Christian monuments found in the city are the Cathedral, including the Royal Chapel where Isabel and Ferdinand lie buried,
the Monastery of La Cartuja and many churches built by Moorish craftsmen after the Reconquest, in Granada's unique "mudéjar" style.
For information about visiting times, tickets etc click here.

The hill facing the Alhambra is the old Moorish casbah or "medina", called the Albaicin, a fascinating labyrinth of narrow streets and
whitewashed houses with secluded inner gardens, known as "cármenes". The Plaza de San Nicolas, at the highest point of the
Albaicin, is famous for its magnificent view of the Moorish palace.

The Sacromonte hill, which overlooks the city from the North, is famous for its cave dwellings, once the home of Granada's large gypsy
community.

The name Granada is ancient and mysterious. It may mean "great castle", for the Roman fortress which once stood on the Albaicin Hill.
When the Moors came here, the town was largely inhabited by Jews, for which they called it Garnat-al-Yahud - Granada of the Jews.
The Jews are said to have been one of the first peoples to settle in Spain, even before the Romans. For more interesting facts about
Granada click here.

Protected Natural Environments in Andalucia

By Jo Williams

Nearly a fifth of Andalucia is protected, the largest proportion of an autonomous region in Spain, reflecting the unspoilt nature of its
countryside and the high ecological importance of its territory.

The environment department, the Consejería de Medio Ambiente, of the regional Andalucian government is in charge of overseeing the
protected areas and has an office in each provincial capital which you can contact about obtaining permits to visit areas with restricted
access or for free camping. Alternatively, national and natural parks also have a local headquarters, called the Oficina del Parque,
based in the protected area that can also give advice.

National Parks
These are locations of outstanding importance for their wildlife and geology, with ecosystems that have been little altered by human
activity. They have the highest degree of protection, sometimes with restricted access to certain areas within them.
There are two national parks in Andalucia: Doñana and Sierra Nevada. Access to the practically all of the Doñana National Park is
strictly by guided tour only; trips run from the main visitors' centre in El Acebuche and the tourist office in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Cadiz
province. However, between El Rocío and Villamanrique de la Condesa there is a drovers' track (vía pecuaria) called the Raya Real,
which gives access to the northern part of the park by non-motorised transport (horses, bicycles or on foot) only.

The entire Sierra Nevada National Park is open to the public, but many routes are for those on foot or bicycle only. Roads and tracks
closed off by a chain or other barrier must only be used by hikers or cyclists and not motor vehicles. Cyclists are allowed to use all but
the most narrow footpaths.

Natural Parks
These make up the bulk of Andalucia's protected areas and demonstrate an enormous range of geology, climate and habitats, such as
coastal dunes, beaches, semi-desert steppe, mountain forests, Mediterranean woodland, saltmarshes and marine zones. Park
legislation is aimed at protected cultural and architectural traditions as well as the natural environment.

Virtually all of the parks have unrestricted access, but a few may have areas where you need to obtain special permission before
visiting them due to the risk of forest fire or disturbing nesting birds, as is the case with the reserve zone in the Sierra de Grazalema.

Natural Areas
These are areas, known as parajes naturales, that are protected due to their unique wildlife and landscape. Like natural parks, these
vary greatly in geology, climate and habitats.

Natural Reserves
These are small enclaves aimed at conserving a fragile localised ecosystem, often within wetland habitats. To enter a natural reserve
special permission is sometimes required; contact the local medio ambiente (environment) office, which are based in each provincial
capital.

Natural Monuments
These are a more recent addition to Andalucia's network of protected areas and are often a singular exceptional natural feature, such
as a centuries-old tree, a distinctive rock formation or coastal feature.

Other protected status

In addition to being a national or natural park, certain areas have been designated biospheres by the Unesco. Their ecosystems,
landscapes or natural resources have an internationally recognised importance and require conservation measures and sustainable
development to safeguard their exceptional biodiversity. The first one in Andalucia was the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park, which
was declared a biosphere in 1977. There are now eight biospheres in Andalucia.

