Enjoying Granada

While the Royal Palace is the most spectacular part of the Alhambra, you shouldn’t miss the rest of the complex. The alcazaba, or citadel, its oldest part, is built on the isolated and precipitous edged plateau on the northwest of the complex. Massive outer walls, towers and ramparts are all that are left of the original structure. You can climb the winding staircase to the top terrace of its watchtower, the Torre de la Vela, (25 metres high) and there are marvelous views over the city. A turret containing a large bell was added in the 18th century and restored after being damaged by lightning in 1881.

It is obvious that the Alcazaba served a military function. The entrance was at the foot of the Tower of Homage. A simple L-shaped walkway keeps the main gate from being seen from the outside. The gate leads to an inner vaulted space with more turns that, at the end, opens up so that defenders could control all access and respond from above to an attack. In this covered corridor there are two access points: one leading to the ground and underground floors of the Tower of Homage, and the other to the top of the wall and to the tower itself through a narrow and steep vaulted staircase.

The Alcazaba was also a residential area for the royal guard of the Sultan who controlled and patrolled the palatial city. It was actually a small city, with an urban distribution similar to that of any district of a Hispanic-Muslim city. A narrow road traverses the enclosure, dividing it into two well differentiated areas.

To the north, walls and pavements are grouped following an irregular pattern with houses of different sizes: the houses were tenanted by the royal guard that lived in the enclosure with their families. On the other side, walls similar to those of the houses follow a more regular pattern, with larger open courtyards, with evidence of the presence of warehouses or halls for the soldiers and younger guards.


Of the outlying buildings, the foremost in interest is the Palacio de Generalife or "Garden of the Architect". This villa probably dates from the end of the 13th century but has been restored several times. Its gardens, however, with their clipped hedges, grottos, fountains, and cypress avenues, are said to retain their original Moorish character.


In the Generalife gardens you will find an enchanted atmosphere and ambience I expected from the Alhambra. The palaces and buildings were all wonderful but in the Generalife you can wander and find little corners all for yourself. The gardens were designed with certain ideas in mind to create a sense of harmony and beauty which is meant to soothe the soul and nourish the spirit. Here you will find almost a mini outdoor version of some aspects of the palaces: courtyards enclosed behind high hedges; patios and cypress trees and water in abundance. The gardens are a glorious combination of greenery, water, light and shadow and the higher you climb the better the views get. Eventually you come to the point where you are looking down on the walls and towers of the Alhambra

You now need to head up the stairs into the Summer Palace. The first patio you come across is the Patio de la Acequia, built around a long rectangular pool with jets of water. From there you pass into the Patio de la Sultana where you will find the trunk of a 700 year old cyprus tree where legend has it that Abu al-Hasan caught his favorite harem girl, Zoraya, with the leader of the Abencerraj family, which led to the family being murdered at a banquet in the Sala de los Abencerrajes at the Nasrid Palace. From here you go to the upper gardens where you can see the Escalera del Agua (water staircase).

The Alhambra was once the residence of the Muslim rulers of Granada, now it is one of Spain's major tourist attractions. Here you can see the country's most famous Islamic architecture, together with Christian 16th century and later interventions.

The Alhambra is extremely popular with tourists and tickets to visit can be tricky to organise.
There are three types of tickets: Daytime visit, Garden visit and Evening or Night time visit.
Most international visitors will be interested in the Daytime visit which includes the areas of the Alcazaba, the Nasrid Palaces, the Generalife, the Mosque baths and Gardens. You either book a morning or afternoon visit. Morning (Monday to Sunday) is from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. while Afternoon is from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (from November to February) and 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 (from March to October.) The Daytime visit costs 12.00 €.

If you are in Granada the ticket office is located inside the Entrance Pavilion of the Monument but note that tickets purchased at the ticket office are only valid for the day of purchase. It is possible to buy tickets in advance between a year and a day before the visit. They can be booked by telephone (in Spain: 902 88 80 01/ abroad: (34) 93 4923750). In this case the payment will be made by credit card. Tickets can also be purchased at www.alhambra-tickets.es.

