My Fabulous Andalusian Adventure (3) — Granada with Alhambra and Generalife
If you missed the first two days, you can catch up here and here.
Day 3, April 16, Easter, Granada: Old City Centre, Albaicin, Alhambra and Generalife —Moorish architecture —Renaissance — tapas — wine
My budget for the day was 100€ but, since I’d bought my 15€ Alhambra ticket in advance, I only have 85€ in my pocket. I was 7€ under budget yesterday so I can go up to 92€ if needed. The day before we had arrived in Granada, had checked-in to the hotel and had parked the car. No worries on this day, as we weren’t to change hotels or to use the car. The whole day was dedicated to Granada. Comfy shoes on and off we went at around 8:30.
Old City Centre and Albaicin
What to see and do:
- Ayuntamiento and Calle Navas — It was Easter day and the streets were rather empty at that time of the day. That had very much changed within a couple of hours. From our hotel we walked along Rio Genil on Carretera de la Sierra, then turned right on to Carrera de la Virgen. A stroll on the pedestrian streets around Ayuntamiento took us to Calle Navas, a tapas heaven later in the day, very quiet in the morning. Had breakfast at La Chicota, one of the cafe’s on Calle Navas. Coffee, pastry or toast, and great service for 4€.
- Corral del Carbon — a unique relic of the Moorish era, an inn for merchants during Moorish Andalusia, a venue for theatre performances and later a coal exchange in Christian times. Today it houses the main tourist office of Granada. This is where you can collect your pre-booked Alhambra tickets.
We collected our tickets for the Alhambra and continued with a walk in the maze of narrow streets in old city centre, around the Cathedral and the Royal Chapel.
- The Royal Chapel was built as burial place for the Catholic Monarchs, Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon, in the Isabelline Gothic style. It reminded me of the Manueline style, the Portuguese late-Gothic. Of course it did! — same period (transition between late Gothic and early Renaissance architecture), with Plateresque, Flemish, Italian and Moorish influences.
- Granada Cathedral’s construction started in 1518, on the site of the city’s main mosque. Just like the Cathedral of Jaen. Of course! Christian Monarchs, Reconquista, Renaissance-style cathedrals. It took 181 years for Granada Cathedral to be built, therefore its main architectural style is Renaissance, with late Gothic and Baroque elements.
It was Easter day and neither the Royal Chapel nor the Cathedral were open before noon. One more reason to come back to Andalusia!
- Alcaiceria — is Granada’s Arabic market, a reconstruction of a Moorish bazaar that burned down in the 19th century. Alcaiceria means “house of Caesar” and comes from the Byzantine Emperor Justinian, who, in the 6th century, granted Arabic traders exclusive rights to manufacture and sell silk. From then on, all Arabic bazaars were named Alcaiceria, as a sign of gratitude.
Leather items that are being sold here are beautifully hand made and are very cheap. I chose a 20€ gorgeous turquoise leather ottoman, with an eight-pointed star motif. Only later during the trip I learned what it is— a symbol of life, wholeness, rebirth and cyclical infinity.
- Plaza Nueva — along the Darro river, is one of the oldest squares in Granada. Here you can see The Royal Chancery, built in the 16th century. It served as prison and courthouse, and is now the Supreme Court of Andalusia. It has a beautiful Renaissance facade.
Towards the end of Plaza Nueva is the Church of San Gil and Santa Ana. It was built in 1501 in mudejar (Moorish) style, atop of a mosque.
- Albaicin — Granada’s neighbourhood famous for its Moorish-style alleys and architecture, traditional houses, and tapas bars. Along with Alhambra and Generalife, Albaicin is a UNESCO Heritage Site.
We walked along the Darro river, on Carrera del Darro, one of the oldest streets in Albaicin, with bridges over the river and beautiful views of the Alhambra.
We stopped for wine, Sangria, and tapas at two of the tens of bars, cafes, and restaurants along the river, on Carrera del Darro. A good selection of tapas and a couple of glasses of good wine or Sangria for about 15€.
