Granada

Mention Granada and everyone will ask about the Alhambra and the Generalife. The Alhambra is a collection of elegant palaces, squares and gardens contained in one large complex that sits on a prominent hill, overlooking today’s modern city. The Generalife is a series of landscaped gardens sitting opposite the Alhambra on a neighbouring hillside. Alhambra has three prominent venues; Alcazaba, the remains of Moor’s fort; Palacios Nazaríes, a series of Moor palace buildings constructed in classic Islamic forms; and finally a series of Catholic era sites including a church and the 17th Century Carlos V Palace.


So much of Andalucía’s colourful history is tied up in this attraction. The Moors (Muslium invaders from North Africa) concentrated their power in Granada, before finally making their last stand here in 1491. The Moors most famous emirate, the Nasrid, ruled from the buildings of the Alhambra for 250 years. Many of the site’s most widely reproduced images depict buildings from this era.


The Catholic conquerors who swept the Moors from power then set up court within Alhambra. Today, Isabel and Fernando, are commonly known as the Royal Catholics, or Catholic Monarchs. Within months of retaking Granada for the Christian world, Isabel agreed to fund Christopher Columbus and his search for a new trade route to India. Within a generation, Spain was the centre one of the largest and wealthiest empires the world had ever seen.


Garry and I spent most of Saturday afternoon touring the Alhambra and Generalife. The buildings were genuinely fascinating, with enduring visual moments coming thick and fast each time we rounded another corner. However, given that we’d seen the grand palaces and mosques of the Ottoman’s in Istanbul, some of the ‘wow’ factor was ultimately lost on us. Without this comparison I’m sure the overall impression would have been far more overwhelming. Our tour was also handicapped by intermittent cloud. The buildings really did seem to come alive every time the sun appeared, as did the many impressive gardens.


Beyond the Alhambra, Garry and I also took time to visit Granada’s others popular attractions. We locked in the three main ‘venues’ including a leisurely wander through the city’s old quarters, or Albayzin; the city’s truly astonishing Cathedral and the Capilla Real, which is essentially a mausoleum for Isabel, Fernando and their extended family.


I loved the morning we spent in the Albayzin where our steady hill climbing was eventually rewarded with a stunning view of the Alhambra from Mirador San Nicolas, a bustling cobblestone viewing platform. We also stopped for a beer and tapas, that cost us the grand total of four euros. Real bargains can still be found in Europe! We later finished our tour of the area with a leisurely lunch in a traditional Arabian tea house we discovered in a narrow laneway.


The Capilla Real and neighbouring Cathedral were truly grand buildings. The scale alone is awe-inspiring, while the decoration and architecture are classic Catholic grandeur made large. We were also spoilt by the rare opportunity to see the city’s Semana Santa pasos floats on display in the Cathedral’s cavernous interior. As for the Capilla Real, the main altar is a towering masterpiece of sculpture, gold paint and ornamentation. The wealth of the Spanish empire is clearly on display.


Finally, I cannot talk about our time in Granada without mentioning our hotel. We splashed out and booked ourselves into the Alhambra Palace Hotel. This mock Moor venue is painted in a terracotta shade and sits on the edge of prominent hill. It offers an unobstructed view across the city and on toward the snow-capped Sierra Nevada. We were given a large room with a balcony overlooking all of these highlights. Every morning I woke and marveled at view and our luck in securing this room. Without a doubt the entire stay was pure luxury and made for a truly memorable experience.