The Alhambra resembles many medieval Christian strongholds in its threefold arrangement as a castle, a palace and a residential annex for subordinates. In this entry I am just discussing the Royal Palace. It is important to understand that access to the Nasrid Palaces is different from the rest of the monument, because it is strictly limited to the half- hour indicated on the ticket due to the restrictions on maximum capacity in this area (300 people). If you do not visit the Palaces within the half- hour indicated, you will lose the right to visit.

The Royal Complex consists of three main parts: Mexuar, Serallo, and the Harem. You need to see all sections. The Mexuar is more modest in decor and houses the functional areas for conducting business and administration. The ceilings, floors, and trim are made of dark wood and are in sharp contrast to white, plaster walls.

Serallo, built during the reign of Yusef I in the 14th century, is the heart of the complex. It contains the Patio de los Arrayanes with its marvellous pool and several reception rooms where negotiations would have been held. Brightly colored interiors feature highly decorative wooden ceilings and other woodwork. This area is quite stunning.

Lastly, the Harem is also elaborately decorated and contains the living quarters for the wives and mistresses of the Arabic monarchs. This area contains a bathroom with running, hot and cold water, baths, and pressurized water for showering. The bathrooms were open to the elements in order to allow in light and air. The highlight here is the marvelous Lion Courtyard with its marble fountain. The courtyard gallery with the beautifully ornamental pavilions at its ends is supported by 124 slender marble columns. This was perhaps the area that impressed us most. It is really beautiful.

You are allowed to wander around by yourself but unless you have done extensive reading before hand, a guide is very useful. These can be arranged at the ticket office.

This enclave covers a hill across the ravine from the Alhambra. It gives the Alhambra a run for its money as the most interesting part of Granada. This ancient Moorish neighbourhood is a mix of traditional white houses and private villas in gardens enclosed by high walls. It retains the narrow winding streets of its medieval past and was declared a world heritage site in 1984, along with the more famous Alhambra.

It rises on a hill facing the Alhambra and many tourists journey into the Albayzin primarily for the spectacular views of the Alhambra from the viewing point by the Church of San Nicolas. This is great during the afternoon with the towers of Alhambra against the snowy peaks of the Serra Nevada but is really magical at night when the Alhambra is floodlit. This is no doubt a highlight but I was equally impressed by the cobble alleyways and secret corners. This is a place that guards its old Moorish roots jealously.

Highlights within the area include the remains of an Arab bath complex, Granada;s archeological museum, and the Church of San Salvador, built on the remains of the Great Mosque of Granada. This has a courtyard and Arab font whilst almost directly in front is the Church of San Juan de los Reyes still with its original minaret dating from the Nasrids in the 13th century.

The Zirid Monarchs first established their court here in the 11th century although little remains from this era today, apart from some crumbling remains of the wall and some original Moorish houses. Today you find a wide-range of restaurants, including several streets whose eateries are inspired by North Africa.

The Albayzín is hard to define and far harder to navigate. Maps exist but serve little purpose. I pre-planned a route through here but couldn’t find some of it on the ground. Directions can be solicited if you speak some Spanish, but will lead only to head-spinning confusion. Landmarks occasionally serve for orientation, but be wary not to use a church as there are five and they all look alike to the untrained eye.

I was told that to understand the Albayzín, you need to spend time in "la corazon de su corazon", the heart of its heart. This is Plaza Larga, home to a daily fruit market, where a couple of Euros will leave you laden with more than you can possibly eat. After lunch, the market gives way to the two bars on the square, whose seats stay there until late into the night.

The Albayzín has recently regained something of its past, with many Arabs returning after centuries of absence to open tea houses, restaurants and the omnipresent tacky souvenir shops. The remains of the Baños Arabes give you an idea of what a Moorish public bathhouse was like, though you're better off heading to one of the two recreated baths, where after negotiating all the hills you can wallow in the heated waters or enjoy a massage.

As the Alhambra Palace will be your prime reason for visiting Granada, this hotel qualifies on location, location, location. It is actually situated within the walls of the Alhambra so is very popular and this could be its undoing. This was formally a hostel but today it feels like a private home. If you are in Granada just to see the Alhambra and not spend a fortune, this is certainly a place to consider.

