The Alhambra and all that

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Back in April we spent a very nice few days enjoying the sights (and foods!) of Granada in lovely Southern Spain.

Granada is a very old city, with plenty of history as well as a great Southern Spain nightlife. We went to Granada at a very busy time of year (just after Easter) and were lucky to find hotels as we did. We stayed in 2 different hotels, both very central (something vital in a hotel is its location!). We spent time wandering the lovely central area, with its big squares, cafes and shops. We went into the Cathedral. This is well worth a visit - with very nice architecture, though a little bare with white washed walls. We also went to see the tombs of Ferdinand and Isabella, which are also in the centre of town. The design in here is much more impressive than the Cathedral, with lots of use of gold and statues.

Granada is a great place to eat and drink, with plenty of cheap options. Southern Spain is of course home to tapas. Tapas can be anything but basically means a small plate of food. Favourites of mine include manchego cheese, ham, catalan bread (with tomato rubbed into it), olives, potatoes, etc, etc. And you cannot fully enjoy tapas until you are washing it down with a good swig of Spanish red wine. There is of course the famous Rioja, but if you are into other wines there is no shortage here.

On our last day in Granada we woke up ridculously early to visit the Alhambra. We hadn't been able to buy tickets beforehand and so had to queue for 2 hours. However, it was well worth the wait. The Generalife gardens (see picture) are amazingly beautiful. They contain a number of wonderful villas as well as gardens in the traditional sense with roses and all that!

The best part of the Alhambra however is the Casa Real (the Royal palace). This contains a number of reception rooms, salons, bedrooms and prayer halls. The Alhambra itself of course has been home to both Muslims and Christians, but the Moorish inflence is undeniable. The 'Court of the Lions' is a lovely open air court with a fountain in the middle (said to be the sight of some rather grusome history). There are columns all the way around, which are supposed to represent palm trees. There are 4 large halls bordering the courtyard. All are very attractive, with arches and amazing stucco on the walls and ceiling. The rest of the palace is also well worth seeing and it is easy to spend a day wandering around the complex. Despite the effort needed to get the tickets, I would definitely recommend a visit to the Alhambra to anyone!

To round off our time in Granada we went to visit the area of Sacromonte. This is found on the hill to the north east of Granada town. It is the old gypsy area of Granada and apparently is home to impressive flamenco shows, though we didn't get to see any. However, we did see a museum which shows the caves that are typical dwellings for this area. The caves are cut into the side of the hill and are painted all white inside. The rock helps to cool the cave in summer but keep in heat in winter. So clever! This area is well worth a look if you are in Granada. I only wish we had had longer to explore...

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