Granada - Madrid

GRANADA

0920hr took a taxi to Bus station for 10eur.

Bus station is further than Train station from City centre.

MADRID

I bought ALSA bus ticket 120 days in advance for 10.39eur (including luggage insurance) from Granada to Madrid. The bus arrived at Mendez Alvaro Station and took a metro to Gran Via.

 10 metro/ bus ticket (Zone A) for 12.20eur

Usual price for per ticket is 1.50-2eur

I was wrong to follow google map instruction to take train then transfer to metro. Luckily I checked with the metro office and just get in metro and transfer metro. basically metro in Madrid can bring you almost everywhere. Download their metro app and it is very useful.

The numbers indicate the line of the metro, you need to know the number before you can lcoate the platform. The metro system is confusing but you will get over it after 1-2 days.

CALLE FUENCARRAL, CHUECA

Lively, hip, interesting street that very popular with LGBT and LGBT friendly shops.

Fashion with  young touch: Mango, Levi's, Sfera, Double Agent, other Tiffosi, local fashion and many shoes shops.

Down the road on GRAN VIA: Zara, Primark, Pull and Bears, Springfield, Stradivarius, Massimo Dutti, Desigual...

Further down to PUERTA DEL SOL: El Corte Ingles, Official Real Madrid Shop, plenty of Cafes and Restaurants. 

HOSTAL CASA BUENO

144.40eur for 6 nights (book direct with them with an early bird 5% discount).

Small private room with bathroom. Very basic room with TV, wardrobe and side table. Housekeeping everyday and towel change everyday. 

Tucked in the centre of Calle Fuencarral. 2 mins walk to Gran Via metro. 

Lively and fantastic location!

CALLE HORTALEZA, 30

The street next to my hostal, found a cafe that served nice desserts.

OITA CAFE

LEMON MERINGUE TART (3.50eur)

 

EARL GREY TEA (2.50eur)

MERCADO SAN ANTON

High end market place in Chueca.

PUERTA DEL SOL

The main square in Sol. This place is very happening even in the midnight.

Long Q in this Chinese fast food, probably it showcase the way they frying?

It seems very popular but comparing what we had in sg, there is still long way to go.

WALK THE WOK

I had a egg noodles with Shanghai sauce (4.95eur), prawn (2eur), garlic topping (0.50eur)

A base noodle + ingredients + topping (optional).

Total: 7.45eur 

MUSEO DEL JAMON

A very popular place for people to eat and buy jamon. 

Very reasonable price list. I had never tried before, the place is always very packed with tourist.

MERCADO DE SAN MIGUEL

A very popular mercado for locals and tourist. This is the bigger mercado I had been comparing to the rest I went.

Lots of varieties of food and seafood but some of the price as of restaurant.

Had the Octopus and Mousse caviar for 1eur each. Nothing spectacular.

Look nicer than taste :)

 

Saw at least 20 stalls by African selling imitation goods in Sol square.

The 4 corners of the base cloth is attached with a string and will be wrapped up when pulled, so when police come, they will pull and go.

TOBACCO SHOP

Granada

GRANADA

Start 0900hr, walk over to ISABEL LA CATOLICA for Bus #3 (1.20eur) to Alhambra.

Be early as the Nasrid Palace controlled on the booking timing and with long queue.

I will suggest start at least 2hr in advance of the Nasrid Palace timing. My ticket is 1000hr and I reached 0925hr and I do not have much time to explore Generalife before Nasrid Palace and too lazy to back trace to Generalife again. The place is huge! I usually walk explore pretty fast but it still took me near 3hrs. I will recommend to reserve at least 4hrs for the place. And remember to book the ticket online early. I had booked 2 months in advance and a lot time slot had already been taken. 

The bus with stop outside the main entrance, so you can start with GENERALIFE first.

Then proceed to CARLOS V, NASRID PALACE, PARTAL, ALCAZAR and exit at PUERTA DE LA JUSTICA and walk down the streets to centro.

THE ALHAMBRA

GENERALIFE

The sultan's leisure palaces with a long line of fountains, gardens and water features.

CARLOS V

A strange renaissance palace built by Carlos V to stamp the Christian identity onto the Alhambra after the conquest.

NASRID PALACE

A series of sumptous rooms and courtyards

PARTAL GARDEN

A wonderful goldfish pond and the Torre de las Damas.

THE ALCAZABA

The fortess where the soldiers lived with big towers that lookout over Granada.

PUETA DE LA JUSTICA

The exit nearer to the city streets. 20mins walk from here to the main streets.

MESON LA PATALETA

Recommended by my hostal, 3 course set for 11.90eur.

None of the server understand english, average food. Melon is the best among all.

VEGETABLE SOUP

PAELLA with long bean and beef

MELON

BASILICA DE SAN JUAN DE DIOS

IGLESIA DE SAN JERONIMO

Different types of herbs and tea selling outside the Cathedral.

CALDERERIA NUEVA, ALBAYZIN

Street with choices of TETERIAS (Arab teahouse), Moorish craft shops and stalls.

Beautiful lightings

Just saw one set recently in Great world city selling at $999. 

A set of 5 lights cost 138eur here.

Back to LOS DIAMANTES again.

Fish nuggets and fried shrimps

Cold shrimps

Cannot remember where is bar is, quite a high rating in tripadvisor but food n service is bad.

BAR POE

This bar is tuck in a corner and operated by a English. The Tapa they serve is unique and delicious!

Had drank 2 Tinto de Verano and 3 Tapas. 2 of them is free!

Really love this free Tapas City!!

I shared one of the dish with another customer and tried his pork skewer, seems like my selection is better:)

No. 7 Spicy liver with cilantro is the best!

No. 3 Spicy Piri Piri pork stew

No. 2 Skewer of grilled pork and pineapple

No. 5 Chicken in coconut sauce with polenta

 TINTO DE VERANO (1.50eur)

*Note: I will want to try Bodega de Antonio if I ever come back again.