Your first impressions of the hotel are excellent. The courtyard where you can have drinks and light snacks is really very pretty. So too is the antique-crammed entrance lobby although it is fairly small. The breakfast room was decorated nicely and all these places had loads of Spanish charm. The hotel made for some beautiful photos both inside and out.

Unfortunately, the rooms are something of a letdown. We saw two and both were really small and basic. Our room was so small that with a standard-size double bed we had to climb over our luggage. The en-suite shower room was also small but it appeared to be recently renovated and was adequate. Both bedroom and bathroom were clean. The bed had seen better days and was the noisiest bed we’ve ever slept in. Just sitting on it produced a cacophony of sound and it squeaked at every movement, however slight. When the people in the next room came in later, we realised that the intervening wall was just a thin partition and sound insulation left a lot to be desired. Once things had settled down for the night, however, it was very tranquil with no outside noise at all and you couldn’t wish for a more peaceful location.

The second disappointment was breakfast. It consisted of bread, yogurt, juice, coffee and an apple. This was way below expectations and experience elsewhere and it needs to be improved. As some form of compensation we thought the staff at the hotel were great. They were all friendly and helpful.

Evening meals are potentially a problem. We visited in the off-season and dinner was not being served at the hotel. There were two choices. It's a 2 minute walk to the Parador Hotel next door if you want to have dinner there. The alternative is a walk out to dinner down the big hill to the outskirts of Granada - you can't take a car into the precinct. When the weather is nice this is not a great problem and strolling through the Alhambra in the moonlight, up the hill to the hotel was magical.

So would I recommend this hotel? Yes. It is certainly not for everyone. The small rooms and no elevator make it unsuitable for elderly travelers. The noisy bed and the thin walls probably are not great for romantics. If, however, you are into location, cuteness and charm the Hotel America fits the bill. At around 70-140 Euros a night it is not particularly cheap but it is half the cost of the adjacent Parador in just as good location. If cost is not important, go for the soul-stirring Parador in what was once a Franciscan monastery.

The printed information on this hotel says that it is situated in the centre of Granada. It isn’t, at least as far as tourist interest goes. We arrived late in the afternoon and were only staying for one night so I was keen to get out and see the cathedral and something of Albayzin before dark. A quick enquiry at the desk indicated that Albayzin was too far to walk to and the clerk was not keen on me walking the 15 minutes back from the cathedral after dark. So much for that great plan!


The hotel itself was adequate. The reception staff were helpful and friendly. We had no contact with the rooms division personnel. The room was a reasonable size and the bathroom was clean. The room, decorated in pastel colours, had a TV with some international channels, telephone, safe deposit box, mini bar, and radio. The bathroom had the usual facilities.


Although the room was air-conditioned, this didn’t seem to keep out miscellaneous noises. First it was the traffic, then noise from the plumbing. Every time someone above or beside us used the bathroom we were well and truly disturbed. We later found that this was a common problem in Spanish hotels but we found it very annoying. Friends of ours stayed in another room next to the service entry and they reported constant noise due to the opening/closing of the service door and the maids preparing their trolley. Clearly, noise is a problem.

The hotel has 93 rooms, lounge, restaurant and bar. There is laundry service and car parking is available. The business centre had good facilities including translation services. There is an outdoor pool and a solarium but neither were operating this early in the season.


Because we were tired we ate dinner in the hotel. The menu offered considerable choice but we were under-whelmed by the meals. It was as though they had reduced everything to the lowest common denominator. There was nothing wrong with the food but it was presented and tasted completely bland and unexciting. We had hoped for better. The breakfast buffet next morning was also a disappointment. It offered a selection of cheap bacon, sausages and cheese but as Spain has such great fine meats it was a pity none of them were available. Fruit, juice and cereal were available so I was happy enough but some of the others were not.


As this was the first hotel we had stayed in outside Madrid we had little to compare it to. After several weeks in the country I would not regard this to be a four-star hotel (as it advertises) but rather a better three-star property. If we had approached it like this we probably would have been satisfied. Fortunately, compared to the hotels nearer the Alhambra, it only charges three-star rates for most of the year.