Granada Excursions

One of the benefits of studying abroad is the ability to venture outside your host city and explore the surrounding area. Excursions are offered for all semester, year, and summer programs. Semester students are typically offered two to three in-country excursions and one international excursion. Summer students are usually offered one to two excursions. Students will receive a calendar of the specific CEA excursions offered for their program during orientation. To give you an idea of the possibilities, we have collected experiences from some of the excursions offered to our students in the past.

Morocco

Deepen your understanding of Granada’s Arabic legacy by exploring two cities in northern Morocco, Tangier and Chefchaouen. Comprised of a long and complex history, Tangier housed rulers of Arab, French, and Spanish descent until rejoining greater Morocco in 1956. While its beauty has lured and inspired artists like Delacroix and Matisse, Tangier’s multiculturalism has beguiled writers such as Jack Kerouac, Tennessee Williams, and Mohamed Choukri, a native to the city. Tangier’s past took an interesting turn as its role in international espionage developed during the 19th and 20th centuries, deeming it a spying and smuggling center for the world.

Students will arrive to Morocco by ferry, crossing the Strait of Gibraltar as they come. Once they arrive in Tangier students will have the opportunity to take advantage of the city in any way that they choose whether this be spending the day at the beach, bargaining deals with souk shopkeepers, riding camels, or simply exploring the historic quarters of town.

Students will also tour of the popular city of Chefchaouen, located in the Rif Mountains. Founded by Moorish exiles from Spain, this city boasts blue-rinsed houses and buildings, a tradition leftover from the Jewish population that once called Chefchaouen home.

Lagos, Portugal

Lagos, located near the southwestern tip of Portugal, invites all of its visitors to unwind on its white, sandy beaches and in its crisp azure waters. Students will travel to Lagos to do just this in addition to many other Portuguese possibilities. Like any beach town, Lagos enjoys the same array of water sports including surfing, snorkeling, kayaking, etc. For those students who want to wade away from the water, the city offers many historical treasures to be explored such as the church of St. Anthony of Lisbon or the Antigo Mercado de Escravos.

Alpujarras

Alpujarras, one of Spain’s best kept Andalusian secrets, is a region in the province of Granada between the Sierra Nevada mountains and the Mediterranean Sea. Historically rich, Alpujarras was once a place of refuge for the Moors after they were driven out of Granada in 1492 by Christian conquerors. The Moors multiple century residency in Alpujarras still reflects within the architecture and ways of life.

Within Alpujarras, students will also visit the Poqueira Valley, and observe what is perhaps one of the region’s most picturesque geographical valleys.. Poqueira Valley consists of three beautifully simple villages - Capileira, Bubión and Pampaneira - –whose cobblestone streets wind up and down the slopes that they adhere to.

Gibraltar, a ‘Jewel’ in the Mediterranean ‘Crown’

The trip to the British colony of Gibraltar is one of the students’ favorite excursions, and due to its mixture of novelties, it’s easy to understand why. Amiable drivers speaking with mixtures of British and southern Spanish accents, drive students to Gibraltar’s famous rock, which hosts 50 miles of siege tunnels. Students will also observe spectacles such as Saint Michael’s Cave (now a venue for classical concerts), the Apes’ Den, duty-free shopping, various synagogues, churches and an impressive Mosque. Gibraltar is also the exact point where the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea meet, therefore on a clear, sunny day Africa is visible across the water.

Málaga

Málaga, a genuine and typical Andalusian city, serves as the major coastal city of the region. Three thousand years ago, the Phoenicians landed in Málaga and transformed the harbor into an important center for salting fish. Málaga's history lives visibly today within the city as seen in the Roma Treatre of Malaga, or the court of Isabella and Ferdinand in the great Cathedral. Students will visit La Alcazaba, one of the largest Muslim military fortresses in Spain dating back to 1065, as well as the Pablo Picasso museum which houses a selection of Picasso’s works from the Christine Ruiz-Picasso’s private collection.

Nerja

Considered one of the most beautiful spots on the Costa del Sol, Nerja often impresses students with its enormous and prehistoric caves. From the city’s rocky promontory known as el Balcon de Europa, students will observe breathtaking views up and down the coast, and also enjoy lunch at Chiringuito Ayo, a popular open-air restaurant on Burriana beach – try the Paella, it’s delicious! After lunch, a visit to a sandy beach provides the perfect opportunity for relaxation, or perhaps a swim in the warm Mediterranean water. Athletics lovers might like to join other beach-goers for some volleyball—what better way to make new friends and practice speaking Spanish?

Seville

The visit to Seville will begin at La Maestranza, the most famous Bullfighting ring in the world, with a visit to the Reales Alcazares, a Moorish fortress from the 14th century, shortly after. The Cathedral in Seville is one of the three largest Gothic cathedrals in the world and is allegedly the final resting place of Christopher Columbus. Students will be transported through history while enjoying a fabulous lunch in a restaurant whose former identity was an Arab Bath. The city is fascinating and students will be amazed by the incredible buildings that contrast its narrow streets and small plazas. Students can spend their free time relaxing at the Parque de Maria Luisa and the Plaza de España, a large area that was transformed for the 1929 Exposicion Iberoamericana. The Plaza de España is one of the city’s most popular spots, with its fountains and mini-canals that are filled with rowboats. There will also be time to go for a pleasant stroll to the bank of the Gualdalquivir River.

Cordoba

Cordoba was the capital of the Islamic caliphate in the Middle Ages and one of the most important cities in the world. Understanding Cordoba's cultural background will enrich the experience of exploring its great monuments, like the world-famous Mezquita with the Cathedral in the middle of the structure. The beauty of its breathtaking rows of arches and columns is impressive. Also, students can enjoy a walk through the mazelike streets of the old Jewish quarter, admiring its balconies decorated with colorful flowers, the whitewashed patios, and its unique craftsmen workshops.

Ronda

Students will visit a typical pueblo blanco in Ronda, which are perched up a 100 meter canyon. American authors Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles spent many summers in Ronda and wrote about its beauty and traditions. Its bullfighting ring, the Plaza de Toros, is the oldest in Spain and is still in use. Students will walk over the three bridges that connect Ronda over the massive gorge which is named El Tajo.