- El Bañuelo — the Arab Baths in Albaicin, were built in the 11th century and used to be part of the Mosque of the Walnut Tree. They are well preserved remains of the Moorish architecture, with beautiful star-shaped holes in the roof, for light and ventilation. The columns were taken from Roman and Visigoth ruins. Free entrance on Sundays.
We walked along Passeo de los Tristes and then up the hill on Cuesta del Rey Chico to reach the access pavilion at the Alhambra.
The Alhambra
- Tips — Buy your ticket (15.40€) at least two months in advance, on ticketmaster.es. If you can’t find tickets for your desired date, keep trying several times a day, on the same website. Sometimes groups cancel and tickets become available. Collect your ticket at tourist info offices in Granada, at any La Caixa Bank ATM, or at the entrance pavilion at the Alhambra. You need the same card you purchased the tickets with. At the entrance pavilion, get an audioguide (6€ and card info as deposit) and a map. Be at the Nasrid Palaces entrance 10 min before the time slot on your ticket.
- History — The Alhambra is a Moorish fortress complex. Its construction started in the 9th century atop Roman ruins. It was abandoned until the 13th century, when the founder of the Nasrid dynasty started the reconstruction of the Alhambra. It was a royal palace for the Muslim rulers of Granada, and, after the Reconquista, in 1492, it became the Royal Court of the Catholic Monarchs. Ferdinand and Isabella, and later Charles V, are the monarchs who brought the Renaissance style at the Alhambra.
- Visit — In order to give the Alhambra visit a logic, one needs to understand what it was and how it was structured. For two and a half centuries, the sultans of the Nasrid dinasty built and developed the Alhambra to serve as royal court. The Alhambra was built on top of the Sabikah hill, between the Genil and Darro rivers, and is surrounded by the Sierra Nevada mountains. Alhambra became a fortress city and seat of the ruler, therefore it needed:
- water
- defence
- royal palaces
- administrative offices
- servants
- worship places
- schools
- cemetery
- places for public gatherings
- small industry workshops
Water is one of the most important elements for life and the Moors were very much aware of this. A complicated hydraulic system was built to bring water from the Darro river up the hill, to the Alhambra. The fortress city had a main water canal — the Royal Canal — that, through a network of smaller canals, waterwheels and cisterns, was supplying all the corners of the fortress with water. The presence of water enabled the construction of palaces and gardens, and made Alhambra’s greatness possible.
As you follow the route on the visitor map, look for the Royal Canal on your left. Then look at the beautiful gardens and think if any of that would exist without water.
Later during this trip we will see how, during the Reconquista, the Catholic Monarchs took Ronda from the Moors. We’ll then realise once again how important water is.
Defence — The location of the Alhambra does half the job. Fortified walls, towers, and a military base for the Sultan’s protection make for the other half. Alhambra’s surrounding walls were connected to the walls of Granada and their purpose was to protect the royal complex from outside attacks. The wall has four main gates: the Gate of the Arrabal and the Gate of Arms on the North side and the Gate of the Seven Floors and the Gate of Justice on the South side. The Alhambra also had a military base, the Alcazaba, who’s role was the protection of the Sultan.
The royal fortified city has three parts: Medina, the Palatial zone, and the military base — the Alcazaba.
Medina
was the neighbourhood where the servants of the Court lived. It had shops, public baths, and a mosque.
The Palatial Zone
was reserved exclusively for the Sultan and his family and also had administrative offices. The access of unauthorized citizens was prohibited. Do not miss:
- The archaeological area of Palace of the Abencerrages — situated near the Medina, it was the residence of a noble family of the Nasrid kingdom.
- Convent of San Francisco — initially a Muslim palace built by Yusuf I, then a monastery (burial place of the Catholic Monarchs before they were moved to the Royal Chapel of Granada), now a hotel.
- Palace of Charles V — King Charles V altered the appearance of the Alhambra when, in 1528, decided to have a palace built here. The construction works lasted 90 years and the building was left unfinished, without a roof.
