Granada Information

Granada is the province of Andalucia with the widest range of options for the visitor. There is the coastline to the south and the Sierra Nevada, the highest mountain range in Spain, with excellent winter sports facilites, to the north. Next there are the Alpujarras home to some of the most marvellous natural reserves for rural tourism, and then Granada city itself, former Moorish capital and home of the Alhambra.

Granada has a profusion of historical buildings ranging from Arab palaces to the architectural gems of the Renaissance. Since it was the last Arab kingdom on the peninsula, it is also a symbolic city.

You need time to wander round the streets, through the Albaicin quarter and enjoy the courtyards of the Generalife. Granada needs more than a single day to be explored, as there is a wealth of sights that would be a shame to miss.

ALHAMBRA AND GENERALIFE

The Alhambra is a beautiful ensemble of buildings and gardens. The lush poplar groves provide pleasant shade and the air echoes with the sound of tinkling water. The Koran says that heaven is a garden with running water. From this perspective you could say the Alhambra is an Arabic attempt to create heaven on earth.

CATHEDRAL

The cathedral with its five naves is considered to be the most important Renaissance building in Spain. Built in the transition period of Gothic to Renaissance, it shows elements of the earlier style. Specially remarkable are the main chapel, the Capilla Mayor, the lateral chapels and of course the façade with its sculptures.

ALBAICIN AND SACROMONTE

The Albaicín is the old Arabic quarter located on the hill opposite the Alhambra. It is an appealing area of cobblestone streets and white washed houses. In the area there are the remains of an Arab bath complex and the church of San Salvador, originally a Moorish mosque. In the Albaicín you will find some original Moorish houses and a wide range of restaurants.

For centuries gypsies have lived in the caves of Sacromonte. Many of them have been changed into areas for tourists, decorated with ceramics and traditional copper-works. They give regular Flamenco performances.