Few cities lend themselves to a romantic mini-break as well as Granada. Just a few hours from Stansted, it combines Andalusian sunshine with Moorish exoticism.
Better still, for prime ministers with countries to govern and children to get back to, it can be “done” relatively quickly because it only has one key site, the mesmerising Alhambra palace which grew in splendour over 500 years of Muslim rule.
Yes, you could explore the cathedral, visit the summer residence of the author Federico García Lorca and see flamenco dancing.
But far better to explore the Alhambra’s rooms with their stunning carved façades and courtyards with pools before soaking up the atmosphere in the Albaicín, the old Moorish quarter in the Alhambra’s shadow.
Soak it up some more in the pools of a Moorish-style bath house (try Aljibe de San Miguel on Calle San Miguel Alta), then hit the tapas bars. There’s a seemingly endless supply, with the best in Calle Rosario.
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Want something more substantial? Then try El Huerto de Juan Ranas in Calle de Atarazana, with delicious lamb couscous and views of the Alhambra from the terrace.
And for that “mid-priced hotel?” It’s got to be Casa 1800 (www.hotelcasa1800granada.com) in a 17th-century house at the foot of the Alhambra — a snip at £118 a double.