The Alhambra

Now, before I begin this post, it is important - really important - to know that, if you ever visit Grenada and you want to visit the Alhambra that there are lots of tours which you can buy.  Before we left we purchased the Viator Guided Tour of the Alhambra.  Now, for most people (at least I think) would think that a tour of the Alhambra includes the palaces.  The most famous of them in this complex is the Nasrid Palace.  It wasn't until we started our tour that we were told the visit did NOT include that palace.  That is the one most people specifically come to see.  So, to say we were disappointed would be an enormous understatement.  I was lucky enough to see it last year but Nawal has now tried twice to see it and hasn't succeeded either time.  That being said the tour itself was good and our guide, Jana, was informative and spoke very good English.  The Alhambra is the most visited attraction in Spain so the crowds, at times, were beyond frustrating!

Gateway from the town into the Alhambra grounds

 We toured the main fortress and heard all about the medieval ways it was defended – steep stairs the horses would have trouble with; boiling water or oil that would be poured down the street; extra long spears that the invaders couldn’t defend against; and, finally, a crooked entrance which meant bodies would pile up and block the way in.  Charming!

The views from the fortress, especially looking toward the mountains where there are cave dwellings and beautiful white buildings with courtyards were lovely.  Unfortunately, the sky wasn’t clear so the photos we took weren’t quite as good as they could have been.  

Next up was the castle of Charles V which, while square, has a round centre where the acoustics are perfect.  It also houses the Alhambra museum and an art gallery.  

From there, we walked to the Summer Palace which I didn’t see the last time I was here.  It was beautiful, at least what we could see of it but way too crowded.  Some people are so clueless with their backpacks, needing to be with their partner, and just plain unaware of their surroundings.  However, I think we both still managed to get some good photos.  The 3-hour tour ended there. 

Pomegranates are the symbol of Grenada

There is a high end hotel and restaurant on the property called Parador de Granada where we decided to have lunch.  So, after leaving the group, we were able to take the photos we weren’t able to previously then we went for lunch.  It was lovely!  I had a cold cream soup with almond, garlic, apple and fig followed by traditional chicken, veal and ham croquettes.  We shared a half bottle of a Spanish rose wine.  Considering it is a Michelin 1 star restaurant, it was very reasonable - €30 each.  

After that, we were going to walk over to the Museum and palace we had seen earlier but I was feeling really awful so I just caught a taxi (€5) and went back to the hotel to rest.  That was certainly the right decision as, once I got there, I slept for at least an hour!  On the other hand, Nawal carried on walking around the grounds and then back to the hotel.

The following in more information about the Alhambra from Wikipedia.  Some of the details are too much for me to take in or remember!

Completed towards the end of Muslim rule of Spain by Yusuf I (1333–1353) and Muhammed V, Sultan of Granada (1353–1391), the Alhambra is a reflection of the culture of the last centuries of the Moorish rule of Al Andalus, reduced to the Nasrid Emirate of Granada. It is a place where artists and intellectuals had taken refuge as the Reconquista by Spanish Christians won victories over Al Andalus. The Alhambra integrates natural site qualities with constructed structures and gardens, and is a testament to Moorish culture in Spain and the skills of Muslim, Jewish, and Christian artisans, craftsmen, and builders of their era.

The design included plans for six palaces, five of which were grouped in the northeast quadrant forming a royal quarter, two circuit towers, and numerous bathhouses. During the reign of the Nasrid Dynasty, the Alhambra was transformed into a palatine city, complete with an irrigation system composed of acequiasfor the gardens of the Generalife located outside the fortress. Previously, the old Alhambra structure had been dependent upon rainwater collected from a cisternand from what could be brought up from the Albaicín. The creation of the Sultan's Canal solidified the identity of the Alhambra as a palace-city rather than a defensive and ascetic structure.