Arriving for The Views
I had been to Granada on a road trip with friends back in 2011 to visit the Alhambra but didn’t explore the city itself at all. This time around we arrived in the afternoon. After checking in and a brief rest at the Hotel Triumfo (spacious rooms, super comfy beds, just off the center so it’s quiet but only a 10min walk to the city center plazas.), we headed up the steep hills to the San Nicolas Viewpoint for the famous sunset views. After a long climb, we joined the crowd on the terrace that looks directly across the valley towards the massive Alhambra complex. As the sun lowered and its rays took on a reddish hue, the Alhambra also began to glow red. Tomorrow, we will admire its grandeur from the inside.
The view on the way to the viewpoint wasn’t bad either. Compared to the warm heat we experienced in Barcelona and Madrid, Granada’s altitude allowed for much cooler temperatures and we had to put on light sweaters and jackets!
Andalusian Tapaseo
For dinner, we went on a proper Andalusian tapa-seo (a.k.a. tapas bar crawl) along Calle Navas and the side streets nearby. The nice thing about Andalusian tapas is that when you order a drink (€2 for a drink/beer, mind you), you are given a free tapa! We sought out the tiny places filled with locals, tried one drink and tapa and moved on to the next. The first was a mom and pop place called Fernando’s, then a bar specializing in Vermouth, then a fried fish place. The last one we tried was the only big “restaurant-y” looking one called Galicia recommended by my guidebook. It had a nice ambiance but just okay food. I have to say, just trust the guidebooks on history and attractions, and skip the recommendations on lodging and food. I mean, they have to make their revenue from ads and promotions after all.
The town at night had a different kind of charm. A midnight stroll was definitely necessary to walk off all the food and drinks we had!
Alhambra – The Jewel of Andalusia
The Alhambra was the last stronghold of the Moorish control of Southern Spain, and was, therefore, the greatest fortress and palace of them all. For that reason (and made popular by being one of the shooting locations of Game of Thrones in recent years), the number of visitors increases every year. The timed entry is for Palacios Nazaries (Nazarid Palace) only, so even though we had an afternoon entry, we entered and explored the rest of the complex after a leisurely breakfast. We followed the Generalife Gardens – Carlos V Palace – Nazarid Palace – Alcazaba route and spent a total of 5 hours in the complex. The visit was great except that if you requested audioguides you had to return them to the main entrance (same one we entered), which was quite inconvenient.
Generalife Gardens
It was a crisp sunny day, perfect for a stroll through the lush gardens. All the vegetation was perfectly manicured and worked so well with the small ponds and fountains which seemed to pop up around every bend. Everything was SO green that we couldn’t help but feel refreshed and relaxed. Not only was this garden beautiful, it was also used to grow fruits and vegetables for the residents of the Alhambra.
Carlos V Palace
While the rest of the complex was beautiful and impressive, I had the most fun at the Carlos V Palace. This Renaissance building was added after the Christians finally pushed the Moors out of Spain, and was unique among the Moorish architecture in the complex. If you stood in the center and whispered, you would hear your own voice bounce back from the walls perfectly clear. Only if I can give all future presentations from this location, nobody will ever complain about my soft voice anymore!
Nazarid Palace
This is the crown jewel of Alhambra and the place you can take that iconic shot that’s on every Alhambra related page. Lots of cool doors to take photos with, too! The sheer amount of minute details that adorn nearly every surface of the palace were mind-blowing. The Muslims didn’t believe in decorating with forms from nature like the Romans did, so words and geometric shapes were used instead. I have to admit, it occasionally triggered my tryptophobia (fear or disgust of closely packed little holes), particularly if I stared at the ceilings for too long. One courtyard leads to another garden and one palace flows into another. The Moors sure knew how to enjoy luxury and comfort!
Alcazaba
Lastly, we arrived at the ruined fort of Alcazaba, which was the oldest part of the complex. There has been a fortress at this location since the Roman times! I could imagine the soldiers patrolling these walls for centuries.
Quick Tips
- There are two ways to get to Granada from Madrid, both take about 5 hours. By train requires a transfer, gets you outside of the city of Granada, and is more expensive. By bus is the only direct way to reach the city center, the ride can be tiring and long, but is the cheapest option. We took the bus, but if I had to do it again, I would pick the train just for the comfort.
- Book far ahead of time for the Alhambra so you can reserve the entry time that works best for you. However, you have to print the tickets ahead of time from these ATM looking machines (Servi-Caixa) in the city that are near impossible to find before entering the complex. Ask your hotel/B&B staff for directions. Or if you are lucky, you might be able to do it at the gate without too long of a wait.