Sprinkled with Moorish influences since Medieval times, Granada has so much more to explore beyond its star player, the Alhambra. Ever since my month-long stay there in 2018, I've been holding this little gem very close to my heart. This charming city at the foot of Sierra Nevada isn't your typical European city. From their fantastic tapas scenes to the winding streets of Albaicin, there's just so much to do in Granada. Here are some of my favourite things to do in Granada, and you'll see why y'all should head to this beloved city immediately (after the pandemic).
ALHAMBRA
Again, it is impossible to talk about Granada without mentioning the Alhambra and its extensive garden, Generalife. Alhambra, which means "the red one" in Arabic, was named due to its colour under sunlight. Created originally for military purposes, the Alhambra was a fortress, a palace, and a small medina, all at the same time. This crown jewel of Granada is definitely one of the most impressive architectural pieces you'll ever see.
Immediately after entering its gates, you can sense the presence of Moorish influences from the keyhole-shaped doorways and the detailed carvings on the wall. The military area within the palace ground, Alcazaba, naturally has an ancient watchtower that overlooks the city with the Sierra Nevada in the background. Seeing the ruins below brought us back to that era and left us room to imagine how people lived during those times.
This Renaissance building is an example of why I adore architecture in Andalucia. The mixture of Moorish, Roman, Gothic, and more influences blended quite well and reflects the history of this region. On the exterior, the ornaments decorating the rectangular block contrast with the Arabic carvings on the rest of the palace grounds. Tall limestone pillars formed an impressive circular courtyard inside—definitely one of my favourite places in Alhambra. Near its entrance is a gift shop and the Museum of the Alhambra, which, to my surprise, was a fascinating visit. Inside displays a collection of Spanish-Moorish ceramic art, patterns, and antiquities. There were also videos showing how ceramic art was made, leaving me even more amazed by how the ancient people craved all these by hand.
Nasrid Palaces are where the Moorish royals of Granada resided in Alhambra. On the walls, Islamic sculptures, together with colour tiles, were like a more polished and well-preserved version of the architecture I saw in Marrakesh, Morocco. Inside housed the most elaborate carvings I've ever seen- no wonder so many people would like to visit this place. I couldn't really describe its beauty; you would have to go there yourself to appreciate it fully.
As the most visited tourist attraction in Spain, it is highly recommended that you book your tickets at least two months in advance on their official website. And you would need to visit the Nasrid Palace at your designated time.
GENERALIFE
Going onto somewhere more vibrant, next to the Alhambra, is Generalife, the royals' summer leisure residence. In this oasis, you could find orange trees, blooming flower beds of various colours, water channels, and fountains with beautiful Moorish carvings. As you walk through leafy arches, pergolas, and beautifully built pavilions, it feels relaxing and breezy.
ALBAICIN
Another UNESCO World Heritage Site in Granada, the charming neighbourhood of Albaicin has retained its traditional houses and layouts since its Medieval Moorish era. With its narrow winding streets, it might be hard to navigate this area on our own. Hence I recommend joining a walking tour to discover all the secret spots. I like going on tours with a twist, like the Night Adventure Tour by Sixthrills, where we explored Albaicin and Sacromonte from sunset till dark.
Next to Albaicin is the gipsy quarter of Granada, Sacromonte, a neighbourhood on the steep slopes of Valparaíso with pines and cactuses all over. Settlers began to come here and build their homes from the rock face in the 15th century. Wondering in Sacromonte feels like a fascinating walk back in time. During my Night Adventure tour, our guide was friendly with the caves' owners, and we were invited to take a look at the interior of one of the caves. At night, some of the caves would be filled with traditional music and flamenco performances.
MIRADORS
Mirador de Nicholas
At the top of Albaicin is Mirador de Nicholas, which is loosely at a similar altitude to Alhambra, making it a perfect spot to see Alhambra externally as a whole with the snow-capped Sierra Nevada as a backdrop. The sunset there is often mesmerizing, and sometimes you can see some stars there too at night. But the most charming feature of this Mirador was the lively crowd there, jamming music and gathering there every day. The climb to this Mirador isn't that strenuous, making it a perfect hangout spot. Beside the Mirador was a patio, which was so much more tranquil than the Mirador if you want peace of mind. There was also a souvenir shop inside the courtyard, with calming fragrances and beautiful postcards and artwork.
Mirador de San Miguel Alto
A bit higher in altitude than Mirador San Nicolas, this Mirador offers a panoramic view of the whole city and the Alhambra and is not as lively as before. It is an incredible destination with unobstructed views to admire how sunsets warm up the entire place.
SHOPPING
Again, under different cultural influences like Arabic and Islamic, Granada is one of the best places to shop for exotic and well-designed souvenirs. Even though the markets around the Cathedral and Alcaiceria are quite touristy, with similar shops selling Arabic souvenirs like leather, lamps, clothes, tea, and spices, its authenticity does remind me of being in Morroco, an exciting place to walk around.
Other areas to shop in include Plaza Nueva, where you can find food and urrón shops. Or if you want to go shopping for stuff other than souvenirs, Calle Reyes Católicos and Gran Via have lots to offer. A lot of fashion brands we all love, in fact, are from Spain, like Zara, Stradivarius, Pull and Bear, and Bershka.
