Located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains and in the Andalusia province, Granada is a must-see for anyone interested in Moorish architecture. It’s an easy day trip from the Costa del Sol and many hotels offer day tours to visit some of the city’s highlights.
Moorish Granada Highlights
Alhambra
This magnificent Moorish palace and fortress is one of Spain’s top tourist attractions, and no visit to Granada would be complete without a stop at the Alhambra. The palace is very well-preserved with intricate stone carvings, horseshoe arches, patios, fountains and elegant gardens. Highlights include the Court of the Myrtles and the Palace of the Lions.
The Alhambra dates back to the 9thcentury and served as a military fortress. But in the 13thcentury, during the reign of Mohammed ben Al-Hamar, it became the royal residence. Its location on a high plateau overlooks the city with the Sierra Nevada mountain range in the backdrop.
Generalife Palace
Built during the 14thcentury the palace of the Generalife used to be summer residence of the rulers of Granada. The lovely gardens are well worth visiting and from this vantage point we got a great view of the Alhambra.
To see the fountains in action : Fountains
Albaicín Area
This charming neighborhood reminded us of Morocco with its narrow alleyways and Moorish architecture. The ideal way to explore this area is simply to walk around. Its streets are line with shops and little cafés as well as interesting buildings like the 16th century Santa Ana church.
From Torremolinos, near Malaga on the Costa del Sol, we visited Granada as a day tour. Our visit was much too brief to really enjoy all that this city has to offer.
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