Alhambra – We had never heard of it before our trip to Spain!

Yes, I will admit that, albeit rather embarrassing.

But this UNESCO World Heritage Site is what brings so many tourists to Granada each year. In fact, it is Spain’s most visited monument. We spent more than four hours there today with most of that time spent walking around with our jaws opened in awe. It was amazing.

We did not know that there is only a limited number of tickets available each day, but as luck would have it, we were able to buy our tickets this morning at €14 each. Most tickets are bought online and some are bought a year in advance! Part of the area can be accessed without a ticket, and this area is known as the Generalife, but the palaces and ruins can only be accessed with tickets.

Alhambra is really a group of palaces, fortresses and beautiful gardens, ranging in ages from the 9th Century to the 18th Century, and as such the buildings and gardens reflect many different influences. Initially it was an Arabic fortress, then in the 13th Century it was converted by Nasrid emirs into a fortress-palace adjoined by a small town. I took this photo of the ruins of that town from the Torre de la Vela (Watchtower).

This is one of the main areas that make up Alhambra, known as Alacazaba.

A second area of Alhambra is the Nasrid Palaces. The Palacio Nazaries is said to be the most brilliant Islamic building in Europe, with its beautiful rooms and walls and amazing gardens.

This last photo was taken in the courtyard of the Palace of Lions, where water is channelled through the mouths of 12 marble lions. It symbolises paradise.

Water is a common theme in all the palaces. It did make everything feel so cool and inviting and offered beautiful reflections of the buildings.

Following the Christian conquest in late 15th Century, the Alhambra’s mosque was replaced with a church and the Convento de San Francisco. The gardens were beautiful, but the old convent is now used as a very very flash hotel!

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Charles V built a huge Renaissance Palace here in the 16th Centurt. It is a square building from the outside, but inside it has a circular two-stored courtyard.

The Generalife (or Architect’s Garden) makes up a third area, and it was stunning.

Mick had brought some water with us which he carried everywhere and which we needed. He spotted a bubbler where he could refill his bottles, but I was worried that this may have been restricted access only considering the security provided.

He also coined a new collective noun while there. A “selfie” of Japanese tourists.

This site has been beautifully restored and we now know why so many people travel to Granada to see it. Our feet are sore tonight, but we had a great day.