Oh, these Spanish towns! We spent three days in Granada and found it to be one of the most appealing cities in all of the Iberian Peninsula. Among the best, most beautiful ones we have seen are the big ones like Barcelona and Madrid. But make no mistake, towns such as Salamanca, Ronda, Toledo, Cordoba, and Granada are simply stunning as well in their unique way. No two are alike. These places are a photographer’s delight. Some are beautiful because they are located on the sea or feature dazzling architecture, some were built centuries ago on high cliffs but nearly all have a fabulous, ancient castle. Today, some castles are in ruins and leave much to the imagination as to what things might have been like in the 7th century. In the past 100 years, though, to enhance tourism, attract tourists, globe, writers, and historians from around the globe . . . and to preserve history for future generations, of course, many of these fabulous fortresses and sometimes accompanying palaces have been tastefully and authentically restored. Every city of any importance in the Iberian Peninsula has a castle. Built over 800 years by Moorish and Spanish rulers, these fortresses were used to defend holdings not only from each other but also to control ambitious nobles on both sides.
Our expectations of Granada were that this city might be simply a near-repeat of other historic Spanish towns with pretty churches, the castle, of course, and some nice restaurants and shops.
The countryside we rode through on our train trip to Granada was farmland and commanded our constant admiration. I tried to take photos along the way, but sadly, landscape photos never come close to seeing the real thing go whizzing by. Olive groves occupied hillsides and valleys for miles and miles, as far as one could see in every direction. Like yards of green dotted Swiss fabric, the trees were growing in such a precise manner the farmers must have used lasers to guide their planting. There were fields of just-cut golden wheat, separated by vast beds of priceless asparagus and cabbages. Workers toiled among acres of tall green onion tops pulling the bulbs and laying them aside on the soil to dry in the sun and ready them for market.
And then we reached Granada! Oh, Granada! Every city block held another lovely, appealing sight!
A bit of background as to what might have led to the beauty and culture in this place. The Iberian Peninsula was a place of war and conquest from its beginning until 1492 when Spanish monarchs finally defeated the Moors gaining critical control of the land and more importantly, control of the waters on its three sides. Earlier, and in brief, Venetians and the Roman conquerors were the first to invade the peninsula and do away with the native Iberians. One can only see the many farms watered to this day by remains of aqueducts designed and built by the Romans so long ago to see Rome’s early influence. Then the Moors arrived. Who are the Moors? They were an enigmatic collection of dark-skinned Islamic tribes of Arab or African descent. In 711, they came from across the Strait of Gibraltar from Mauritania, now Morocco. After invading the Christian-controlled Iberian Peninsula, the Moors ruled the land from the capitals of their primary kingdoms, Granada and Cordoba, for the next 800 years. Until their defeat and expulsion by Isabella and Ferdinand, they made an indelible and undeniable mark on this part of the world. The Moors were an advanced bunch and brought with them medicines, knowledge of astronomy, improved agricultural practices, and new crops that are most often regarded as traditional Spanish or Mediterranean foods like lemon, orange, apricot, peach, date palms, and pomegranates as well as sugar cane, cotton, rice, and silk – just to name a few. They were educated and made education universal in Moorish Spain while most of the rest of Europe remained illiterate. The Moors most clearly left their signature in advanced architecture and construction techniques. During their rule, they built grand palaces and elaborate mosques that are quite characteristic of Spain today. Later, after the Reconquista in 1492, most of the grand Islamic mosques were converted to churches and cathedrals. Muslim mosque washing fountains were eliminated, mosaics were covered, and most iconic pointed arches were hidden. Just one more thing . . . the Costa Del Sol has over 200 towers, most of them built by the Moors by the Nasrid Dynasty of Granad in 1215. Later, in the 1500s after the Moors were defeated, Christians carried on the practice of building defensive towers using the Moorish architectural style. Because of their remarkable solid construction and the fact that they were continuously used until the 20th century, half of the towers still stand today. There is one just a few blocks from our apartment.
One of Spain’s most elaborate examples of Islamic architecture and one of the best-preserved castle-palace complexes of the Moorish era stands in Granada. Called the Alhambra, this huge palace, museum, and garden-like forest complex surrounded by a great defensive stone wall and towers, is a symbol of power. Today, this great place hosts over 3 million visitors a year.
Not only is Granada eye-pleasing with its stunning architecture but it is also graced with one after the other great fountained plazas decorated with orange trees. Surrpunding the plazas are amazing restaurants and shops. The town has designated main shopping streets as pedestrian-only streets but it also has narrow, winding market streets that should be pedestrian-only but somehow some cars do make the tight trip through them. Pedestrians there must step into the doorway or seriously suck-it-in to let the car go by. We were astounded.
There are is an untold number of gorgeous, historic, and stunning cities in Spain, but Granada is probably at the top of my list. Travel alert: Because the number of visitors per day is limited, tickets to explore Alhambra aren’t cheap and must be purchased at least six weeks in advance. If more comfortable with a guided tour of Alhambra, a two-person booking can easily cost well over 600 Euros and more. Stan and I learned this fact about a week before our visit. No tickets for us . . even at any price. We consoled ourselves by saying we already have seen far too many castles and palaces to be impressed, but, in truth, we missed this one, maybe one of the best. We did, however, walk to the top of the hill where Alhambra sits and explored that portion of the grounds that doesn’t require a ticket. At least we recorded an impressive number of steps and stair flights on that fine day.
The Alhambra is not the only attraction, like all other great Spanish cities, churches, and cathedrals are plentiful. Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand are buried in Granada in the crypt of The Royal Chapel of Granada. No photos were allowed there but the church was astoundingly grand. While Granada’s beauty lends the impression of a very prosperous city, it is not. Because most of the economy is based on agriculture and tourism, the average income is quite low, but the cost of living is relatively high. Still, it is a super charming place, and its residents are very friendly, welcoming and hard-working . . . except at siesta time. All shopping and lunchtime dining must be completed by 2:30 pm; shops re-open at 4:30 pm and dinner begins at 8 pm, which seems quite civilized except Stan and I are old and are usually in bed by 10 pm!
One of our first thoughts about the town was: people look young here! That is because first and foremost, Granada is a university town. One in every four inhabitants is a student or otherwise directly a part of the University, which helps explain Granada’s appreciation for art and history and its progressive attitude and overall vibe. Unlike in bigger cities, in Granada, if a beer is ordered in a restaurant, it automatically comes with a free tapa. Students survive on tapas and beer. Here’s a tip for the budget-minded, the nearer a restaurant is to the university, the larger the beer and tapa will be!
We spent three days in Granada. I think they were some of our best!
We are excited!!! SHEA IS COMING TODAY!! I am one happpy mama!
