The Albayzin area of Granada - safe to stay in?

We visit and stay in Granada regularly as we live onloy an hour away and have spanish friends who live there. I have never heard of any violent muggings in that, or any other area of Granada. We stayed in that area several years ago. Albayzin is very centrally located - and there would usually be people about into the early hours of the morning, which is normal for a spanish city. It is a bit 'hippyish' if that makes sense, but we have never felt in the least threatened there - or anywhere in Spain. For some reason there are many who seem to think Spain is a dangerous place, which is not the Spain we know.

I, and many others, have responded to these fears on several forums over the last few years because of this foolishness in print. There is no doubt there have been very rare muggings in the Albaicin and because of their rarity they have made headlines locally and continue to do so - every blue moon. There are very narrow alleys in the Albaicin which perhaps you should not venture down, most especially if you have left your 'street smarts' at home and it is late at night.
Granada and the Albaicin is not remotely like any part of London and violent crime is still little and far between. If you have trepidation take the bus, taxi, walk the main routes or do not stay in the Albaicin.

The Albayzin was grittier and less charming than I was expecting. I don't scare easily either, but the problem for me is that with its many narrow streets it can become very confusing and easy to lose one's sense of direction, probably more so at night. I think you might be more comfortable exploring it during the day and staying somewhere in the main part of the city where the party on the streets goes on into the wee hours.