Granada: College Student Paradise

Did you know out of the approximately 300,000 people who call Granada home, 82,000 of them are study abroad college students? With that many students milling around the city, there is a continual focus on student life, making Granada an endlessly entertaining and incredibly affordable place to study. However, there are a few extra-special features that truly set Granada apart from any other “student city,” so without further ado:

TAPAS

Most everyone has heard of tapas and associates the small-plate wonders with Spain, but the tapa tradition is especially unique in Granada. Almost anywhere else, a “tapa” can be ordered for around 2-3 euros each; in Granada, however, tapas are free. Yes, free. The result is a thriving foodie scene for students and “real adults” alike, where each beverage is accompanied by a small-plate. Traditionally, there are different “rounds” of tapas, meaning even if you stay in the same place all night, you’ll try a different tapa each round. I'm a foodie at heart, so this is where I take the majority of my pictures. Some of my favorite tapas include berenjenas con miel from La Cueva de 1900, calamares fritos from El Rincón de Rodri, and bacalao estilo Portugués at Bar Poë.

Ham and cheese croquetas, a Spanish tradition

A gorgeous tapa in Sevilla with stewed Mediterranean artichokes.

Thin sliced, tempura fried eggplant with a drizzle of sugar cane honey!

Night-life

With dinner starting in most restaurants at 8:30pm, most clubs and bars begin to fill around 1:30am. This can be a bit of an adjustment at first, but the schedule quickly feels normal once you see the entire city, kids included, keeps late hours. If you like dancing, there are plenty of clubs with pop, techno, or reggaeton music to choose from. And if you’re not a fan of the club scene, there are places that host dancing lessons, independent movie theaters with student discounts, and even bars/restaurants where you can play board games or video games!

My French class and I grabbing lunch together during one of the many student specials in town.

Bohemia Jazz Cafe is covered in pictures of jazz legends and has some of the best ice creams, juices, coffees.

Music

The tapas and nightlife are incredible, but what’s life without good music? Thankfully, there is a never-ending stream of concerts, small artist/musician features, musicals, or symphony performances to choose from. The majority of these events offer student discounts, so always go with your student ID. On any night of the week, you can find some sort of musical event! Some of my frequented spots are Magic Granada for different jazz bands each Wednesday, Bohemia Jazz Café for live piano music, and Teatro Alhambra for classical music concerts.

The Science Park is a huge interactive museum that can easily fill an entire day! Take your student ID for a discount!

Of course this barely scratches the surface of student life in Granada, but these are three aspects of life I most enjoy. There are an incredible number of activities at any time, so it would be impossible to touch on all of them. Suffice to say, however, that with students making up almost 1/3 of the entire population, the opportunities for students are endless.

Megan V. is the Spring 2018 CEA MOJO Blogger in Granada, Spain. She is currently a Junior studying Political Science & Spanish at the University of Tennessee.