Olga and I have been to a lot of places around the globe and it is usually the natural sights like mountains, lakes, beaches, ocean which take our breath away but when it comes to man-made places, not so many. However, when exploring the city of Granada in the south of Spain, we came across the Alhambra which is a huge palace perched on a hill overlooking the city. The palace and grounds here really took my breath away and we were amazed by the architecture.
Here’s the history to give some background on this amazing fortress. Built way back in AD 889 on a site where Roman fortifications once stood, the fortress fell into ruins until it was rebuilt in the middle of the 13th century under the command of the Moorish chief Mohammed ben Al-Ahmar to which the current palace and walls still stand to this very day. Since then it has been converted into a royal palace, then overrun by Christians who kicked out the Moorish people and had a bit of a refurbishment on the way, where some of the palace now features some Renaissance style facade and art.
After a while the fortress and palace fell into disrepair again for a few centuries, then some squatters moved in but after the French leader Napoleon came along, had a battle and lost, the locals and the British (who were just passing through) rediscovered the palace and rebuilt it to its former glory. Moving onto the present day, it is now one of Spain’s top attractions to see which shows off a lot of Islamic architecture. The palace and grounds are also on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list.
Checking out the grounds of the fortress consists of buildings like the Royal Complex, the Courtyard of the Palace of Charles V, Court of Myrtles, Hall of the Ambassadors, the Court of the Lions (with its beautiful fountains), Hall of the Abencerrajes and the Generalife. The following are some of the photos taken whilst walking around the complex.
Nasrid Palace - the main part of the fortress (and probably the first part of the fortress which visitors will come across after entry) which was built for the rulers during their dynasty in the 14th century. Walking around here reminded me that we were flung into the middle east and we were engaged with the Arabesque design. All the walls, rooms, courtyards, hallways, they are beautifully decorated but above all, we just loved checking out the ceilings. Also from most of the windows, we managed to get amazing views overlooking the city down below.
The courtyard of the Palace of Charles V - this is located on the outside of the palace building and we were pretty impressed with the layout and design. Way back in 1526, Charles V who was the ruling monarch of Spain at the time, decided to build this Renaissance Palace. The design reflects the classical influences at the time with a huge circular courtyard. The palace is not actually completed. Today the building hosts the Alhambra Museum where visitors can see artifacts, Islamic art, historical object and archaeological findings from the region.
The Partal Palace - this is in another part of the Generalife area of the Alhambra and has many small pools in the garden. This is the perfect place in the summer months to chill out and take in the sun rays or to take a stroll to get away from the urban sprawl of the city of Granada down below.
The Generalife - this was the summer palace for the Nasrid rulers around the 14th century. The highlight has to be the courtyard with the water channel in the middle with flower beds surrounding it. This is the last part of the visit but before leaving, We got to walk through beautiful gardens with lush vegetation. There couldn’t have been a more perfect finish to my visit.
Other parts of the Alhambra we kept coming past other parts of the palaces and beautiful pools to take a wander around. The only downfall we found coming here was that we couldn't go into all the rooms to check out the palace and to see if, for example, the bedrooms were more grandeur than other rooms we saw. However, this palace is to be explored for its outdoor parts.
Walking around this stunning fortress on the hilltop in the summer months is purely breathtaking. Sitting on the outside wall of the Generalife, looking out towards the rooftops of Granada down below is one of the top places we have come across in Spain. There are also the nearby mountains which makes the surroundings even more spectacular. If in this region we would totally advise visitors to make a day trip here and explore this beautiful location.
Tips to making a visit to the Alhambra a smooth one
Book tickets online as queues can be long during the months of June to September. Don’t leave it up to the last minute expecting to get tickets, it has been known people have had to book ninety days in advance!
Coming by car, come early as the official parking near the fortress can fill up quite quickly. It's a bit of a walk up the hill if parking at the bottom.
Allow plenty of time to explore the complex. Make sure you book tickets to see everything then you won’t come away disappointed. We would recommend getting here a few minutes before opening times to have the complex mostly to yourself and get those perfect pictures. (Updated: tickets have a four hour time slot to explore the whole area, however check the time on the ticket to which you are allowed in the palaces. Don’t miss this because it is the best part of the visit. Remember La Alhambra is a popular tourist destination, and it can get crowded, especially during peak season and weekends. To avoid large crowds, consider visiting during the early morning or late afternoon, or opt for the shoulder seasons (spring and fall) when tourist numbers tend to be lower.
Have good walking shoes as there is plenty of walking to be done (to which there are some uphill paths to overcome). Also have a bottle of water (or two) as Granada is located in one of the hottest parts of Spain during the summer months, particularly in July and August, with temperatures often exceeding +35 degrees. If you prefer milder weather, you may want to consider visiting during the spring or fall when temperatures are more comfortable.
Essential information on The Alhambra
How to get to: The first place I would go to find airline tickets to the area is using (I would recommend) Skyscanner to find flights as that is my first point of call. Then if necessary use the airlines directly to find a good deal. I sometimes use Momondo as well to compare prices before booking.
Car Rentals - as I do a lot of road trips around the world, I use Rentalcars.com which is very reliable for booking car hire in advance. I also use Turo (the airbnb of car rentals) and never had a problem with them. The cars are insured, owners vetted and never had an issue.
Accommodation: There are a lot of accommodation options and a lot of websites which can do some great deals. My first point of call is always Booking.com and can offer a range of hostels, hotels, campsites, apartments, guesthouses and bed and breakfasts.. After that I always have a look through AirBnb and Vrbo for great deals on apartments and other lodgings especially when traveling as a family.
Currency: Spain uses the Euro currency which is also widely used in most European countries. Currency can be exchanged at the airports and train stations (for a huge fee) so I would recommend either going to a currency exchange place downtown, to a bank (if they have good rates) or if you got a good bank account with fantastic exchange rates, then use an ATM machine (may incur a small fee but I always do this option as I got good bank accounts). A great website I use to compare currency exchange rates is XE, which gives people up to date information.
Language: Spain uses the Spanish language but a lot of people do speak English especially in the touristy areas.
Watch out for: As far as I am aware, there are no major scams to look out for. As always in Europe, watch out for the usual pickpockets or any pretty crimes but I felt very safe in Spain.
Travel insurance: This is essential to anywhere you go in the world. I always carry travel insurance. Having travel insurance will cover you from theft, illness and those annoying cancellations which can happen on the road. Safety Wing offers coverage for a lot of adventure activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and so forth.
Need a visa for ENTER? Always check if you need a visa when coming to Spain, especially for those who come from outside Europe.
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