GRANADA TAPAS

GO ON A GRANADA TAPAS TOUR

2011-03-02T13:32:00.000+01:00

BUY THE GUIDE BOOK TO 100 OF THE BEST TAPAS BARS IN GRANADA

2009-10-22T16:17:00.010+02:00

The only English written book guiding people to 100 of the best tapas bars in the city & province of Granada is selling out fast. Fewer than 50 of the 500 copies left now. So if you are visiting Granada, or living in the province, be quick and buy a copy now. The book takes the visitor to the city by the hand and guides them on 18 routes of 4 bars each. That's 72 of the best tapas bars in Granada, where tapas comes free. The book leads you from one one authentic bar to the next and points out other places of interest en route.

Granada is a great city and is full of tapas bars. But knowing which ones to go to is crucial. This book avoids the more touristy traps where you might only get a plate of crisps or olives. Instead it directs you to the atmospheric bars that serve tasty tapas with your drink.
It also includes 28 bars in the wider province of Granada. Bars in areas such as the Costa Tropical, La Alpujarra, the Lecrín Valley and villages close to the Sierra Nevada ski resort.

The book fits in pockets and handbags and costs just 10 Euros or Pounds (plus postage). You can buy it via the PayPal buttons on the right hand side of this website.

METRO BOOKS IN GRANADA

2009-09-20T16:04:00.006+02:00

The essential guide to 100 of the best tapas bars in Granada can be bought by a variety of methods. One is via the excellent shop Metro Books in Calle Gracia,31 in the city centre. Friendly, efficient and bi-lingual staff will sell you this book and many others in the English language. It is the best place to buy English written books in Granada. It stocks many books about Tapas and it is the bookshop with the exclusive right to sell the Granada Tapas Tour book in the city itself. Their telephone number is (00 34) 958 261 565 or e-mail them via metrolibros@terra.es

A TAPAS WALK IN GRANADA - PART 3

2009-07-05T14:08:00.005+02:00

Just ever so slightly out of the city centre is Avendia Cervantes. The road takes you between the aforementioned Rio Genil and the Ronda Sur road that leads to the Sierra Nevada ski resort.
It is a splendid residential area with plenty of good tapas bars to sample.
Start off at the statue of Don Quixote and his trusted horse, Rocinante. It is in the middle of a roundabout and you cannot miss the bright white statue.
Cross the road from the statue so that you are on the left hand side of Avenida Cervantes as it runs down to Granada. Look out for the bright yellow exterior of Sandokan. Like many of the bars around here, they will have seats outside in the summer. The buzz of the place though is indoors. Free sports papers so that you can catch up with the latest Spanish football results and there is tasty tapas for meat and fish lovers alike. Turn right out of there and head back to the junction with the statue. Turn right and follow the road called Sancho Panza. On the left hand side of the road is the very popular Meson Juan Ramos. It's smart inside and serves excellent tapas. On leaving that bar cross the road at the nearest zebra crossing and walk past the Coviran shop. Very soon on your right is the Meson Labrador - a favourite with those living locally. Again you can sit outside in summer or sample the atmosphere at the bar indoors. The Menu of the Day is 8 euros including one drink. It offers good value for money. The tapas alone is also good quality and the Albondigas (meatballs) is a home made speciality of the house.

A WALK & TAPAS IN GRANADA - PART 2

2009-06-27T18:23:00.007+02:00

Go for a walk, get your shoes shined & end up in a bar for tapas

Walking the streets of Granada proved to be the ideal antidote to the consumption of all that tapas during my research for the guide to the best bars in the city. In part one we left you at Las Titas bar and restaurant, the glass conservatory like building close to the Rio Genil. From there you can stroll through the back streets of Granada to the square known as Plaza Mariana Pineda.

