Due to the early wake-up call, most people, including myself, slept on the 1.5 hour bus ride from Malaga to Granada. Upon awaking from my little slumber, I discovered that I was sleeping on the shoulder of the Spanish guide sitting to my right. It was really awkward at the time, but now it makes me laugh. Thankfully, there was no drool on his shoulder.
The first destination of the Granada trip was El Alhambra. El Alhambra is one of the premier tourist destination in all of Europe and the number one tourist spot in Spain. It attracts approximately 10,000 visitors daily (over 3 million per year). El Alhambra, or “red fortress” in Arabic, was the last stronghold of the Muslims in Spain. Within its walls, there is a fortress, an Arabic palace, a Christian palace, and magnificent gardens. For more information and the history of El Alhambra, please click here.
The Fortress: Winding staircases, cobblestone paths, and dingy dungeons are found in the fortress, or alcazaba. From the top of the multiple towers, one could experience a breath-taking view of the entire city of Granada. I shuffled my steps throughout the alcazaba to appreciate the smoothed stone walkways. One must exercise caution here because it would be very easy to bump your head or roll your ankle.
Palacios Nazaries: This is a beautiful Arabic palace. The architecture and overall style was similar to what I saw in Morocco; however, this palace was in great condition and much more ornate. Everything about this palace was awesome: the rooms, gardens, fountains, courtyards, ceilings, and floors. I was disappointed because one of the most famous features of the palace, a fountain composed of 12 lions representing the 12 tribes of Israel, was under restoration. Apparently, it will take over 2 years to complete the restoration. I saw one of the lions in a museum there, but it was not the same as seeing it in the courtyard.
Gardens: Upon exiting the Palacio, one enters a lush garden full of the most beautiful flowers and trees you can imagine. Roses of all colors, trees bearing tropical fruit, and ponds full of exotic fish surrounded me in this garden. I went from rose to rose and smelled all of them. Red roses, pink roses, cream roses, yellow roses, and violet roses, I smelled them all. The yellow was my favorite. I did not take a little sniff; instead, I took a deep breath, letting their aroma fill my entire lungs. You can say that I literally stopped and smelled the roses. I was impressed until I actually entered the real garden which was a labyrinth of more flowers, trees, and ponds, surrounded by huge hedges. This garden offered a great view of alcazaba. In the garden, there is the sultan’s summer palace, which was only a few rooms, but it was really cool.
After the tour of El Alhambra, we walked through a shaded walkway to the actual city of Granada. The city itself reminded me of a mini-Madrid without all of the hustle and bustle. I really enjoyed the limited time I spent in Granada. The city felt alive with character, it was very clean, and it felt very “European.” For lunch, I ate at a local tapas bar, and I ordered croquetas (a breaded and deep-fried ball of ham and potatoes). For desert, I bought a 1 Euro ice cream cone. The ice cream store was really fun because it was crowded, and it had an art-deco feel to it. Their orange ice cream was delicious.
I also visited the Cathedral and Royal Chapel of Granada. The Cathedral was really large, much larger than I expected. This is only one of two Renaissance style cathedrals in Spain. The inside was very bright from the natural light. The key word here is huge! Connected to the Cathedral is the Royal Chapel, where Ferdinand and Isabella are buried. You don’t know who Ferdinand and Isabella are? You should because they funded Christopher Columbus’s voyage to America. This chapel featured beautiful ivory-carved tombs of the former King and Queen of Spain. There were other miscellaneous objects in here such as the crown of Isabella, a sword of Ferdinand, and a golden box from Christopher Columbus.
Overall, Granada was a very fun trip, and I really enjoyed exploring the city. I recommend it if you ever visit Spain!
No comments:
Post a Comment