Spain and Portugal for Visitors

Granada

« Dale limosna, mujer
que no hay en la vida nada
como la pena de ser
ciego en Granada »

My (very free*) translation:
Give to the beggar, dear wife,
Could anything be harder?
Than to be blind in this life,
Sightless in Granada

Granada has long been renowned for its beauty, as the lines above by Mexican poet Francisco de Icaza suggest. Its most famous sight by far is the Alhambra, and, although visitors are sometimes disappointed with the rest of the city, which can seem a little nondescript, it does have much more to see. But Granada is so well known and such a big draw that the "unfulfillable expectation" factor is very high, and it is best to visit it with a realistic idea of what you are going to encounter. To put it in a nutshell, the Alhambra is awesome, the rest of the city less so - worth the time, but simply not on the same world-class level as the Alhambra, and many "see-Spain-in-five-days" visitors choose to take in the Alhambra then push on somewhere else. Fair enough.

The Alhambra is the complex of mostly Moorish palaces which was home to the Nasrid dynasty from 1232 to 1492. The Nasrids, one of the longest lasting Islamic dynasties in the history of al-Andalus, ruled the Sultanate-later-Kingdom of Granada, the last to fall to the Christian (re-)conquerors. The limits of this kingdom varied over the centuries, but it occupied, roughly, the present-day province of Granada and goodly chunks of Almería, Málaga and Albacete. Apart from the agricultural produce of the area itself, it was a crucial connection between Europe and the trans-Saharan trade routes, and so was a wealthy state, as can be seen in the evident opulence of the Alhambra's Nasrid palaces.

Other sights in Granada are:

Granada Cathedral
El Albaicín (Albayzin): The old Jewish quarter, with many original houses from the 16th century
Calle Calderería: A street in the Albayzin district with a number of teterías, Arab tea houses
El Cármen de los Mártires: Palace and, more importantly, botanical gardens near the Alhambra
Santa Ana Church: 16th century, Mudejar Style
El Corral del Carbón: Moorish warehouse, later Christian inn, converted into a theatre after the 16th century
Hospital Real: Founded in 1504 by the Catholic Monarchs, now part of the University
Santo Domingo Church: Founded in 1512 by the Catholic Monarchs
San José Church: 16th-century church built on the site of the Almorabitín, the mosque of the Morabites, one of the oldest in Granada, dating from the 10th century
Sacromonte Abbey: According to legend, the catacombs under the abbey church were the site of the martyrdom of San Cecilio, the city's first bishop and now its patron saint
Old University: Now the School of Law, it retains its original 17th century facade
Torres Bermejas: The "Vermilion Towers" were fortifications on the outer wall of the Alhambra, dating from the 8th and 9th centuries
Basilica San Juan de Dios: Baroque basilica where the remains of this saint are said to lie. Sample of Granada's baroque
Puerta de Elvira: The main gate into the old city, part of the Moorish wall
Sacramonte Caves: Dwellings excavated in the side of the hill, traditionally inhabited by gypsies. It is a flamenco stronghold, many of the caves housing tablaos, flamenco shows, or flamenco schools. It is only fairly recently that they have amenities like electricity and running water, and some now belong to foreign bohemian types or are rented out as holiday homes.

Pro's:
- The Alhambra. 'Nuff said
- Granada is on many people's "places to see before you die" list
- Granada is an important flamenco centre
- Close to some of the most fantastic scenery in Spain, including the Sierra Nevada and Las Alpujarras
- Sierra Nevada has the longest skiing season in Spain
- The Costa Tropical is at hand
- Developed tourist sector, so accommodation, restaurants, etc. are plentiful

Con's:
- Can be disappointing
- Low on things to do with children
- As elsewhere in Andalucia, be wary of street crime, and beggars, flower sellers, etc. can be harrassing

You'll like it if you like:
Islamic art and architecture, gardens, castles, palaces, tapas and Spanish food and drink in general...

More Granada:
Andalusia
   Granada Province
      Alhambra
      Granada Links
      Granada Heritage and History
      Granada Hostels
      Granada Hotels
      Granada Tours
      Last-Minute Granada

*Especially the "dear wife" bit (and yes, I know "harder" is not a true rhyme with "Granada"). To tell the truth, I have never actually seen these lines in their proper context, i.e., I have not read the whole poem - if anyone wants to send it to me, I would appreciate it.