Granada is the soul of Andalusia, a place of breathtaking beauty at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. This mystical city was the capital of a Moorish kingdom from the 13th until the 15th centuries.
To the Moors, who arrived from North Africa, the lush setting of Granada was like heaven on Earth. The Nasrid Dynasty reigned with a splendor unlike anywhere in the medieval world. The hilltop fortress of the Alhambra Palace was a paradise of greenery, rose gardens, and endlessly flowing fountains.
After flourishing for centuries, Granada became the last bastion of the Moors in Spain when the Catholic Monarchs captured the city in 1491.
Although now predominantly Christian, Granada has inherited rich Islamic, Jewish, and Gypsy influences. The Renaissance Catholic cathedral was once a mosque. The Albaicín (old Moorish town) and the Alcaicería (spice market) have an authentic Arabic flavor. Colorful Gypsy culture and fabulous flamenco dancing is found in the caves of the Sacromonte quarter.
Discover the best places to visit with our guide to the top attractions in Granada.
Alhambra: A Masterpiece of Islamic Architecture
The Alhambra stands majestically on a fortified hilltop with the snow-peaked Sierra Nevada Mountains as a backdrop. An absolute must-see attraction in Granada, this UNESCO-listed World Heritage site was the residence of the Moorish rulers of the Nasrid Dynasty for 250 glorious years, from the 13th to the 15th centuries.
The complex of palaces was the Moors' last stronghold in Spain. A veritable museum of Islamic architecture, the Alhambra is surrounded by ancient defensive walls and appears from afar to be an impenetrable fortress.
The Alhambra complex consists of four groups of buildings in carefully landscaped grounds. The Alcazaba is the original 13th-century Moorish fortress, the oldest part of the Alhambra. All that remains of the Alcazaba are the ramparts and the towers.
The Nasrid Palaces are the most splendid buildings of the complex, with marvelous accommodations and public spaces used by the Sultans of the Nasrid Dynasty. Typical of secular Moorish buildings, the Nasrid Palaces are plain on the exterior but sumptuous on the interior, with decorative tile work and peaceful courtyards.
The Palace of Charles V was built in the 16th century after the conquest of the Moors and was used by the Spanish emperor as his summer palace.
Beautiful and serene Moorish gardens surround the Generalife Palace, which was used as a leisure villa by the sultans of Granada. The grounds feature shady patios, fountains, fragrant roses, and flower-adorned terraces overlooking the places of the Alhambra and the mountains.
Albaicín and Mirador of San Nicolas
One of the most enchanting things to do in Granada is to get lost in the hillside neighborhood of the Albaicín, a UNESCO-listed World Heritage site. The Albaicín, Granada's medieval Arabic quarter, was once surrounded by defensive walls and has retained an authentic Moorish character thanks to its picturesque narrow streets and simple whitewashed houses.
From Puerta Nueva (Puerta de los Estandartes), a well-preserved stretch of the town's old ramparts runs west to the Puerta Monaita. The best view of the walls is from the Cuesta de la Alhacaba, near the ninth-century Puerta de Elvira, once the town's principal gate.
Many places in the Albaicín offer stunning outlooks onto the Alhambra complex, which is separated from the Albaicín by the dramatic gorge of the Río Darro.
The most spectacular viewpoint in the Albaicín is the Mirador of San Nicolas, the terrace in front of the 16th-century Church of San Nicolas at the heart of the Albaicín quarter. This frequently painted panorama captures the Alhambra Palace and the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Not far from San Nicholas, the Church of San Salvador was built on the site of an earlier mosque and is noteworthy for its Mudéjar style (Christian architecture influenced by Islamic design).
Another fabulous view of the Alhambra that is popular with tourists is from the Carrera del Darro, one of the oldest streets in Granada, which runs along the north side of the Río Darro.