Here the next part of my blog post series about our trip to Spain in August.
We first stayed 3 days in Barcelona: part 1: Barcelona. Followed by a trip down the east coast of Spain to Granada: part 2: Spanish East coast. From there we made a few day excursions: part 3: Day Trips.
And now I will talk about the things we have seen in Granada. Except for the Alhambra. that topic deserves its own post. :)
Albayzín
The first day in Granada, we explored the district we were staying in - the Albayzín.
It is one of the oldest parts of the city and from the time the Mores ruled over the Iberian peninsula.
You can still see the Arabic influences very strongly. Especially down the Calle Calderería Nueva, with its bazaar-like charm and little booths selling oriental clothing and souvenirs.
The Albayzín was build on top of the hill across the river Rio Darro from the Alhambra. On top of the hill is the Iglesia de San Nicolás with a breathtaking view over the city and of the Alhambra. On the plaza next to it, we were able to listen to some beautiful street music.
Later at night, we had a wonderful dining and Flamenco experience at the Jardines de Zoraya restaurant.
Alcaicería & Granada's Cathedral
On another day we visited the downtown are of Granada. We did a tour through its magnificent Cathedral. It was definitelty impressive with so much ornamental detail and great artwork. Next door is the old market area Alcaireria, which is also one of Granada's must-visits.
Abadía del Sacromonte
Another interesting spot to visit in Granada is the district called Sacromonte. It is filled with old cave houses similar but a little less hidden than the ones in Guadix. This used to be the district populated by the gypsies of Spain and you can still see some people living their nomadic ways in some improvised housing across the river along the hills. They also use the many little caves for shelter. Walking up another hill we ended up by the Abby of Sacromonte. It used to be Jewish and now Christian.
Anyone coming to visit Spain and in particular the province of Andalusia should spend some time in Granada if only for the otherworldly architecture of the Alhambra, but better to see even more of this beautiful city.
In my next post I will talk about the Alhambra - the undefeated highlight of our trip to Spain.
If you have missed the previous posts, here they are:
Spain Trip - Part 1: Barcelona
Spain Trip - Part 2: Spanish East Coast
Spain Trip - Part 3: Day TripsLabels: Andalusia, architecture, Europe, Flamenco, Granada, Spain, summer, travel, vacation
