Istanbul : Weekend around Geneva : Paris and Nîmes : Barcelona and Cádiz : Seville : Córdoba : Mérida and Cáceres : Salamanca, Avila & Segovia : Madrid & Valencia : Art in Paris : Art in Spain
I wanted to see the Alhambra in Granada and as I was coming from Seville, had bought a ticket for 3pm to visit the Nasrid palaces and other parts of the complex. Anyone planning to visit should aim to buy their ticket at least 2 months in advance as I missed out on buying from the official site and had to pay much more.
Capilla Real (Royal Chapel)
Once again my hotel was a long way from the station, so I stopped in the centre of town to visit the Capilla Real where Ferdinand and Isabella, famous for the Christian reconquest of Spain, are buried. Unfortunately one is not allowed to take photographs. It is a richly decorated space with grand tombs and a collection of paintings. However, the actual coffins lie in a modest crypt below that one can climb down to view. This is rather touching and more memorable than the richness of the chapel.
I pressed on to my hotel which was situated on a hill almost on a level with the Alhambra itself but further away. It had fabulous views, but it was a very long and steep walk there and I overdid it. The next day and for the rest of my trip I suffered from a sore left hip.
Alhambra
Fortunately I set out for the Alhambra early as it took me quite a while to reach the Nasrid palaces once I had entered the main gate. I was lucky with the weather which had threatened to rain. The distant mountains still had some snow. The Alhambra was built as an Islamic fortress on a hill overlooking Granada. The site is extensive and comprises several parts, plus excavations showing foundations of buildings which no longer exist. The Nasrid palaces, dating from the 1300s, are renowned for their exquisite decoration and are the most famous part of the complex. On the point of the hill is the Alcazaba, an older fort with towers one can climb for extensive views. There is also a large palace built by Charles V which contains museums. On the adjacent hill, the Generalife, a former Nasrid country estate surrounded by gardens also forms part of the complex.
It was all lovely and I think the highlight of my visit to Spain, especially the Nasrid palaces. Being on a hilltop, the views are magnificent. The site itself, with gardens all about, is part of its glory. Although there were lots of people about, it is so large one never feels crowded. I was a little disappointed that parts of the Generalife gardens which previously must been orchards, were overgrown and inaccessible. Also the famous staircase with water rills on the bannisters looked a little neglected. But these are small quibbles.
I spent over 4 hours at the Alhambra exploring and then found a steep shady walkway down into town for supper.
Hurrah for busses
Fortunately I had discovered which bus to catch to take me back up the hill to my hotel. I was a little alarmed when it veered away and took me up past the Alhambra again and a cemetery before curling back to town and dropping me at the little shrine, just opposite my hotel.
The next morning I caught the same bus back into town and then another one to the bus station. I was catching a bus to Córdoba as all the trains were fully booked (probably because of the festival there). Unlike most towns where the bus and train stations are adjacent, the bus station in Granada is in the suburbs, far from the centre of town and miles from my hotel.
Read about Córdoba or click on an image to open the gallery
2025 Trip: Granada Gallery