Cross the road from Las Titas and stay on the narrow winding streets that run parallel with the rear entrance to El Corte Ingles on El Paseo del Salón, which will be to your left. You should emerge from the backstreets close to the Chikito bar and restaurant, a place favoured by the rich and famous. Run by a former professional footballer, it is the place where the stars of today’s game visit when they are in town. The bar is always lively and never more so than on the night last summer when Spain won the European Football Championships. A night those of us who were in Granada will never forget.

Come out of Chikito and turn right and you are in Plaza Mariana Pineda, which is home to one of the main tourist offices of Granada. The square is one of the last in Granada where you can get your shoes shined. The statue of Mariana Pineda looks down over the Plaza and, now that Granada has cottoned on to the interest in its history, the former political activist is to be remembered each last Sunday in May with a day of festivities in her honour. You see Mariana was a bit of a rebel in her heyday. That was the 19th century and she was a young widow and mother and was very active in liberal politics. The statue marks the spot where she was garrotted for the “crime” of sewing the Liberal political colours on to a republican flag. Makes being slapped by a policeman seem like a walk in the park! Today the only gore in the plaza comes from the pigeons.

Once you have had your shoes shined you will be ready for more refreshment. A very short distance away is Calle Rosario, location of all four bars on one of the most popular routes in the Granada Tapas Tour book. The lack of walking required may have something to do with its popularity! The bars are the family run El Patio Brasserito, the lively at night La Pajuana, the ever popular Diamantes and the splendid wine bar, Taberna La Tana. Each has something different to offer the tapas tourist. Strolling the streets of Granada, stopping off for a snack on route, is the best way to see the real heart of the city.

*The book “Granada Tapas Tours – 100 tapas bars in Granada” can be purchased via 958 788 252, by e-mail tapasbook@hotmail.com , via the website www.guiribooks.blogspot.com or at various outlets in the region.

A TAPAS WALK IN GRANADA - PART 1

2009-06-24T14:26:00.010+02:00

One aspect of life in the province of Granada that never ceases to amaze me is how little time many expats living in the area spend in the city of Granada itself. For me, it is the chief reason for living here. Many people who have visited Granada often come away feeling they have not seen the heart of the place. “Where is the centre?” they ask me. That is a tricky one. But my answer is always the same. Why would you want to find the actual centre of a city? Usually it consists of a burger chain outlet and the worst aspects of tourism.

Granada is great because it is so varied. When you add together all the distinctive barrios, you have a city that has much more to offer than many others I have stayed in throughout Spain. It does take time to appreciate all Granada has to offer. You cannot get to experience it all in one day. I always tell people to pull out a map and choose a barrio. Draw a circle around a certain area and aim only to explore that part of Granada. Each time you visit the city, tick off another barrio or district. One area that lies outside the centre is El Zaidín. For those travelling to Granada from the south, come off at the Ronda Sur exit and point your car towards the football ground. You cannot miss it. Alternatively you can walk to El Zaidín from the city centre or jump on the number 4 bus (Palacio de Deportes) This is an area where young families choose to live. It is a thriving and increasingly pleasant part of Granada to discover. Plenty of wide avenues, shops, parks and bars. If tapas and beer are high on your priority list, then the bars near the football ground are among the best on offer.

The portions of tapas are larger than in the city centre and many bars serve bottled beers from all over the world. Football matches take place usually late on Sunday afternoons at the vast Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes stadium. None of the Granada teams are good enough to attract big attendances so entry is cheap and parking easy. The football on offer can be entertaining. Larger crowds gather around the football ground on Saturday mornings when a big local market takes place. All the usual suspects of Spanish fashion are on sale along with food and items for the home.

High street supermarkets are nearby for anything you cannot buy at the market. The main street that runs from El Zaidín into the city centre is rough around the edges but has some good value shops, comfortable cafes and bodega like bars. It is a pleasant walk into Granada and, unless you have got lost, you will arrive at the Rio Genil and the stand out fountain, Fuente de las Granadas. From there turn right and call in at the glasshouse like building that is Las Titas bar and restaurant for a rejuvenating coffee, or something stronger.

