by Nick Adams

Created on: June 30, 2010

What came first, the fruit or the city?

The granada - Pomegranate, in Spanish - is a recurring symbol throughout what is quite possibly Spain's most romantic, seductive city, and I assume was named after it, although I await correction. There's a clumsy metaphor in there too, I'm sure; something to do with appealing exteriors that conceal even greater sweet and juicy pleasures once broken into. One which I've pretty much used now. Oh well.

Clumsy though it may be, the comparison bears fruit ('doh ...). Granada is famed and celebrated for its beauty - an aesthetic appeal that is both natural, thanks to the phenomenal backdrop that is the snow-capped Sierra Nevada, and man-made; the city overlooked by the region's (and perhaps the country's) greatest treasure, the Alhambra Palace. That being so, the splendour runs more than skin-deep, as the manifold charms of the city are spread broadly throughout its districts, some clear to see, others better-hidden, and the busy, bustling area rewards eager travellers.

With around a quarter of a million people calling the city home, Granada is a largish conurbation, although not so large that orientation becomes difficult, and the ever-visible landmarks that overlook it prevent the kind of urban claustrophobia that one could find in Seville or Madrid. Path-finding here is pretty easy; the majority of points of interest are located within a square mile or two, radiating outwards (and upwards) from the central Plaza Nueva, with the older, more ramshackle charms of the Albayzin district to the north and east and the more modern parts of town to the south and west, bordered by the River Genil. Actually - outside of the rainiest seasons at least - "river" is overstating it. It's more like the dry canal from Terminator 2, only without Arnie and Robert Patrick and trucks having their roofs skimmed off by bridges and stuff.

That's not to say that venturing outside of this central hub is a bad thing; heading south of the modest river is worthwhile for a number of reasons. Firstly, there's some great-value accommodation just outside of the centre, with only a fifteen-minute walk back and forth - Hotel Saray, just off Paseo de Violon, is an excellent four-star option. Secondly, Granada's notoriously nerve-fraying driving conditions (in the centre, bollards rise and fall constantly, blocking off the road ahead, like they've figured visitors want an extra challenge) aren't really an issue here - there's plenty of free street-parking,

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