Is covid now over and international travel back on? Either way, we are jumping on the mini break trend like it's 2008. This time heading to southern Spain for some sun in Granada. What a revelation... arms length culture (the ambience-kind you can sit in a bar on a square and show a vague interest in rather than hardcore Portillo-style touring), free food with your drinks, and plumptious citrus growing literally on every corner. Take me back now.

In the absence of a fully blown guide - I have neither the memory nor the stamina for such things - I have a top 5 things that I took away from the trip:

1) DRINK AS MUCH TINTO DE VERANO AS YOU CAN. What is the drink that is going to refresh and sustain you, and be consumable in industrial quantities as you spend the day moving from bar to bar? Gives a bit of an alcoholic buzz but ensures you aren't a hot mess even before you try and trek up to Alhambra? Tinto do Verano. Red wine and lemonade with a slice of orange and, crucially, no where near as cloying as sangria. Order limon for the sweeter version, casera for a dryer drink. 

2) WANT TO BAR/RESTAURANT HOP BUT WALKED TOO FAR? We found an excellent strip of - what seemed - very local restaurants running inside Campo de Principle. Lots of pork, lots of seafood, a bit further away from the main drag. Just what you want and with a side of top notch people watching. See below. People I watched.

3) PAN CON TOMATE AND CHURROS FOR BREAKFAST. Every day. Without fail. It's pretty much the perfect combination with a strong coffee. The cafe on Plaza Nueva was the hot ticket for us first thing, all in aid of mustering the strength to get us up that hill to the Alhambra.

4) THE OPTION A COUPLE OF STREETS BACK IS GENERALLY BETTER THAN THE ONE ON THE MAIN SQUARE. It is so true, and particularly true in Granada it seems. While it was all good, the options a few streets back had the more laid back vibe.

5) THERE ARE AS MANY VARIATION ON TORTILLA AS THERE ARE PLACES TO EAT THEM. Wet, dry, potato, or potato and onion, thin slices, thick slices, lightly brown, or full incineration... if you were thinking "it's just an omelette" you were wrong, Eat them all. Same goes for croquetas, octopus…. 

A bonus sixth mention to try the leche frita. Fried milk. Yes really.