´Granada, Mystical City.´

To quote the lyrics from the song ‘Granada,’ about this famous city in southern Spain:

¨Land I dream of, I’m falling under your spell, and if you could speak, what a fascinating tale you would tell.¨

Granada, Spain is a historical, beautiful, majestic city where I lived for almost four years.  Granada is home to the most visited historical monument in all of Spain: the Alhambra, dating from the 11th century. The citadel is an Andalusian Islamic architectural legacy, a Nasrid palace-city.  It is a Unesco World Heritage Site since 1984.  The Alhambra consists of three areas: the Alcazaba, the defensive zone; the Nasrid palaces; and the Generalife, which are the peaceful and intimate gardens and orchards where the kings retired to when they were looking for peace.

The palaces are full of intricate artwork, bubbling fountains and marble floors. It is the greatest jewel of Islamic architecture on earth today.

The word ‘Alhambra’ comes from an arabic root and means “crimson castle,” this is due to the red hue of the towers and walls of the fortress.

When President Bill Clinton was a Rhodes scholar at Oxford, he visited Granada for his first time.  He said that in Granada he had seen:

“The most beautiful sunset in the world.”

The glow of the sun on the snowy peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountains against the crimson red of the Alhambra, turn the city violet and make the palace appear as if it is suspended in the air.  It is a truly beautiful sight to behold!

The Museo de la Alhambra, is located within the Generalife, in the Palace of Charles V, and houses pieces from the 10th to 14th century, as well as temporary exhibits.  The permanent exibits are located in 7 different rooms, and are dedicated to understanding Nasrid art, architecture and culture.

The Moorish conquest of the Iberian peninsula in 711 established Granada as one of its main cities in Al-Andalus, the Muslim name for the region.  The Moorish ruled for 500 years, and parts of the Alhambra were built in the 9th century.  But, the Nasrid dynasty, which reigned for 250 years until the Christian Reconquista in 1492, built most of the fortress. The Nasrid kingdom was extremely powerful and self-sufficient, introduced new agricultural practices and built an irrigation system using the old Roman infrastructure, which already consisted of roads, aqueducts and other infrastructure.  This helped lead to a great expansion of the city, and to the construction of the Albaicin neighborhood.  The Albaicin is an extension of the monuments of the Alhambra and the Generalife.  The neighborhood’s narrow, winding streets are emblematic of the city’s Moorish legacy.

‘El Paseo de los Tristes’ promenade is a sort of inspirational walk leading from the city center, alongside the river Darro, to the topmost part of the city, and within the Albaicin.  From the main plaza there is an incredible view of the Alhambra fortress, and at sunset the view is particularly spectacular.  There are numerous places of interest within the Albaicin from the Nasrid period, as well as the Renaissance.  Must sees include: the church of Saint Nicolas; the church of San Salvador; and the Arab baths, great places to contemplate history.

The Alcaiceria, located in the heart of the city, is an area with narrow streets lined with Moroccan shops. Hundreds of years ago, vendors came from other cities to sell their wares in this area.  It is one of my favorites places to shop for beautiful Moroccan products, from clothing and shoes, to leather pouffes, wallets, Moroccan tea sets, and ceramic pottery of all shapes and sizes. Nearby, the Corral del Carbon is a 14th century beautifully preserved monument, which in the Moorish period, was used to sell charcoal, warehouse goods, and to shelter the merchants who sold their wares in the Alcaiceria.

The Cathedral of Granada (1592) is the first Renaissance church in Spain, although the foundation is Gothic.  Paintings and sculptures by Alonso Cano are breathtaking, and the Gothic portal between the Cathedral and the chapel is an example of the Gothic influence.

The Royal Chapel chapel is connected to the Cathedral, and is the final resting place of the Catholic Kings Isabel and Ferdinand.  The Catholic Kings as they are known, reigned during the Spanish Reconquista and financed Christopher Columbus´ journey to the Americas, making Spain the first global power in the world.

There are so many good restaurants in Granada, but just to name a few, the Parador de Turismo is a fantastic place to begin your food experience.  The Parador is located in an old convent, the Monastery of San Francisco, and inside the grounds of the Alhambra.  The food is delicious and it offers a great view of the city.  Paradores are popular because they were built with the idea of finding out about the particular cuisine, culture and architecture of the region.   In the center of town, my favorites are Bar Oliver for fish, and El Asador de Castilla for meat. La Sitarilla is great for tapas and Cafe Futbol is not to be missed for its churros and hot chocolate, all are local favorites.

Don’t miss the many tea shops near Calle Elvira and Plaza Nueva for Morrocan tea with fresh mint and baklava pastries.  These tea shops were once used to repair copper and metal pots.  Colorful bazaars now line the roads with a variety of goods.

While in Granada, the historical region of the Alpujarras located on the south side of the Sierra Mountain range, makes for an adventurous day trip. The little white mountain villages were built on the mountain slopes by the Berbers after the Moorish conquest.  They built their villages consisting of small flat-roofed houses, and narrow, windy roads, a similar style to which they were accustomed in North Africa. The two highest mountain peaks in mainland Spain are located in the Alpujarras, more than 11,000 feet above sea level.  The highest village in mainland Spain, located at 4,842 feet, is Trevelez, famous for its ham.  In the winter time, some of the villages are usually covered in snow, and the nearby ski resort is popular. The area was very important because of its silk production, which was exported from the nearby seaport in Almeria.

The Sierra Nevada mountains and pastures have always been a fertile and green place for sheep and goats; olive trees and grapes are also cultivated here. The Alpujarras is perfect terrain for hiking, eco-friendly tourism and gastronomy. The Granada coast is only thirty minutes from Granada and makes for another fun day trip.

Some people say that Granada is the most worthwhile city in Spain to visit, and it just might be, so go and check it out!

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