Ramsar is an international agreement that aims to protect wetland areas that have outstanding birdlife, such as the Salinas area in the
Cabo de Gata Natural Park and the Laguna de Fuente Piedra Natural Reserve.

Within Spain, an area noted for its exceptional ornithological interest may be declared a special protected zone for birds, known as a
Zona Especial de Protección de las Aves (ZEPA).

Facilities
Visitors' centres (centros de visitantes) can be found in all national and natural parks (which both often have more than one) and the
more important natural areas like the Marismas de Odiel in Huelva province. They offer exhibitions, audio-visual displays and other
information on a particular area, along with guidebooks, maps, leaflets and details of walks, accommodation and sports activities. They
are run by helpful local staff who are happy to answer specific questions. Some information may be available in English.

Useful leaflets are the guías prácticas (practical guides), which typically consist of a map along wiith specific details of towns and
villages and local flora and fauna. These leaflets are often available in English as well as Spanish.

The smaller visitors' centres have more restricted opening hours, often only Friday to Sunday. Centres in the larger or more popular
protected areas are more likely to open from Tuesday to Sunday. Most open on public holidays. Generally, they open 10am-2pm and
again in the afternoon, from 4pm-6pm in October-April and 6pm-8pm in May-September.

The network of visitors' centres is supplemented in the larger national and natural parks by information points (puntos de información).
In some areas (such as those in the Sierra Nevada) these are staffed and open mainly at weekends; in others they are merely
noticeboards that outline in some detail walking trails and other aspects of a particular area.

Footpaths (senderos) are frequently follow former drovers' routes that are common throughout Andalucia, are becoming increasingly
well marked with information boards marking the beginning of a route and signposts along the way. Traditionally, routes were marked
by rings or patches of paint on trees and rocks lining the routes, in colours according to the type of path, and many still have these.

Walks can be GR, gran recorrido or long distance, which can form part of a route that crosses Spain, or even Europe, in the case of the
GR7. GR routes are often marked with red paint. PR routes are pequeño recorrido or short distance, and are marked as yellow.
It's well worth investing in a good topographical map before setting out. Visitors' centres can usually provide a general route map for
either an entire protected area or for signposted individual walks.

Cycle tracks are specially designated route for cyclists. Known as a carril de cicloturismo, it is clearly signposted. Contact the visitors'
centre or local tourist or park office for details. Many senderos (footpaths) can also be used by cyclists, except ones that are particularly
narrow. Mountain bikes are increasingly available for hire.

Some protected areas may be traversed by a vía verde, a former railway line that has been converted into a cycleway and footpath,
such as the one linking Laguna Honda Natural Reserve and the Laguna del Chinche Natural Reserve in Jaen province.

Recreation areas (áreas recreativas) are popular with city dwellers at weekends and holidays. They are typically in woodland areas or
by a stream, river or lake and have picnic tables and benches, barbecue pits and a source of water.

Viewpoints (miradores) are in places noted for their panoramic views. There may be an information board and a seating area.

Observatories are basic constructions designed for watching wildlife, usually on the banks of a lake or on the seashore.

Campsites are awarded one of three grades, with three-star campsites offering the most facilities. Many also have bungalows, chalets
or woodens cabins to rent.

Áreas de acampada libre are places where free camping is permitted. Bring everything you need, like drinking water, food and camping
equipment; the area may be near a stream or river for washing. Check with the local visitors' centre before you arrive, since some areas
require special permission in advance from the nearest environment office. In certain places camping isn't allowed during the summer
months due to the risk of forest fires.

In the Sierra Nevada National Park, you are allowed to camp to wherever you want for one night only, but you must contact the park
office in Pinos Genil first, giving them details of when and where you want to camp (acampar) on an hoja de notificación (notification
form). You can either ring the office on 958 026 300, or email, sierra.nevada@oapn.mma.es.

Refuges are mountain shelters (refugios) that offer dormitory accommodation with showers, bookable in advance for a small fee. A
refugio vivac is a basic stone shelter that you can stay in for free and don't need to reserve in advance. Refuges are common in
mountainous areas like the Sierra Nevada and Cazorla Natural Park, but check with the local visitors' centre or park office since not all
of those marked on maps are permanently open.