Granada & La Alhambra!

10/15 We made it to Andalucia! We found ourselves at the train station early in the morning in Granada, and

Liz & I on the narrow hilly rocky streets

so the first thing we did was hail a cab to our hostel. It was a long drive up very steep, narrow, cobbled roads. The driver dropped us and our luggage off, and then we had a long walk ahead of us. The car couldn’t make it down the stone steps and up the 2 narrow alley ways where our hostel, Casa Bombo, was located. If it wasn’t for being tired and having luggage, the walk would have been scenic and we probably would have liked it. Almost all of the buildings have whitewashed walls, and the cobblestone is just an extra charm. Once we arrived and checked into our 6-bed dorm room, we were really happy that they had free breakfast. The hostel itself was amazing though! It is on top of the hill and from the kitchen window you can see the main attraction of Granada, the Alhambra, looming across the mountain tops. It was a fabulous view and a really great location up in an ancient part of the city. Considering it was a hostel and not some expensive hotel, I feel like we got a really good deal! The first thing we did was get directions from the workers, and we began the trek down the mountain/hill to head towards the city center. It was a bit of struggle getting there as the streets aren’t necessarily labeled, and are so narrow that you have to backtrack and squeeze against a wall any time a car comes by.

View from our hostel kitchen- Casa Bombo!

We may or may not have gotten lost and spent a lot of time roaming the city… but regardless, we finally found the signs pointing to the entrance of the legendary Alhambra! We had to climb back up another mountain/hill to get to it though. In the cold morning air and the slightly higher altitude, we were all getting out of breath. Along the walk up we were hassled by some elderly ladies begging. They held some sort of weed-like flower and basically would try to shove it into your hand. If you took it, then they would aggressively harass you for money. They are tricky manipulative people! Liz got slightly assaulted, but after the ordeal we learned to cross our arms and walk the other way whenever we saw their kind again!

We were told by the people at our hostel that since we didn’t buy our entry tickets to La Alhambra in advance, it might be sold out. Luckily, since we got there right when it was opening, we were fine. We waited in the normal line (not for tour groups thank God) and were able to buy our tickets to see the entire complex. Unfortunately the earliest admittance time was full, so we had to wait until our 2pm entrance time. Since we only had one day in the city, we were grateful to get in at all! We then walked back down the large hill (ugh!), and had an early lunch (for Spaniards that is) at the base of the mountain. We had a fabulous view of the Alhambra up above us, and enjoyed some tapas and sangria, naturally.  We started walking around exploring the city on foot, with no set itinerary. We ended up finding some historical signs, and did an impromptu walking tour in which we got to see several centuries-old buildings and learn more about the history of this exotic and Moroccan influenced Spanish city.

Lunch with a view!

Granada's City Center

Finally, the time to enter the Alhambra was drawing near. We then made the arduous trek back up the steep hill/mountain towards the entrance. We turned in our tickets and the sightseeing began! To fill you in, the Alhambra is a palace and fortress complex originally built  in  889 AD, and then was later converted into a royal palace in 1333. Here is a brief history from my tour book:

“The Alhambra's Islamic palaces were built for the last Muslim emirs in Spain and its court of the 

Nasrid dynasty. After the takeover from the Catholic monarchs in 1492, some portions were used by Christian rulers. Another palace was built in 1527, and was inserted in the Alhambra within the Nasrid fortifications. After being allowed to fall into disrepair for centuries, the Alhambra was rediscovered in the 19th century by European scholars and travelers. It is now one of Spain's major tourist attractions, exhibiting the country's most significant and well known Arab-Islamic architecture, together with 16th-century Christian building and gardens. The Alhambra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the inspiration for many folk songs and stories.”

The complex itself is huge, so with maps in hand we set out to see as much as we possibly could. The first thing we toured was the extensive gardens and mazes. The view from this area was incredible, and we took a crazy amount of photos. We then headed towards an area with fountains, and toured the more Christian-architecture area. Eventually, we ended up in the palaces that have the Muslim architecture. The wall carvings are engraved into the stone, and are so detailed and intricate. It is truly amazing to see. I had been here before in 2007, and I am so happy I had the chance to come back. This place is truly a feast for the eyes. After having been to Morocco, I then realized that the buildings there look exactly like this place! It is definitely an icon of southern Spain and Andalucia. We got to see the Courtyard of the Lions, and all of the other key points of the structure. By early evening, we had done tons of walking and were pretty tired. We said goodbye to the beautiful Alhambra, did some souvenir shopping, and since our feet hurt we hailed a cab from the entry and headed back to our hostel.

Intricate Carvings

Palace in the Alhambra

Julia in front of the gorgeous walls

View from Mirador San Nicolas

After freshening up, we tried to do a walking tour with our hostel. Since we were the only ones who signed up though, it was canceled. Despite this, we did it on our own! We saw the historic sights of the old gypsy caves and hideaways, and learned a lot about this extremely old part of the city. Around sunset, we made our way up to a spot with an insanely breathtaking viewpoint. Called Mirador San Nicolas, it is the best spot to watch the sun set in the whole city. A couple was having their wedding photos done there, and we took a lot of fantastic photos. Once the sun was almost totally gone, we decided to do even more climbing for the day, and climbed the bell tower of a little church that was behind us. Once again, an amazing view! Once we had our fill of one of the best views I’ve ever had in my life, we decided to walk back down the narrow roads in search of a dinner restaurant. After much debate, we ended up choosing a Moroccan restaurant. It was very authentic with neat decorations and a hookah lounge. Liz and Julia had never had Moroccan food before, and they loved it! Overall it was a very busy day, and when we laid down in our bunk beds, we fell asleep instantly. 

Typical Moroccan food in Granada!