Saturday, July 9, 2016

Bodegas Castañeda ♥ ♥ ♥


I walked away quickly from La Gran Taberna to make it to my next tapas stop before it closed for the night.


Bodegas Castañeda, a local haunt before Rick Steves brought all the tourists in -
myself included!



A row of sexy jamon legs greeted me as soon as I entered and I knew this was 
my happy place



Bodegas Castaneda is a very typical Andalusian tapas bar which looks like it hasn't
been renovated in centuries. There are barrels of wine behind the bar, and absolutely
no chairs to be seen. You stand by the bar and eat and it's a lot of fun.



I was so hungry I made the mistake of ordering food before the server could give me free
tapas with my drink. For people traveling to Granada, remember that it is one of the very
few cities left in Spain where you get complimentary tapas with every drink you order.
Please take advantage! Haha! :)



At least I was given a generous pour



One of the beautiful things about traveling in Europe is that nobody cares what you do.
You can go about doing your own business and people won't judge. 



Like ordering AND finishing this plate of assorted montaditos



Joselito Jamon Iberido de Bellota



Jamon de Trevelez con Manchego



Salmon, Avocado, Caviar



I wolfed down 6 montaditos in 15 minutes. 
They were still at it when I walked out the door.
 Nobody cared.
I love España.



Bodegas Castañeda: Calle de Almireceros, 1-3, 18010 Granada, Spain
Phone: +34 958 21 54 64


Sunday, July 3, 2016

La Gran Taberna ♥


After dropping off my bags at Hotel Casa 1800 Granada, I ran out immediately to get some nourishment.

I was so hungry I rushed into the first restaurant I saw that was still open at 11:28pm.


La Gran Taberna



A traditional tapas place in a great location in the middle of Plaza Nueva.
There was upstairs seating. I grabbed the nearest seat at the bar.



One of the best things about Granada is that every drink 
you order comes with a plate of complimentary tapas



With my glass of house red came a plate of sad olives and a tiny omelette filled with... 
processed meat and cheese. WHY??? This disappointed me extremely. After all, I was in 
a country known for jamon and queso, not in the Republic of Costco!
I disliked the place immediately.



The jamon de pato montadito and anchovy montadito were good, but not great enough
to alter my initial judgement. Sorry, I am difficult like that. Haha!



Hard to complain considering prices were very reasonable. 
Paid my bill and went in search for a better dinner.



La Gran Taberna: Plaza Nueva, 12, 18009 Granada, Spain




Hotel Casa 1800 Granada ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥


I arrived Granada by train late at night and my taxi driver dropped me off a few steps away from my destination.


Hidden in this cobblestone alley is a gem of a hotel, 
my home away from home in the southern city of Spain



Hotel Casa 1800 Granada



Like its sister Hotel Casa 1800 Sevilla (see my post here), this boutique hotel is housed
in a restored 17th century building. I have a huge thing for old architecture and it was
love at first sight when I stepped through these doors.



Check in was a breeze, which I appreciated because I was dying of hunger 
and wanted to run out to grab a late (midnight) dinner. 



Luckily, my room was on the ground floor, making it easy and convenient for my 
eating escapades. (I did not notice any elevators in the building.)



How I loved my room and all its charming old world details!



It was more spacious than my room in Seville and came with the same modern amenities.



There was a window that opened up to the breakfast area, making it a bit noisy in the 
mornings, which wasn't totally a bad thing because I would have slept through noon 
in my comfy bed if it were quiet.



The bathroom was modern and very clean



Bathtub and rain shower in one



Every morning I woke up to the sound of people enjoying their first meal of the day
at the inner courtyard



Breakfast room



Coffee, tea, and other beverages



Simple selection of cold cuts, cheeses and fruits



All things carbs



After fueling up, I went to check out the second floor



Very nice and very Granada



I love all the beautiful details of the hotel



These clay vessels by the doorway



The armchair and the painted walls



In the afternoons, hotel guests enjoy complimentary snacks and drinks. Nothing to write 
home about, but sure saved me from lugging back bottles and bottles of water.




Hotel Casa 1800 also boasts an excellent location, just off Plaza Nueva and not far from
Alhambra. I walked everywhere the whole time in Granada. 



A few steps from the hotel is a souvenir shop selling everything you can think of



Perfect for last-minute shopping!



I wanted to take home all these gorgeous plates



Remember to smile and bargain  :)



I highly recommend Hotel Casa 1800. Wouldn't stay anywhere else when in Granada!



Hotel Casa 1800 Granada: 11, Plaza Benalúa, 18010 Granada, Spain
Tel: +34 958 21 0700





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