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General Information
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Granada is the capital of the province with the same name, situated in the eastern part of the region of Andalusia. Geographical and scenic diversity charactizes the land. There is the coastal area with its warm climate; the extensive, fertile Genil plain; and the mountainous regions with a colder climate, where we find the 3,481 meter Mulhacén, the biggest peak on the peninsula of Spain. The city of Granada is located at the foot of the sierra Nevada mountains at the confluences of the Darro and Genil rivers. Its unique history has bestowed it with an artistic grandeur embracing Moorish palaces and Christian Renaissance treasures. As the last Moorish capital on the Iberian peninsula, it also holds great symbolic value.
The city of Granada has been shaped by the hills, where the old districts in the Albaicín and the Alhambra were founded, brimming with steep, narrow streets, beautiful nooks and crannies, and marvelous landscapes. The new part of the city is situated on the plain, crisscrossed by the large arteries of Gran Vía de Colón and Calle de los Reyes Católicos, and where the busy streets around the Cathedral are found.
The Moors crossed the strait of Gibraltar in 711 and settled in what was then a small Visigoth town perched atop the Alhambra hill. Here they settled, erected walls and laid the foundation for the prosperous civilization that would follow. It was in the 9th century when Granada rose to importance after the fall of the Caliphate of Córdoba. Its splendor was reached in 1238, when Mohammed ben Nasar founded the Nasrid dynasty, and the kingdom of Granada stretched from Gibraltar to Murcia. This dynasty bore twenty kings until King Boabdil was forced to surrender Granada to the Catholic monarchs, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, in 1492. During three centuries, a magnificent and rich Islamic culture flourished, leaving Granada with architectural marvels of the caliber of the Alhambra, declared a World Heritage Site, along with the Generalife and the Albaicín.
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Weather
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Granada has a Mediterranean climate and enjoys warm summers and cool winters. The best time to visit Granada is during spring and autumn when the temperature is perfect. The temperatures often exceed 30°C at midday during summer, and the average temperature in December is around 7°C. If you like to ski, however, winter is a good time to go because you can go to the mountains to ski, but it is not freezing like other European ski destinations.
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Language
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The official language of Granada, as in the rest of Andalusia, is Spanish. English is not as common as you would expect it to be due to the amount of tourists that visit the city. You will find that goodwill and hand gestures help the local English skills.
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Religion
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95% of the residents are Catholics and 5% are Muslims and Jews.
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Currency
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The Euro is the official currency of Spain. Euro (€) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of €500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of €2, 1 and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents.
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Tipping
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Tipping is not obligatory and has no fixed rules, but it is common to tip 5% to 10% if you had a good service. It is also common to tip hotel porters and taxi drivers.
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Taxes
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The VAT of 16% can be reclaimed by visitors from outside the EU as long as the purchase exceeds €90,15 (VAT included) and was purchased at one store on the same day. In order to do that, you have to ask in the store for a tax refund cheque containing the description of goods, the personal data of the non European resident as well as the particulars of his passport or of any such equivalent document. At the airport your purchased items need to be taken to the customs clearance before checking the luggage in. In order to get the VAT refund, you have to cash the stamped cheque at any Bureau de Change in your chosen currency.
Tax refund information line: +35 45 64 64 00
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Telephone
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To call Granada from abroad, first dial +34 for Spain and then 95 for Granada.
There can be high charges on calls made from hotels, restaurants and bars and it is generally cheaper to use a calling card. Public telephone boxes take coins or phone cards for local and international calls, which can be bought from tobacconists and post offices.
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Internet
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There are some bars and cafes that offer Internet access. Most hotels offer Internet access to their guests. Some good cyber cafes are: Hecho Granada on Calle Mulhacen 9, Madar Internet on Caldereria Nueva 12, Web Café on Gonzalo Gallas 1 and Relaejo Net on Calle Sta Escolastica 13.
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Emergency numbers
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Police: 092
Medical emergencies: 061
Fire Service: 080
Centralized emergency line: 112
Emergency Doctor: 1003
On Duty pharmacies: 900 171 727
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Opening times
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Banks are usually open Monday through Friday from 8.30 am to 2 pm. From October through April, banks are open also on Saturdays from 8.30 am to 1 pm.
Most shops, churches, museums and businesses close for a siesta of two hours at midday. Usually, working hours are 9.30 am – 1.30 pm and 4.30 pm – 7.30 pm from Monday to Friday. Large department stores and shopping centres usually stay open from 9 am to 9 pm.
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Public holidays
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· January 1 New Year’s Day (Ano Nuevo)
· January 6 Festival of the Reyes (Dia de los tres Reyes)
· February 28 Andalucia National Day
· April Good Friday (Viernes Santo)
· April Easter Sunday (Dia de Pascua)
· May 1 Labour Day (Dia del Trabajo)
· June 24 St. John’s Day (San Juan)
· August 15 Assumption (Asuncion)
· October 12 Columbus Day (Dia de la Hispanidad)
· November 1 All Saints Day (Todos los Santos)
· December 6 Constitution Day (Dia de la Constitucion)
· December 8 Immaculate Conception (Immaculada Concecion)
· December 25Christmas Day (Navidad)
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Safety
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Granada is a pretty safe place, however, petty theft such as bag snatching is quite common especially in the touristy places. Make sure to carry valuables under your clothes and watch people who try to get close to you, mainly at crowded places.
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