The Red One

A trip had already been planned with his two best friends/mates. It was the first year of our relationship when we decided to “become serious” and Erik said he’d be away for a month. A month! At that age, a month seemed like an eternity, especially to someone who was ready to pack the U Haul and buy property after our first date. He’d come back a completely changed person or forget what I looked like (there was no Skype then) or meet some hot Spanish guy and stay in Europe! There was no way I wasn’t going to be a part of that trip. Compromise reached and I joined in Barcelona for a few days. From there, we went off to Greece and the rest is part of our travel history.

What I missed was Granada and what Erik said was one of the most beautiful palace/fortress sites he’d ever seen: The Alhambra. I finally got to see it 24 years later and can only say the pics do not do it justice. Hopefully they can at least be a window into the beauty of what was and what is preserved today.

We drove in for the afternoon from Malaga and limited our visit to focus on three sites, entering through the gates of the Alcazaba and wandering until a scheduled time to see the Nasrid Palaces. Next visual overload was the Generalife and Gardens with some amazing vistas of Granada and the Alhambra itself. A quick google search gives you loads of info on the Islamic and later Christian design work we see today and the torrid history that brought it all to life. The images speak for themselves.

The Alcazaba, Paseo de los Cipreses and the jardines

Nasrid Palaces

Generalife: Lower Gardens and High Gardens

Tips if you go

• Buy your tickets online before to ensure entrance. Numbers are limited each day. We used the official site alhambra.org without a guide.

• If you want more information walking along on your own, the rented audio guides are worth the 6€.

• Pick up water when you get into the complex to last while walking around. IT’S HOT IN JULY/AUGUST.

• A tip from our Airbnb host: Stop in the Paradore on the grounds for a coffee and bite (or spend the night). The setting is magical.

• Be prepared to spend about 3-4 hours minimum, especially if you want to study the detail the Muslim, Jewish and Christian artisans so painstakingly applied.

• Plug in the parking destination into GPS. There are 4 parking lots at the Alhambra. There’s also a bus to Granada if you want to take in the views of the Alhambra from below and visit the beautiful city.