Exploring magnificent Granada

For those who own a holiday or permanent home at the Costa del Sol exploring the magnificent City of Granada and the Alhambra Palace at their leisure is easy, but seeing everything Granada has to offer in just one visit is practically impossible, when staying for a short hotel-based holiday. Granada's Alhambra is the most exquisite medieval Moorish palace in the world and it takes time to appreciate its true beauty, but also to understand how Granada grew from humble beginnings into the stunning city it is today.

A Walking Tour of old Granada

It is said that Boabdil, the last Moorish king to rule in Spain, wept when he was forced to abandon the last Moorish stronghold in 1492. The old city and the Alhambra Place are a marvel of medieval architectural design and engineering, as magnificent today as when the turrets, courtyards, fortifications and ramparts were first build. Appreciating the beauty and magnificence of historic Granada is best done from above. In the absence of helicopter hire, local bus no. 7 provides visitors with a convenient alternative.

A short bus ride out of Granada takes visitors to Mirador de San Cristobal, which affords the best views of the Alhambra complex and ancient Granada as a whole. Set against the spectacular snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, the old quarter of the Albaicin gradually creeps out of the Darro River Valley and up the hillsides, to eventually halt in awe at the burnt sienna rock face from which the Alhambra soars up into the sky.

Surrounded by dense vegetation, like a small rugged mountain range in itself, the Alhambra fortress-cum-pleasure-palace towers over the 11th century Albaicin complex, where the Moorish rulers initially had their power base. The royal court didn't move up the hill to the Alhambra's lofty perch until 250 years later. Originally, the labyrinthine Albaicin had 30 mosques, as well as a bustling market and street after street filled with stallholders, weavers and potters.

There are still many tiny courtyards which used to contain aljibes, public water tanks where women would fill up pitchers and jugs and chat. Today, many house hunters prefer the romance of these medieval streets and the stunning "carmentes", house-complexes built around a patio, to the luxury apartment complexes offered to them at the Costa Tropical. The Albaicin has become a sought-after residential part of Granada again.

An exploration of old Granada is best started at the Albaicin, and if done on foot, the best place to begin is along the Carrera del Darro, which is the little river valley that divides the Albaicin from the Alhambra hills. The Carrera del Darro begins just north of Plaza Nueva and presents casual passers-by with a picturesque panorama of ancient dwellings that have been converted into smart residences and boutique hotels. The famous Arab Baths also lie along this route and are the first regular attraction most tour guides mention to visitors.

700 Years of Moorish History

Next on the list of tourist attractions along this walking route is the Museo Arqueologico, which exhibits finds from prehistory to the time of the Islamic occupation of Andalusia. From the museum any route to the left will take visitors up to the Alhambra complex, past jasmine scented gardens, little churches and enclosed convents. Most Moorish architecture has been supplanted by medieval Christian dwellings, but a rare survivor, the Palacio de Dar al-Horra, the Queen's House, which lies on the other side of the Albaicin, is well worth a climb up the narrow streets on a hot day.

Constructed for King Boabdil's mother during the middle of the 15th century, it miraculously survived the Christian re-conquest and subsequent obsessive conversion into Christian architecture, as the conquerors tried to erase the memories of centuries of Moorish occupation. The Queen's House is located behind the convent of Santa Isabel la Real, which is a perfect example of a Moorish palace that has been turned into a Christian religious monument.

The hill to the north of the Albaicin is called the Holy Hill, or Sacromonte, and was once the home to a thriving gypsy community who used to dwell in Granada's famous caves. Today few of these caves are used, mainly for tourism related events, when fiestas and flamenco dances take place. A little past the caves stands the Abadia de Sacromonte, a late 15th century abbey with five amazing subterranean chapels.

Reaching the top of the hills on either side of the Albaicin, huffing and puffing visitors eventually reach the Alhambra complex, one of the world's most inspiring historic places.