* The book Granada Tapas Tours - 100 Tapas Bars in Granada is for sale at 10 euros or 10 pounds via e-mail tapabook@hotmail.com via the website www.guiribooks.blogspot.com via this blog or by calling (00 34) 958 788 252

GRANADA TAPAS GUIDEBOOK - BUY IT AT THESE OUTLETS

2009-03-21T14:57:00.003+01:00

Authors Gayle Mackie and Vernon Grant

The new guidebook, "Granada Tapas Tour - 100 tapas bars in Granada" is for sale at an increasing number of outlets throughout Granada province.

In Granada itself, go to Metro Books in Calle Gracia. Dave runs this shop that includes a fine selection of books in both the English and Spanish language, many of which you cannot buy elsewhere in Granada. Metro Books has the added advantage of being close to some of the best tapas bars featured in the Granada Tapas book. The full address for the shop is c/ Gracia 31 - Granada 18002. Telephone 958 261 565. E-mail metrolibros@terra.es

In Almuñécar, on the Costa Tropical, the ever friendly and efficient internet shop Zen Net, which is a haven of peace and tranquility. One of those rare beasts, an internet shop that is so quiet you can hear yourself think. Nicolas and Louisa offer a vast array of services, including language courses, translation and help with all things computer based.

In the Lecrín Valley the Granada Tapas Tour Guidebook is available at both bookshops in Durcal, at the Le Mans petrol station in Talara, at Los Naranjos restaurant in Melegis and at the offices of Lecrin Valley Property also in Melegis and right opposite the church.

In La Alpujarra you can buy the book at the information shop in the plaza of Pampineira and at the La Urdimbre shop in Capiliera. Alternatively, buy the book direct from this site via the "Buy Now" buttons opposite.

GRANADA TAPAS TOUR GUIDEBOOK - PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW!

2008-12-08T11:52:00.003+01:00

At last! After 18 months or more of exhaustive research (and way too much tapas) our guidebook to 100 of the best tapas bars in Granada is being printed and you can, if you wish, place your order and pay for your copy now.

The book features 72 of the best bars in Granada city. We map out 18 routes of 4 bars each and lead you by the hand from one authentic bar to the next. The book also includes 28 other bars in the wider province of Granada. These might be along the Costa Tropical, in La Alpujarra, close to the Sierra Nevada ski resort or deep in the beautiful countryside of Granada.

The whole tapas thing can be daunting. My co-author, Gayle Mackie, runs http://www.granadatapastours.com/ She is the ideal person to offer tips that ensure you get the best from a day sampling the delights of free (yes, free!) tapas in the marvellous city of Granada. Reserve a copy of the book by e-mailing tapasbook@hotmail.com

The cost of this must have book is 10 Euros for those living in EU countries where the Euro operates.

If you wish to pay in sterling within the UK, then the cost of the book is 10 pounds.

Postage is extra and will be charged at standard Spanish rates.

Payment can be made via credit cards, bank transfer or PayPal via the "Buy Now" button on this site. Alternatively, you can pay via e-mail once your have placed an order and we have sent you an e-mail invoice. You do not have to have your own PayPal account for this latter service.

Simply e-mail tapasbook@hotmail.com

GRANADA TAPAS GUIDEBOOK

2008-04-14T22:19:00.002+02:00

La Esquinita in Campo del Principe

I doubt there is one cultural aspect of living in Spain that is more misunderstood than the concept of Tapas. Why is it free in provinces such as Granada but not free in other places? Just when do you get a free tapas with your drink and which drinks qualify you to receive a dish of free food? Can you pick and choose which tapas you receive?

All these questions and more will be answered in a new book to be released early in 2008. The Granada Tapas Tour Guidebook is co authored by a young Scottish lady who has lived in the Andalucian City for eleven years.