Here are some of my favourite shops:
Tienda Librería de la Alhambra, where I could find authentic products with beautiful Islamic patterns, postcards with exquisite designs, and a collection of books in various languages. Most importantly, the staff was amicable and seemed knowledgeable when chit-chatting with them.
Munira Leather is where traditional, handmade, top-quality leather products are sold.
Wituka Granada is where you can find original graphic T-shirts.
FLAMENCO
Though many flamenco shows are aimed towards tourists, the intricate footwork and the accompanying music never disappoint me, no matter how many times I've watched these shows. You can find some of the more authentic shows in the caves of Sacromonte, or you can opt for ones with dinner provided at restaurants like Jardines de Zoraya or even in a more formal setting like in theatres. I really loved how passionate all the performers were, especially the guitar player and Cajon player. The dancers must have so much stamina to do all those steps every night and convey the emotion so well. Watching a flamenco show is definitely a must-do in Spain.
FOOD
One of the things that keep luring me back to visit this marvellous country is its gastronomy, and the food there being not expensive at all definitely makes my stomach growl even louder. To this day, lots of bars in Granada still give out free tapas when you order drinks. Free tapas can be anything, from olives to crab cakes, tuna toasts, or even mini-burgers, and they're usually a decent surprise. What can I say? Even if free tapas weren't provided, I'd still be obsessed with the food anyway!
ARCHITECTURE
Another piece of architecture with mixed styles of architecture, Gothic and Renaissance. Even though the cathedral is not the most impressive building I've ever seen, it still is quietly gorgeous and worth a visit. Next to the cathedral is the royal chapel, where two of the most influential rulers of Spain lie. The tombs of the Catholic Monarchs, Isabella I and Ferdinand II, themselves are gorgeous pieces of art. Together with the lovely paintings in the museum, it was worth a visit. I did an audio-guided tour of these two places, and there weren't a lot of people instead. (Also, I'm a student, so the ticket price is a bit cheaper for me, but 5 euros isn't that much.)
STREET ART
It is probably quite unexpected for people who only know Granada for its Islamic architecture that Granada also has lots of impressive, vibrant street art. During my stay in Granada, I lived on Calle Molino, where the gates of almost every shop were painted with beautiful illustrations of what the shops sold. Realejo, the old Jewish quarter in Granada, holds numerous stunning street arts by none other than the award-winning artist Raúl Ruiz. His work includes a spray-painted mural of Strummer from the Clash at Cuesta Escoriaza, the Thinker outside Hotel Molinos, and his most iconic work outside Calle Molinos, 44, his former home.
PLAZA AND FOUNTAINS
As with most European towns, Granada is also filled with plazas and fountains where you can go people-watching and hang out. Some of the more popular squares would be Plaza Nueva, Plaza De La Trinidad, and Plaza Isabel La Catolica.
It is quite hard for me to imagine as I went to Granada during the scorching hot August. But apparently, during winter months, Sierra Nevada, the majestic mountain range just outside Granada, is a popular skiing resort. (My host family told me that Alhambra looks stunning in the snow, and now I'm dying to go there again during winter haha)
It doesn't get too quiet as well under the heat at Europe's most southerly ski station. Just 8km from Granada is Monachil, a small village at the foot of Sierra Nevada. Just a short and easy walk from the town brings you to the impressive Los Cahorros gorge, waterfalls, and hanging bridges. It was nice to get in touch with nature once in a while!
Granada is a very walkable city. Don't bother to drive anywhere in the city as the streets are mostly narrow and hard to navigate. The bus network is very sufficient if you don't feel like walking, but you can also definitely go anywhere in the city on foot as it isn't that big. (But do wear comfortable shoes when going to Albaicin and Sacromonte.)
WHERE TO STAY
In my opinion, staying in Realejo or Centro areas is definitely the most sensible choice as the price isn't that high, yet you're in the heart of the city and can walk to all of the attractions. There certainly isn't a lack of nightlife as well.
A friend I met there stayed in the gorgeous Albaicin, which is an exciting choice too, if you want something different. But you do need to expect a hike to get there.
Well, I'm a student. I had discounts going to some of the sites, so it didn't really make sense for me to get one (I didn't take any transportation while I was there apart from going to the intercity bus station.) To be honest, I'd say it's only worth it when a) you plan to visit all 9 monuments included in the card, or b) you can't get any tickets to the Alhambra.
Frankly speaking, this Science Park isn't an awful place to visit. Many visitors would find it fascinating. The reason it isn't on my favourites list is actually very dumb, and it was totally on me. To be fair, architecturally, it is a lovely building, and its exhibitions are very updated and well-maintained. My friend and I, two medical students, just decided to go straight into the exhibition 'Journey into the human body', and seeing things that we'd learned at school just stressed me out (haha).
From Granada, there are numerous cities that are just a bus ride away, like Cordoba, Sevilla, Ronda, and Malaga. (lol one weekend I even went to Morocco.) But you'll have to read about my adventures there in my next post, so stay tuned!!
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