Must see: The Nasrid Palaces
The Nasrid Palaces are the most impressive remains of Moorish architecture and an exquisite display of delicate craftsmanship. The ensemble consists of three palaces built in different periods: Mexuar Palace, Comares Palace and Palace of the Lions.
The visit to the Nasrid palaces starts with the Patio de Machuca
- Mexuar Palace — built by Ismail I (1314–1325) and Muhammad V (1362–1391), is the place where the Counsel of Ministers met and where the Sultan made justice.
- From Mexuar, through a small gate we walk in to the Golden Room.
- The Facade of the Comares Palace — separated the administrative area from the family area. The Comares Palace was built by sultans Yusuf I (1333–1354) and Muhammad V (1362–1391).
- The Court of the Myrtles — the courtyard of the Comares Palace
- The Chamber of the Ambassadors — is the largest room of the Comares Palace and is situated in the tower. The walls and ceiling are completely ornated.
- The Palace of the Lions — was built by Sultan Muhammad V (1362–1391).
- The Hall of Abencerrajes — with an eight-pointed star ceiling, symbol of life, wholeness, rebirth and cyclical infinity.
- The Hall of the Two Sisters
- Observation Point of Daraxa
- The Court of Lindaraja
- The Partal Palace
The visit continues through the Wine Gate, an inner gate that makes the passage towards Alcazaba. It has a horseshoe arch and above it the traditional Islamic symbol of the key.
The Military Base — the Alcazaba
is accessed through the Tower of Homage. Once inside, you will notice a city within the city, the Military District. It was here that the royal guards of the Sultan and their families lived.
Torre de la Vela is one of the impressive towers of the Alcazaba, and its bell has been used to alert the residents when needed. It offers magnificent views of Granada.
Walk down through Jardin de los Adarves, rest on one of the benches and refill your bottle of water from one of the fountains.
Generalife
consists of the summer palace of the Nasrid dynasty and gardens. It was built and developed between the 12th and the 14th century. After the Reconquista, the Catholic Monarchs continued to care and improve the Generalife.
Do not miss:
- The Lower Gardens
- The Palace of Generalife
- The Court of the Main Canal — this draws water from the Royal Canal
- The Water Stairway which draws water from the Royal Canal
- The Promenade of the Oleanders
- The view of the Alhambra from Generalife
Our visit of the Alhambra and Generalife took 6 hours. We walked to the hotel, got changed and headed to Plaza de Bib-Rambla, one of the busiest squares of Granada, a place filled with coffee shops, restaurants and tapas bars, with relaxed people and a beautiful baroque fountain. We had dinner at El Laurel Cafè & Taberna — seafood paella, fish and wine for 15€.
We had some more wine at Rosario Varela, a really nice tapas bar on Calle Varela, 10. Every drink comes with a very nice tapa. 5–7€
Summary of day three, Granada (Ayuntamiento and Calle Navas — Corral del Carbon — The Royal Chapel — Granada Cathedral — Alcaiceria — Plaza Nueva — Albaicin — Alhambra — Generalife — Plaza de Bib-Rambla)
Costs:
- Leather ottoman: 20€
- Food and drinks: 45€
- Alhambra audio guide: 6€
- Alhambra ticket (bought in advance): 15.4€
- Bookmarks: 3€
90€. 10€ under budget :-)
Tips:
- Wear super comfy shoes for this day — as visiting all these spots you will likely clock up 19 km (12 miles) on this day alone.
- Always have water with you.
- Tips for the Alhambra and Generalife visit — Buy your ticket (15.40€) at least two months in advance, on ticketmaster.es. If you can’t find tickets for your desired date, keep trying several times a day, on the same website. Sometimes groups cancel and tickets become available. Collect your ticket at tourist info offices in Granada, at any La Caixa Bank ATM, or at the entrance pavilion at the Alhambra. You need the same card you purchased the tickets with. At the entrance pavilion, get an audioguide (6€ and card info as deposit) and a map. Be at the Nasrid Palaces entrance 10 min before the time slot on your ticket.
Map:
If you want to learn more:
Love the World!
… to be continued