Gayle organises tours of the more authentic bars in the City of Granada via her website

www.granadatapastours.com

She takes small groups of people around a few bars that are off the tourist trail. Many are hidden in the cobbled, atmospheric backstreets of Granada. Now she has put all that knowledge in a handy pocket/handbag sized book.

She says: "Going out for tapas is an essential part of Spanish life, and maybe even more so in Granada. There is nothing better than having a nice glass of wine and a chat with an old friend over a tasty tapa. The social side of eating tapas is so enjoyable. I hope to let all visitors to Granada in on this special social scene, so they can come to love the experience, just as I do."

The book will offer 18 different tours each including four bars. Add to that total a sprinkling of the best tapas bars outside of the City walls and Gayle will be pointing you in the direction of the best 100 bars in the province of Granada. It is an exhaustive exploration of some of the finest bars and, yes, it has been an exhausting process.

Gayle says: "We have had a lot of laughs researching the book, and I must say I don’t think there is a tapa dish that I haven’t tried – with the exception of brain omelette, which is only for the very brave! On occasion my fellow researchers drank a little too much but it did not spoil their enjoyment of the food."

Whilst many people have heard the tale of the origins of Tapas (a glass of wine or beer being covered by a plate of food so as to prevent a fly landing in the glass); there are some popular misconceptions about Tapas. In her introduction to the book Gayle offers some helpful hints for the hungry.

She says: "There are two systems for tapas. They are the choosing style and the rounds system. If you are allergic to any foods then look out for the "choosing" tapas bars where you can get up to 50 different options to try out. Also, it’s worth noting that "tapas time" tends to be from 1pm-3.30pm and from 8pm until midnight. Don’t expect to get a tapa at 12:30 no matter how hungry you are.

Another tip. Do perch at the bar or just stand in a corner by a wooden barrel. If you see a table and sit at it, the staff will think you want a full sit down meal. Finally, don’t forget to pay! The rounds are added up at the end in all but a few places and it’s very easy to assume you’ve paid and just walk out. It can be rather embarrassing."

Comfortable feet are essential if you are to do justice to all that Granada has to offer, including a wide variety of tapas bars. That is where this quality guidebook comes into its own. It does the hard work for you by directing you on differing routes. There is something for everyone. Two aspects remain constant. It is cheap to go on a tapas tours and children are welcome to join in. Three people each drinking a cool glass of shandy will be served a dish of tapas and, upon leaving the bar, will be charged less than 5 Euros.

Granada is popular with Spaniards living elsewhere in Spain – places where they have to pay for their tapas. The City has a culinary history and there are establishments that have served fine food for decades. In recent years more modern tapas bars, aimed at a younger crowd, have opened in the City.

Their décor may be minimalist when compared to the older bodega style tapas bars, but they also serve tasty dishes – often with modern interpretations of classic Spanish dishes. Whether you use her forthcoming book as a companion, or pay Gayle to take you on an enjoyable tour, it’s great in Granada – especially when you are eating tapas!

GRANADA TAPAS TOUR

2008-04-14T22:15:00.002+02:00

Recently I joined a party of folk on a Tapas Tour of Granada. Some places I knew and some excellent, new destinations. This was all thanks to Gayle Mackie of www.granadatapastours.com (above)

A magnificent seven of us followed Gayle from bar to bar. Not the tourist haunts that serve a plate of crisps as a tapas. Instead we went through the back streets of the City and worked our way towards my favourite barrio, Realejo. Gayle has lived in the City many years and takes small parties of visitors to Granada on entertaining and informative tapas tours. Her fluent Spanish, and the fact that she has established such a good working relationship with many of the bar owners, all make for a superb culinary experience.

Go with Gayle and sample real tapas in one of the few locations left in Spain where it is free. Her service comes highly recommended by this site. Call her to book a tour on (00 34) 619 444 984.

Very soon a book detailing the top 100 tapas bars in Granada will go on sale via this site. Pre-order it by emailing verninspain@gmail.com