Set high overlooking Granada, we found Alhambra to be staggeringly, overwhelmingly beautiful… You may have seen photos or read about Alhambra but it needs to be experienced. It’s high on the ‘must visit’ list for many visitors to Spain.
Alhambra has a chequered history of settlement. It’s said that the original fortress was Roman, and it has certainly been heavily influenced by occupancy of Muslim rulers. Later, Catholic Spaniards took control. There’s a brief history of the ‘red fort’ and some further references here.
We’ll let the pictures do the talking on this one.
Generalife is not a mere adjunct to Alhambra. The Gardens are definitely worth visiting, and anywhere else would be the main attraction in their own right. They are located adjacent to Alhambra and were designed for the recreation of the Moorish rulers. Generalife is a carefully designed garden and includes several more buildings in the Alhambra style. Water features in fountains and reflecting pools. There are numerous vantage points overlooking the surrounding town and hillsides. Generalife is included in the itinerary of those with an interest in significant and historic gardens. We spent an afternoon strolling, exploring and wandering and left refreshed and revived.
There are stupendous Cathedrals across Europe. The Cathedral of the Incarnation in Granada is another impressive Catholic Church example. We mention it here because we sat in on a very moving service – despite speaking very little Spanish or Latin it brought the church to life and echoed hundreds of years of worship across generations of congregants. Whatever your religious beliefs, we find respectfully taking part (or at least observing) offers deeper insight into the fabric of a community than skipping through the ‘bucket list’ of attractions in a town, region or country.
What did you think of Alhambra? We’d love to hear – email us at ideas@travelsampler.world or follow us on Instagram or Facebook and add your comments. See more of Spain here Beyond Madrid.
