As miniature cooking, tapas are the most informal yet varied and tasty way to have lunch or dinner out. Kitchens delight their customers tastebuds with little plates of stewed snails, Andalusia style potatoes, fish in batter and offal in sauce to name but a few, in more or less hearty portions.

Products from the fertile plain surrounding Granada is the basis of many traditional local dishes, like soft broad beans fried with cured ham, bunches of stuffed Swiss chard, thistles, pipirrana salad, and the ubiquitous gazpacho. All of it with excellebt bread from Alfacar. A famous speciality of the provincial capital is Sacromonte Omelette, a dish not suited to delicate palates as it is made from marrow, cooked brains, bulls testicles and eggs.

A visit to Granada is not complete without trying “tapeo granadino” in taverns and bars. The tapas are served free in all the province's bars to wash down a glass of wine or a beer. They are a tasty symbol of Granada, stimulating the senses and get immediately carved in the visitors memory. In this particular gastronomy exhibition the tapa is normally chosen by the barman and the customer respectfully accepts his choice. To go out to have tapas with your friends is one of the most popular and ingrained customs in the city. .

The suggestion is absolutely attractive for all the senses: to stroll along the old city center admiring living history while having something to drink and to eat in picturesque places. From pieces of cheese, cold meats or cured ham to hot local dishes of Granada: migas con tropezones, callos, habas con jamón, papas a lo pobre o a la furiana, and so on.

The city offers several areas to enjoy the experience of the art “el tapeo”. You can start around Campo del Príncipe , in Realejo quarter, the old Jewish quarter of the Muslim city.

Heading in the direction of the Cathedral, we find one of the main nightlife streets: Elvira street, where visitors can find a lot of taverns and bars to taste a variety of wines and tapas.

Near Elvira street our gastronomic tour can invariably comes to the Plaza Nueva area, near the Real Chancillería . The Darro river runs under this square, and if we follow it we will reach the well known Paseo de los Tristes, where we can have something else in one of the terraces.

The Romanilla Square and the Pescadería Square are both popular places for a tapeo in the city. Located near the Cathedral, they are meeting points, which keeps the area quite busy.

Also near the Cathedral, but without the traffic noise, is a pedestrian area where one can enjoy local gastronomy in taverns and bars: the surroundings of the Town Hall and Navas street.

On the left side of the Darro river is the most representative quarter of Granada, the Albaicín, classified as World Heritage site by the UNESCO. When visiting Albaicín, the visitor must take his time: walking along its winding streets, following the smell of orange blossom and visiting some of the most famous restaurants in the city, while admiring the magnificent Alhambra vistas, especially those from San Nicolás.

Finally, if the visitor chooses to end this culinary tour of the city in Sacromonte, he should not miss the opportunity of trying the omelette with the same name.

If you feel like exploring more gastronomic possibilities, we recommend that you visit La Chana Quarter¸ outside the city. it is mainly a students' meeting point, where they gather to have tapas between classes.

We remind you that the “tapeo granadino” is not only a tradition in the city but also in the whole province. One can enjoy tapas everywhere in Granada, having the chance to discover the specialities and varieties from each town or village, which are guaranteed to surprise even the most refined tastes.