Granada was the last stronghold of Moorish Spain, holding out until 1492, and the Alhambra (the fortress-palace complex above the city) remains one of the greatest surviving works of Islamic architecture anywhere in the world. Below it, the Albaicín quarter's narrow lanes preserve the layout of the medieval Moorish city, and Granada is one of the last places in Spain where a tapa still comes free with your drink.
The Alhambra
The Nasrid Palaces, the Alhambra's architectural heart, require a timed entry ticket booked weeks in advance in peak season, the intricate stucco work, reflecting pools, and carved wooden ceilings inside the Palacio de Comares and Patio de los Leones are the reason people cross the world to see this complex.
The Generalife gardens, the sultans' summer retreat just outside the main palace walls, are worth the extra time for their terraced fountains and views back across the Alhambra's red walls to the city and the Sierra Nevada mountains beyond.
The Albaicín and Free Tapas
The Albaicín's white-washed lanes climb the hill opposite the Alhambra, a maze of Moorish-era streets that lead eventually to the Mirador de San Nicolás, the classic viewpoint looking directly across at the Alhambra with the Sierra Nevada as backdrop, go at sunset, and expect company.
Granada is one of the only Spanish cities where ordering a drink still comes with a free tapa, and the quality generally scales with the price of the drink, bar-hop through the Realejo district for the best combination of atmosphere and free food.
Recommended Stay · Granada · Alhambra Grounds
Parador de Granada
A former 15th-century convent inside the Alhambra's own walls, the only hotel located within the monument itself, with gardens overlooking the Generalife.
