"Granada was an exceptional trip. We landed in Malaga to the sun, after endless months of grey skies in the UK. The students complained about the choice of clothing - I had asked them to pack warm clothes and to prepare for cold weather, little did they know...  After getting out of the small airport, we got back into a coach very Spanishly named Paco Pepe, and it wasn't long before we reached our first ticketed visit, the Nerja Caves. These beautiful caves, dripping with stalactites and covered in stalagmites, blew all of our minds away, allowing students to forget the long journey which had started at 4 AM.

After the caves, and many photos taken, we made our way into Granada in the afternoon, which welcomed us with the rain. Granada sits just northwest of Sierra Nevada, which was Nevada (snowed). We had the opportunity to settle down at the hotel and had the rest of the day to relax.

Day two saw us walk all the way to the Alhambra, a stunning 13th-century Moorish palace and fortress complex, renowned for its intricate Islamic architecture and tranquil gardens, guided by Delfina and Rocío, whose knowledge allowed us to learn more about this magical place at every corner.

In the evening we had our flamenco show at La Alboreá – Tablao de Flamenco, where we students had front row seats to spend an hour mesmerised by the music, dance and voice of flamenco. We literally walked away with students dancing along.

Day three was a day of extremes. Our destination was the House-Museum of Federico Garcia Lorca, a celebrated Spanish poet, playwright, and theatre director, best known for his passionate, folkloric poetry and tragic dramas. However, this walk quickly turned into a run as the rain soaked us and the wind whipped at us. Of course it stopped raining a few seconds after we arrived at the house, drenched and exhausted. But it was all worth it. Walking into such an antique place and learning about the life story of this incredible man, was incredible.

 

In the afternoon we visited the neighbourhood of El Albaícin for spectacular views from the Mirador de San Nicolas across to the Alhambra. The students enjoyed walking and taking photos through the windy cobbled streets and white-washed buildings, which added to the charm as the sun decided to say hello.

On day 4, we went for our last walk around. Students saw the Real Monasterio de San Jeronimo, the Basilica de San Juan de Dios and the Jardines del Triunfo, before having some free time to do some shopping. And then it was the goodbye to Granada and the journey back. I for one really enjoyed it and I know the students did too. This is why trips are important and I wish to be able to run more in the future."