Granada

Ted. It’s hard to believe, but in all my trips to Spain, I had never visited Granada, one of the most famous cities in the country. Judy went there a number of years ago but I kept putting it off. A newly completed high speed train from Málaga took away my last excuse so off we went for a day trip to the home of the legendary Alhambra. 

View of Granada from the Alhambra

From the train station, we strolled just a short distance to the Basílica de San Juan de Dios, built to house the remains of Saint John of God. He was apparently a great person (thus the sainthood) who founded a hospital in Granada. It was Spanish Baroque which was gaudy beyond belief but that’s what they do in churches here. 

Altar

Reliquary

Our next stop was that fabled palace complex, the Alhambra. There is tons of information on the internet about this place so I’ll just include a couple of snapshots of the walls, the gardens and the incredible Nasrid palaces. 

After touring the grounds, we took a taxi across town to Plaza de San Nicolás where one gazes back across the Darro Valley for iconic views of the Alhambra. We were even able to see mighty Mulhacén. Named after the penultimate Sultan of Granada, it rises over 11,000 feet making the highest mountain on the Iberian Peninsula. 

Mulhacén is the peak at the left

I’m not sure I’ll rush back, but the Alhambra is sort of like the Palace of Versailles; everyone should see it once before they die.