Located in Southern Spain's beautiful Andalusia region, Granada is the capital city of the province of the same name and an ideal university town. Of the city's 270,000 inhabitants, 60,000 are students. The bulk of students in the city attend the Universidad de Granada. Founded in 1531 under an initiative by Emperor Carlos V, today the university serves more than 56,000 students with 51 degree courses, 24 diploma courses and 141 doctoral programs. Many study abroad programs in the city partner with the university to provide courses with local students.

Students in Granada will quickly discover that its fascinating architecture is linked to its interesting history. Over the years, Granada was home to a variety of cultures from the early Iberian and Roman presence to the later Jewish and Islamic influences. Abu 'Abd Allah ibn Yusuf ibn Nasr al-Ahmar founded the Arabic kingdom of Gharnata and eventually became King Muhammad I and founded the Nasrid dynasty. This dynasty would eventually be displaced by Catholic monarchs Ferdinand II and Isabella I in 1492. It was during the siege of the city that Isabella conceded the resources to Christopher Columbus for his expedition to the West Indies.

The Moorish influence in the city is evident today in structures such as the Alhambra. The red towers and walls of the Alhambra stand against the backdrop of the nearby Sierra Nevada mountain range, the tallest on the Iberian Peninsula. The outside is plain in comparison to the sumptuous palace and gardens inside. The Albaycin is the old Moorish quarter and provides a fascinating study in the older architecture mingling almost seamlessly with newer construction. Today, the Alhambra, the gardens of the Generalife and the Albaycin have all been declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1984.

Other interesting points in the city include the Sacramonte hill, which is known for its cave dwellings that were once homes to the city's Gypsies and La Capilla Real (The Royal Chapel), which is a mausoleum to Isabel and Ferdinand who saw the conquest of the city as the pinnacle of their achievements as monarchs. The chapel is contained in the Gothic Cathedral of Santa María de la Encarnació, which art students will also be interested to visit due to the sculptures of Alonso Cano, who has been called the Spanish Michelangelo. This is just a sample of the city's wide range of historic buildings and cultural attractions, which also include many art galleries, museums and theaters.

Literature students will be interested to learn that Spanish poet and dramatist Federico Garcia Lorca was born nearby. Unfortunately he also died nearby, killed by a firing squad during the Spanish civil war. Students interested in Lorca should stop by the initimate museum, the Casa-Museo Federico García Lorca.

Students will find that the university atmosphere of the city lends itself to a variety of activities. Granada's tapas tradition is alive and well with a tasty hors d'oeuvre included with any drink purchase at no extra cost. The city offers an active nightlife with bars, pubs and discotheques that are alive and hopping into the early morning hours. Students of dance will enjoy the flamenco dancing available throughout the city including popular venues in the Sacromente cave district.

Granada also provides an interesting study as the capital of its region and therefore an economic center. The administrative and commercial area of the city is located south of the city center. The economy of the province is predominantly agricultural with a focus on cereals, sugarcane and tobacco. However, the region also contains mines and produces iron ore and benefits from tourism in Granada and the beach resorts that form part of the Costa del Sol.

Students will be hard pressed to find a more welcoming, vibrant city than Granada and its granadinos. From its modern entertainment to its rich history and beautiful architecture to its cultural treasures, Granada provides students with a rich, multi-faceted study abroad opportunity through Arcadia University, Center for Education Abroad. Arcadia's semester and year-long study abroad programs also include such fields of study as agriculture, arts, economics, engineering, mathematics, music, physics and social sciences. Through excursions, program activities and experiential learning, students will have an opportunity to explore all aspects of Spanish life.

Resources -

IIEPassport: http://www.iiepassport.org/
Arcadia University, Center for Education Abroad: http://www.arcadia.edu/abroad/default.aspx?id=6900
City of Granada: http://www.granada.org/
Turismo Cuidad de Granada Ayuntamineto: http://www.granadatur.com/
City of Granada, Andalusia: http://www.andalucia.com/cities/granada.htm
The Historic City of Granada: http://www.tuspain.com/granada.htm
Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program: http://www.iie.org/gilman
National Security Education Program: http://www.iie.org/NSEP

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