Introduction |  |
Granada is justly celebrated for its resplendent Alhambra, the hilltop citadel that was the Moors’ last outpost before they were finally ousted by the reconquest in 1492. It’s a minor miracle that it’s still standing: Napoleon almost blew the whole thing up in 1812. But even if it had suffered such a fate, the busy university town would still be seductive. The enchantingly haphazard historic centre, a thriving restaurant and bar scene, good nightlife, decent shopping and a setting at the confluence of two rivers in the foothills of the mighty, snow-capped Sierra Nevada, conspire to make this one of Spain’s richest cities.
Some of the Alhambra did get razed by the French, but the most important part – the Nazarí palaces where the emirs held court – were saved. There are few finer surviving examples of medieval Moorish architecture than this, and few finer representations of Arabic art than the exquisitely intricate stucco and tiling that adorn every inch of the palaces’ tranquil patios and airy chambers. The Alhambra is Spain’s most visited monument, with over two million visitors a year. Consequently, public entry is carefully controlled, which means you should buy a ticket in advance (902 224 460 within Spain or 915 379 178 from the UK, visit www.alhambratickets.com or a branch of Spanish bank BBVA). Otherwise you might queue to find there are no tickets left. Tickets are issued for strict half-hour entry slots.
From its hilltop perch, the Alhambra overlooks the smaller hill just to the north, which houses the old town, also known as the Albaicín. It’s a maze of cobbled backstreets and whitewashed houses, some of them dating from the 16th century and earlier. Climb up to the Mirador (balcony) de San Nicolás for the famous view of the Alhambra against the Sierra Nevada. At the foot of the Albaicín a cluster of streets (notably C/Calderería Nueva) are redolent of a genuine North African medina.
Behind the Albaicín is the Sacromonte mountain, where poor gitanos (gypsies) began to hack dwellings out of the mountainside in the 16th century. Some of the caves are still inhabited today, though with vastly improved conditions. There’s more information about Sacromonte at the Centro de Interpretación del Sacromonte (Barranco de los Negros s/n, 958 215 120, www.sacromontegranada.com).
Christianity has left its mark on the city since the reconquest. The part-Renassiance, part-baroque cathedral (C/Gran Vía 5, 958 222 959) in the heart of town is one of the largest in the world; immediately adjacent is the earlier Royal Chapel (C/Oficios, 958 227 848, www.capillarealgranada.com), where Ferdinand and Isabella, the Catholic Monarchs who recaptured Granada, are buried. The gilded altars in both buildings are almost blinding.
• Tourist information: Plaza Mariana Pineda 10 (958 247 128, www.turismodegranada.org).
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