Blogging can be a strange thing – you often find you ‘know’ people without having met them face-to-face (and when you do meet them, you don’t have to fumble through the awkward introductions). One of those people is Molly Sears-Piccavey, a British resident in nearby Granada. She and I have been reading one another’s blogs for years, and we finally got the chance to meet at the annual Writers and Bloggers About Spain meet-up earlier this month.
Read more about Molly and Granada, and be sure to check out her great blog about her adoptive city, Piccavey.com.
Tell us about yourself …
I’m a British girl living in Granada, Spain. I have been here since 2006 and know the place well. This city has a rich historic background, many fascinating buildings and traditions. The Sierra Nevada Mountains are a breathtaking sight to see. On a warm spring day you can still see the snow on the peaks of the mountains just a few miles outside the city. The beaches are a 35 minute drive from the city and the area along the coast produces tropical fruit such as mangoes, bananas and avocados.
What does Granada have that can’t be seen in other places?
Most people know of Granada because of the Alhambra palace. This monument and the typical Albaicin quarter are both UNESCO World Heritage sites. But reaching past the city, the province of Granada really is a land of contrasts. You can see beaches, rivers, mountains, deserts, lush valleys and historic sites within a 30 minute drive of the city. Most of the year, you can see snow on the mountains and in summer we have red-hot temperatures. Because of the diverse geography, it is great for outdoor sports such as walking, climbing and cycling.
What is the best time to visit Granada?
As Granada has a ski resort and beaches 30 minutes away it’s a wonderful place to visit in all seasons. May is my favourite time because at the beginning of the month there is a popular celebration known as the crosses of May. This time of year the orange blossom is in flower around the region and the plants and flowers are particularly bright and colourful.
Can you recommend somewhere to eat in Granada?
Granada really is a heavenly place for foodies. It has lots of local produce and a large selection of seasonal dishes. It you want to sample the local tapas the most popular area is Calle Navas right by Granada town hall. There are bars and restaurants packed in one after another. In Granada Spain’s only revolving restaurant gives views of the city and of the snow-capped mountains, too. Panoramic 360 is a good option for a romantic dinner with views.
Tell me something else about Granada…
There is a saying about Granada: Dale limosna, mujer, que no hay en la vida nada como la pena de ser ciego en Granada.
In English this translates as: “Miss, please give a coin to the beggar, there isn’t anything worse than being a blind man in Granada¨
Come to Granada and see if you agree!
Interested in Granada or Molly? Check out her blog with recommendations on what to see and do in Granada: piccavey.com and see her interview about me, too!
How lucky, Granada is one of my favourite cities! The first time I visited it was early January 2010, and I was able to see it snow at the Alhambra. It was pretty magical
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It’s true what you said about feeling like you know a person through their blogs. Over the last several weeks I feel like I’ve gotten to know you and Molly through your posts. You two ladies are doing a phenomenal job in making your new homes in Spain come to life. Keep up the good work!
Nice interview! I *think* stumbling across her site way back when is how we eventually stumbled across yours. But, since we actually know you now, I like to think of you as the original. Haha.
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Granada is really beautiful, the most beautiful city of Andalucia for sure.
i have lots of family members from my grandmother’s side in the city and in the province….. also Granada accents are clearer than any other Andaluces if compared to those so much or too funny of Gaditanos or Sevillanos for example.
as for the saying…it’s quite famous and beautiful….i did post it days ago on Trevor Huxham’s blog about Granada…. it says more correct “give him charity, woman, for in life there is not anything worse than being blind in Granada.
I’m not the biggest fan of Granada capital, so I really like that Molly talks about Granada province in general, like its strategic location for beach bums and mountain people. I think it’s interesting that she mentioned Granada is seismic because last year the province of Jaén to the north was rather uncharacteristically rumbly, although it turned out to be the result of fracking. O_O I had no idea there was a disastrous earthquake in 1884.