My friend and I mistakenly left Seville a day earlier than planned. In a way it was great to spend the extra day in Granada exploring areas that we may not have otherwise.
Granada is a small town accessible by train from Seville and by bus from Malaga. We arrived in Malaga in the afternoon and after checking in, we headed out to stroll through the town. Granada is known for the Alhambra but there are other attractions as well in the town.
Le Chien Andalou
We first went to Le Chien Andalou to get tickets to a Flamenco show. We were hoping to see it that night but it was sold out for that evening so we bought tickets for the following day. At 6 euros per person for the cover, the show was really good even though the space was small. We arrived a little early so that we could also have something to eat. We ordered a paella and an octopus dish – both were really yummy, especially the paella. The interesting thing about this pub was that it occupies an underground cave. The cave was formerly a water cistern, also known as an “aljibe”. As you walk into the cave, you can feel and smell the dampness of what use to occupy the dining area. The aljibes were periodically filled with spring water and were used to supply fresh water to the people of the Albaicín. Although the public aljibes were used by most residents, some had their own personal aljibe.
Over the 2 full days we spent in Granada, we thoroughly enjoyed the walks through the town, ducking into cafes to enjoy our coffees and sweets, strolling through stores looking at clothes, and people watching. We routinely stopped at 2 different cafés, one was near the hotel where I’d pick up my morning coffee. The other was closer to the centre of town where we’d sit for a couple hours in the afternoon to rest and have more coffee and something to eat. There was also a watering hole about 10 minutes from our hotel that we’d fill up our water bottles on our way to and from the hotel.
Albaicin
Albaicin Street
We used our extra day in Granada to walk up to the top of the Albaicín. It was such a beautiful walk to do in the morning. The streets were winding and narrow and lined with beautiful homes. Once we reached the top, we sat down in the square to watch people buy stuff from the fruits and vegetable stalls. There were also a couple stalls selling clothing. After our break, we walked through the square following a few people to where we saw a stunning view of the Alhambra across the valley. We took pictures and sat for a long while admiring the view. It was such an impressive view in advance of our tour of the Alhambra which was the next morning.
Alhambra
Alhambra Palace
My friend and I had bought tickets for the Alhambra which also included a walking guided tour. It was such a treat to walk through the gardens and palaces. The guided tour was ok but I would have preferred to not have to follow a guide. The guided tour went quickly through the Alhambra and we didn’t have too much time to take pictures during the tour and it was also hard to hear was the guide was saying. We got snippets here and there about the fortress and palace and its history. The Alhambra was amazing to walk through. The Generlife gardens were beautiful and the palaces were equally stunning with its Moorish architecture.
Alhambra
Generalife Gardens (Alhambra)
Some of the things we learned on the tour was that not only is the Alhambra a Moorish fortress and palace but it also showcases the Islamic influence on architecture. It was built during the 10th century for the Moorish royalties of the Nasrid dyansty. Although it’s mostly Moorish architecture, the Palace of Charles V was built within the grounds during the 16th century when the reconquest took place.
