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STROLLING IN SPAIN
(continued)
Granada
Wheelchair Accessible Travel In Spain -
2004
By Howard L. Chabner and Michele E. DeSha
© Howard L. Chabner and Michele E. DeSha
2004
VIII.
GRANADA
Granada – Terrain
The Alhambra is up a
steep hill from Plaza Neuva. The Alhambra was a summer palace; the whole
idea was to be on a hilltop to avoid the summer heat below.
Most of the rest of
the old center of Granada is fairly flat. But the area near the
Cathedral, while basically flat, has several streets with one or two
stairs. Wheeling around that area requires some zigging, zagging and
backtracking; it takes some exploration to find a route without stairs.
There are many pedestrian-only shopping streets, which are enjoyable for
strolling.
The
picturesque Albayzin neighborhood is very hilly, with steep streets, many
of which have stairs. An accessible bus goes up the main street to the
top of the hill, but when you get off you are in an area with steep
compound slopes and you will be unable to go very far. Howard was able to
go up some of the side streets radiating from the flat street along the
Daro River (Paseo Padre Munoz Carrera); most of these streets are
residential and have picturesque buildings but no monuments or sites. He
was able to go up one block from the river; after the first block, many of
these cross streets end or continue up stairs. The Sacromonte area,
likewise, is situated on a very steep hill.
Granada – Transportation
The
old center of Granada is compact. The only time we rode the bus was to
ascend the hill to the Alhambra. See the Alhambra description in
“Monuments and Museums,” below. We did see accessible buses in the modern
area; they appeared to have the same design as those in Barcelona.
Granada - Hotels
Where We Stayed
Hotel Plaza Nueva.
Four star. One adapted room. Plaza Nueva, 2. Phone 011-34-958-215-273;
fax 011-34-958-225-765. www.hotel-plazanueva.com.
This 25-room family owned hotel is in a
charming, recently restored 19th century building with
beautiful green and white marble, huge windows and a large, airy light
well. The buffet breakfast was delicious and varied. Unfortunately, the
access barriers outweigh the advantages, and we don’t recommend it unless
access is significantly improved. Also, the room rate and parking cost
were high, all things considered.
It’s located on a very bumpy cobblestone
street just off Plaza Neuva, a crowded, touristy plaza below the
Alhambra. The plaza has a superb view of the Alhambra, as do some of the
hotel rooms, but the adapted room doesn’t. The hotel is convenient to the
Alhambra but being at Plaza Neuva doesn’t outweigh the disadvantages
unless your room has an Alhambra view; central Granada is small and other,
quieter neighborhoods are still close to the Alhambra.
The
sidewalk near the hotel entrance is too narrow for a wheelchair to turn,
so one must proceed the long way along cobblestone streets rather than
directly on the smooth sidewalk leading from the plaza. The curb is
medium height and there is one high stair from the sidewalk to the
entrance and, inside the entrance, one high stair from the entry level to
the lobby. The hotel had only one wooden ramp, and it was overbuilt and
too heavy to be moved and used for both stairs, which would have been
difficult anyway because the space is tight. So Michele and a hotel
employee together had to lift Howard’s wheelchair every time we entered or
exited. And almost every time, cars were parked in front of the
entrance. When the entrance was completely blocked, hotel employees had
to find the owners and get them to move their cars; when the blockage was
only partial, Michele and the employee had to “wiggle” Howard’s wheelchair
through the narrow opening. The owners were polite but clueless and did
nothing to prevent cars from blocking the entrance.
The
hotel doesn’t have on-site parking. It has an arrangement with a nearby
garage; the garage is inaccessible, so Howard had to transfer from the car
on a busy street and Michele then parked the car.
The elevator is medium size and Howard
had no trouble fitting inside, though without much room to spare. The
bedroom is medium size and feels large because of its high ceilings and
tall windows. There is good natural light but insufficient light
fixtures. The receptacle for the master cardkey necessary to turn on the
electricity is inaccessibly high. The room door is very heavy; it would
be impossible for most people in wheelchairs to open and close the door.
The bathroom is long and narrow;
maneuvering a wheelchair was awkward. There is a bathtub without any grab
bars; there is no roll-in shower. The shower hose is long but not long
enough to reach the sink, so one can’t wash one’s hair. The sink is small
and has little space for toiletries. The toilet has one wall-hung
fold-down grab bar, but it’s located where a wheelchair would have to be
for a side transfer; there is no space on the other side. Only someone
with a very strong upper body who is able to transfer from the front, or
from the side without using grab bars, could transfer to this toilet.
The hotel is new and we hope the owners
will improve access. Some of the barriers can be removed or, at least,
significantly mitigated. But even if improvements are made, it will still
be necessary to go the long way around bumpy cobblestone streets to enter
the hotel.
Other Hotels to Consider
We visited the following hotel:
Hesperia Granada.
Four star. Plaza Gamboa. Phone 011-34-958-018-400; fax
011-34-958-018-410.
www.hesperia-granada.com;
hotel@hesperia-granada.com.
We were unaware of this new 80-room hotel
when planning the trip, but passed by and decided to check it out. It’s
well located in a quiet plaza near the city hall. The plaza is moderately
sloped; the front entrance is level and has automatic glass doors. The
lobby consists of a charming enclosed central courtyard. The elevator is
medium size and Howard had no trouble fitting inside, though without much
room to spare. We asked to see an adapted room. The receptionist was
friendly and eager to show us a room; she told us there are several
adapted rooms, some with roll-in showers, but all were occupied. We
viewed a standard room; the bedroom was spacious but the bathroom was too
small for a wheelchair. This hotel is well worth considering; one would
need to find out the specifics of the adapted rooms.
