This morning we meet our guide for our tour of the famous AlhambraAlhambra is a palace and a fortress first built in 889 and then rebuilt by the Moorish emir of the Emirate of Granada in the 1300’sWe visit the Palace of Charles V which is now the Alhamba MuseumThe magnificent central area of the Palace
Torre Del Homenaje also known as ‘The Keep’ is one of the oldest towers in the old citadel, AlcazabaWe pass through the Wine Gate where from 1554 tax free wine was sold inside the portalWe visit one of the oldest surviving parts of the royal palaces, the Hall of the MexuarWonderful views from the Mexuar OratoryThe facade of the Comares Palace has been beautifully restored in the 19th century
The stunning courtyard of the Comares PalaceThe Courtyard of the Myrtles with the South Gallery mirrored in the still water of the central poolThe Courtyard of the Myrtles with it’s mirror of water at the opposite endThe Hall of the Ambassadors in the Palacios NazariesThe Courtyard of the Myrtles with it’s mirror of waterSpectacular reflections can be seen especially when the day is clear and stillOur next stop is the Palace and Courtyard of the LionsThe Hall of Two Sisters is believed to be the oldest of all the rooms surrounding the Courtyard of the LionsLooking across to the Mirador San Nicolas which is a privileged balcony from where one has the best view, especially at dusk of the Alhambra area, with Sierra Nevada in the backgroundThe amazing ceiling in the Hall of the Abencerrages
The fountain of the Courtyard of the Grille
Through perfectly trimmed hedges we follow a path to the Generalife which is a retreat where the Granadan monarchs could go and relax in close proximity to the palaces of Alhambra
The beautiful gardens cover a large area of a hillside with many water features and stunning flower beds
The Spanish- Muslim GardenThe garden described as a closed paradise around a pool with fountains and flower beds on the sides and endsIn the heat of the summer the Muslim Spanish Garden is a wonderful retreat for the monarchs of the AlhambraThe views over the town of Granada from the Generalife are beautiful
The magnificent hedges of the new lower gardens which were planted in 1931 over very old orchards
We return to the hotel to relax after our several hours of sightseeing at the Alhambra
We enjoy a nice refreshing gin and tonic while looking over the most amazing view in Granada
Back to our amazing balcony!!
In the distant we can see the snow covered Sierra NevadaLate afternoon we take a walk downhill all the way into the center of GranadaWe visit the magnificent Cathedral and several other very ornate churchesThere is also very good shopping in GranadaThis evening we decide to try an inner city tapas bar for dinner called Puerta del Carmen RestauranteThe restaurant had a really wonderful atmosphere and for a change we chose to sit at the bar for our dinnerWe ordered the fabulous artichokes…..and an incredibly delicious seafood dishThe dessert was pretty amazing too!!
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