Best tapas in Granada tour: cheap and tasty

Tapas in Granada is not the same as “tapas” as you know the term. When you hear tapas you translate it for cheap tasty food. In Granada, the meaning varies. Tapas in Granada are nothing but free typical Spanish dishes served with the drinks.

Tips for tapas… in Granada

As a visitor, there are a couple of very basic rules you need to follow in order to find out the best tapas in Granada. These guidelines include what areas to avoid and some clues on how to distinguish a proper tapas bar from a tourist trap.

First of all, run as far as you can from Paseo de Los Tristes. It is a wonderful place to go for a stroll. It´s stone bridges, the cobblestone roads and the fairytale-like buildings make this area a perfect choice for photo taking purposes, but not for tapas. The same happens with the bars that cover the streets between Reyes Catolicos and the Plaza Nueva. If you wonder why the answer is very simple: when you have a look at the customers you will see very tall blonde people wearing hats and sunglasses even in winter. In short: tourists. To find the best tapas in Granada, follow the locals.

Tapas in el Albaycin

Of course, this is the most visited barrio in Granada. Very well known by its small white houses and his winding streets, the road that leads to La Alhambra is a must see in the city. It is also a very good place to find proper tapas. Look for the Café 4 Gatos. It is very small and cozy and it serves homemade tapas cooked daily. Some of the tapas bars of the Albaycin offer views to the Alhambra. It is always a plus to order an Alhambra beer and drink it while you look at the real stuff.

But let’s make a break before moving on to our next tapas stop. You need to know what exactly tapas are. As we said tapas are free food served with the drinks. And food means food, not just a tiny plate with olives or potato chips. In Granada, bars have a tapas menu written on the wall that includes stews, fish dishes, seafood and even small burgers. Some of them do not have this menu. Instead, they cook six or seven different dishes and serve a plate of each every time a drink is ordered. In this case, you will hear the waiter shouting: “Una primera!”(a first one!), “Una segunda!”(a second one!) as you go on with your drinking. When you have tried all the plates, if you are in the mood for it, you can start with the first one again.

Plaza de Trinidad and Gran Capitan

Plaza de Trinidad is the home of the most authentic tapas bars in Granada. The curious thing is that the area offers a mix of typical Spanish retro bars and indie premises run by Spanish pop bands. As a result, you might be drinking just by some music star without knowing it. One of this places is the Bar de Eric. It serves delicatessen tapas. In the Botanico, the atmosphere is very modern and it has a proper menu for those who are not too kin on tapas.

Gran Capitan is a university orientated area, meaning prices are low, wine might not be the best but the food is abundant and good. Some of the bars are full up with very youngsters, but most of them leave early for the pubs, so there is always room for a more quiet clientele. Bar Niza and Bar El Labrador are true survivors that have always fed the Granadian youth.