March 5, 2026
Like most museums and historical sites in Europe, an advanced ticket is required, if you want guaranteed entry. We scheduled our visit to the Palacios Nazaries for 1 in the afternoon. The tickets give us access to all of the Alhambra.
Our hotel is a climb up a side street from Carrera Del Darro a main thoroughfare in the historic district of Granada. We are situated on a street that winds up to the Alhambra. We have a little patio that is carved out of the hillside.
The fortress and palaces are located on Sabika hill, an outcrop of the Sierra Nevada.
The complex was begun in 1238 by Muhammad I Ibn al-Ahmar, the first Nasrid emir and founder of the Emirate of Granada, the last Muslim state of Andalusia. After the Christians reconquered the area in 1492, the site became the royal court for Ferdinand and Isabella. It is here that Christopher Columbus received royal approval for his expedition.
We climbed the hill and entered the complex through Puerta de Justicia. Arriving early we took in the palace of Carlos V, a later Spanish addition.
The Spanish palace is very basic with no ornamentation on the main level, but it houses a small museum filled with Islamic archeological items.
Finally, we were admitted to the Nasrid Palaces. The craftsmanship and gardens are outstanding.
We left the Palaces and wandered out to corridors, courtyards and gardens oriented to the views.
Having covered a lot of ground we were beginning to wilt a bit. Fortunately there are lots of benches to rest and people watch. Plus we had a good weather day, some sun and some overcast, temperatures in the high 40’s to mid-50’s. Perfect for hill climbing…
The final push to the lower garden was so worth the extra effort. This is the area I remembered from a trip to the Alhambra almost 40 years ago.
What a day! So exciting to be back and take in the beauty of this incredible site. After exiting the Alhambra we stopped for a small beer and ice cream to celebrate our day.
Leave a Reply