The following hotels told us they have
adapted rooms, though without roll-in showers:
Hostal Atenas.
Two star. Gran Via de Colon, 38. Phone 011-34-958-278-750; fax
011-34-958-292-676.
www.hostalatenas.com.
Hotel Vincci Granada.
Four star. Renovated in 2003. Out of the way location, not close to the
Alhambra. Avenida de la Constitucion, 18. Phone 011-34-958-204-061; fax
011-34-958-291-037.
www.vinccihoteles.com.
Hotels Without Adapted Rooms
The following hotels told us they do not
have adapted rooms:
Hotel America. One
star. Located in the Alhambra. Fax 011-958-227-470.
Hotel Alhambra Palace.
Four star. Located in the Alhambra.
www.h-alhambrapalace.es.
Parador de Granada. Four
star. Located in the Alhambra. Phone 011-34-958-221-440.
www.parador.es;
Granada@parador.es.
Casa del Aljarife. Two
star. Placeta de la Cruz Verde, 2. Phone 011-34-958-222-425.
www.granadinfo.com/most;
most@wanadoo.es.
Hotel Anacapri. Three
star. Calle Joaquín Costa, 7. Phone
011-34-958-227-477.
www.hotelanacapri.com.
Casa del Capitel.
Three star. Cuesta Aceituneros, 6. Phone
1-866-376-7831, or
1-305-538-9697 (Miami).
www.epoquehotels.com.
NH Inglaterra. Calle
Cettie Meriem, 4. Phone 011-34-958-221-558.
www.nh-hoteles.es.
Hotel Los Tilos. Plaza
Bib-Rambla, 4. Phone 011-34-958-266-712.
clientes@hotellostilos.com.
Macia Plaza. Two
star. Plaza Nueva, 4. Phone 011-34-958-227-536.
maciaplaza@maciahoteles.com.
Hotel AC Santa Paula –
Forum. Five star. Gran Via de Colon, 31.
Acforum.psantapaula@ac-hotels.com.
Granada – Monuments and Museums
Alhambra.
The major areas of the Alhambra (including the unforgettable Hall of the
Ambassadors and Court of the Lions, both in the Nasrid Palaces) and
Generalife gardens are accessible; some of the other areas (such as the
towers, the upper level rooms and the circular inner courtyard of the
palace of Charles V) aren’t. There is a strange, long wooden ramp down to
the main entrance of the Nasrid Palaces, with curved steel edges at either
end that are difficult to maneuver; Howard required assistance. There are
one or two stairs at many places; portable ramps were available at some
spots but not at others: more ramps are needed. It’s advisable to find a
guard when you enter and ask him or her to direct you to the best path and
ensure the ramps are available.
Bus lines 30 and 32 go up to the Alhambra
and the buses run frequently. There are bus stops at Plaza Neuva and
elsewhere. The buses are small and have a retractable ramp on the side,
toward the rear. These buses are smaller and of a different design than
those in Barcelona and other cities. All buses on these lines have
ramps. We tried two buses and both were broken. But the bus is low,
almost at sidewalk level, and there is only a small gap between the
sidewalk and the bus door, so fellow passengers lifted Howard’s wheelchair
in and out easily. Returning from the Alhambra, we strolled down to Plaza
Neuva along a relatively steep zigzag street. There is an inaccessible
path alongside the street, so we went in the middle of the street.
Michele assisted Howard in a couple of spots, but a person in a manual
wheelchair would require more assistance. Buses and taxis are the only
vehicles allowed, so strolling during the day is safe, but the lighting is
spotty and drivers go fast, so it isn’t advisable after dark.
It is imperative to purchase Alhambra
tickets well in advance – months or weeks, not days! There are reputedly
8,000 visitors daily; tickets allow entrance only within designated, and
strictly enforced, times. They sell out quickly. Tickets can be
purchased online at
www.alhambratickets.com or by phone. If time permits, visit the
Alhambra twice – during the day and at night. Allow plenty of time to
contemplate and enjoy it all.
Archaeological Museum.
Located not far from Plaza Neuva on Paseo Padre Munoz Carrera, this museum
is up a flight of stairs and there is no elevator.
Cathedral, Capila Real (Royal Chapel) and
Museum of the Cathedral.
There may be a way to access them, but we couldn’t find it. There were
wooden ramps at a side entrance to the Cathedral, but the gate was locked
whenever we went by it. The museum and Capila Real are each up several
stairs and there are no ramps. Missing the tombs of Queen Isabella and
King Ferdinand was not a terrible disappointment.
Centro Jose Guerrero (Contemporary Art
Museum). Calle Oficios, 8.
www.centroguerrero.org. Next door to the Madraza (see below), in a
recently restored and superbly modernized 19th century
building, is a brightly lit museum containing works by Jose Guerrero, an
abstract expressionist painter and Granada native, along with temporary
exhibits of contemporary artists. The entrance is level, the elevator is
large and there is a modern accessible bathroom.
Madraza – Palacio de la Madraza
(currently houses the University of Granada store).
This building across from the Capila Real contains a beautiful Moorish
mihrab (Islamic prayer niche) and is worth a visit. There is one medium
height stair into the courtyard.
Royal Hospital.
Featuring well-preserved Mudejar tilework, coffered ceilings and several
interesting courtyards with orange trees, this building is easily
accessible. The courtyards are open to the public.
Granada – Restaurant with an Accessible Bathroom
Taberna Salinas. Located in a street behind Plaza Neuva not far from
Hotel Plaza Neuva, this traditional restaurant has an extensive menu and
good food. The accessible bathroom is large and spotless.
Cordoba and Seville
Toledo, Madrid & Segovia
Spain: An Introduction & Barcelona
Additional Information &
Appendices A, B & C
Home
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