Hotels in Granada – Hostels in Granada – Flights to Granada

By the end of our trip to Granada, we were physically and mentally exhausted. In just a few days, we had seen so much, and had been running around the city like maniacs, indulging only in short pauses for tapas and beer. La Alhambra, Cartucha, the Alpujarras, Lorca’s House, etc, etc. So we decided a fitting final undertaking would be a dip & massage at an Arabic bathhouse.

Having been the capital of Al-Andalus for centuries, Granada’s Arabic influence is still very strong. You see it in the architecture, restaurants and street markets. And our last day in the city was a very oriental one — a great meal in an Arabian restaurant, then tea, baklava and cherry-flavored shisha at a cafe. Relaxing, and put us in the perfect mood for a bath.

Hammam, the Arabian bathhouse we chose, is very centrally located, along the river Duerro. Unfortunately, the night we showed up also happened to be couples night. Advice: unless you want to share the pools with horny teenagers practically f*#@ing each other, avoid couples night.

Tongue-swallowing horndogs aside, we had a great time at Hammam. It started with a back massage, and then we were released into the baths. There were 3 different pools, filled with warm, hot and cold water, that you’re meant to alternate between. We took advantage of a resting area with tea, a sauna and a large, hot stone slab to lie upon.

In all, we probably spent an hour in the various rooms. The interior of the bathhouse was awesome — it was clean and tastefully done in Arabic style, and I would’ve believed that we were in Turkey. A great end to our stay in Granada.

Link: Arabic Bath in Granada

We didn’t get a lot of pictures of Hammam’s interior (for obvious reasons) but enjoy the images of Granada’s Arabian influence….

Buy your Granada guides here. Click for: USA, UK, Germany, Spain

More from Our Granada Trip

A Valencian foundation called The Light of the Images was created in 1999 with the mission of restoring and exhibiting aspects of Valencia’s rich cultural heritage. Their latest project is called The Glory of the Baroque — an exhibition which runs through three of the city’s oldest churches.

On Sunday, we went to the Church of Saint Martin, which had been under renovation for a very long time. The church dates from the 14th Century and its restoration is, indeed, glorious. White and gold dominate the interior; marvelous, bright golden designs cover the ceilings. The paintings, sculptures and walls have all been renovated or restored and the church almost feels as though it had just been built. Literally breathtaking: both Juergen and I gasped upon entering.

The church has been converted temporarily into a gallery, with centuries-old religious ornaments and curios on display alongside intricate garments. You can even ascend a terrace in the main chapel and look down on the church from above.

The Light of the Images is doing fantastic work, and you have plenty of time to enjoy it; the Glory of the Baroque runs through September, 2010. If you’ve walked around the city center recently, you’ll have noticed a baroque white path on the sidewalks. It leads to the different churches in the exhibition.

Yet another must-see in Valencia!

The Glory of the Baroque, Website
Location of the Church of San Martin

- Neat place to stay in Valencia

Not to be confused with the Fallas Museum near the Ciudad de Arte y Ciencas, the Museo Artista Fallero is dedicated to the craft of the artists who create ninots. Situated in the Ciudad Fallero — the neighborhood of workshops where the most important and largest figures are built — the museum gives the visitor an overview of their design and construction.

From the sketch, to the model, to the full life figure, you see every step of the process. There are photographs of all the winning figures, and probably about 100 ninots ranging, as usual, from mawkishly sentimental to incredibly raunchy. There’s no information about the event of Fallas or its history, which is something to be aware of before going.

The best reason to visit the Ciudad Fallero is to wander around the huge workshops where the artisans are engaged in their labor. If you’re lucky, you’ll be invited in to get a sneak peek at the figures before the plantà. They’re usually working Mon-Fri, regular business hours.

The museum is open from 10-14 and 16-19 weekdays, and just 10-14 on Saturdays. It costs €3 and will take about 30 minutes to see in full.

963 479 623
C/ S. José Artesano 17
Location on our Valencia Map

- La Iglesia de los Santos Juanes

One of Valencia’s most emblematic buildings is the Palace of the Marquis de Dos Aguas, dating from 1760, when the ancestral home of the family Rabassa de Perelló was reformed in Rococo style. At the time, the family held the marquisate and was one of the city’s most important clans. Today, the palace houses the National Ceramics Museum.

A confession. During our first year in Valencia, we lived 45 seconds from the palace, but never once set foot inside. Ridiculous. The palace is incredible, free on the weekends, and one of the must-see highlights for any trip to the city.

I’m not much of a ceramics fan, so the museum exhibits were of little interest to me, though there are some stunning pieces. More engaging were the architecture and beauty of the building itself. Reaching four floors, the palace is huge — much bigger than it looks from the outside. Visitors are allowed to see nearly all of it, from the ballroom, to an awesome smoking room, bedrooms and the kitchen. Really neat.

The most famous aspect of the building, though, is its marble façade, added in 1867. This is probably Valencia’s most photographed doorway (and the poor guard who eternally stands vigilant, its most photographed person). Massive in scale, and with no concern towards subtlety or restraint, the statues do not fail to impress.

Location on our Valencia Map

More pictures from the inside of the Marquis de Dos Aguas:

- Xativa History

We already blogged about our day trip to El Palmar but we recently went back. A visit to El Palmar is also highly recommended during the fall and winter months. Pick a sunny, still day and you will experience the Albufera in a light not everyone gets to see.

Great places to stay in Valencia:

• B&B Mare de Deu
• B&B ABC
• Hostal El Cid
• Hotel: Vincci Palace