Granada

Granada's most popular attraction is the Moorish Alhambra Palace, which dominates the Andalucian skyline for miles around.

The Alhambra gets it's name from the Arabic for 'red castle' owing to it's reddish walls and stands atop the al-Sabika hill on the banks of the River Darro to the West of Granada. A castle has stoop at Alhambra since the 9th century, it served as a military fortress with a dominating view over the whole city and surrounding areas, the Alhambra that we see today stems from the 13th century when Mohammed I of the Nasrid dynasty made Alhambra his royal residence. Over the more than 700 years since many different monarchs of many different religious persuasions have built and destroyed until the Alhambra we see today was born.

You can't visit Granada without visiting the Alhambra, the beautiful construction showcases the best of the eclectic history between Spain and the Moors, it glistens in the sunshine and lights up Andalucia by night. The gardens are a beautiful and refreshing rest-stop to the Spanish heat, and the history and culture oozes from every beautiful inch or ancient Arabic architecture.

TIP - buy tickets in advance for visiting Alhambra, the palace is without doubt the most popular attraction in town and queues can be long. If possibly visiting early in the morning or at evening will also help cut down waiting times. Also, wear comfortable shoes, as with a lot of Andalucia, walking is involved, and the climbs are STEEP. As a sidenote, I've just read on TripAdvisor that there are no cashpoints (ATM's) on Alhambra, so make sure you take any cash required. 

As stunning and visually striking as this Moorish palace is, this treasure trove of a city has much more to offer, here are just a couple of examples; 

Arguably, Cervantes apart, Spain's most famous writer, Federico Garcia Lorca's is Granada's most famous son. His quite remarkable, and tragically short life is immortalised in this quaint museum and memorial garden just outside Granada. If you are unfamiliar with the life of Federico Garcia Lorca you can learn more about his brilliant and tragic life here.

I must confess, despite my grandfather hailing from the gem in Andalusia's crown, Granada, this gorgeous park with its quite breathtaking views remained undiscovered by me until I read about it on travel blog some years ago. It is located near to the Alhambra Palace, and requires exertion to reach, but it is worth every bead of sweat and every blister from the moment you arrive.

The Albaicin

Eclectic, is probably the best way to describe the 'other' hill in Granada and the Calle Elvira leading up to it. A colourful jamboree of traditional tapas, flamenco, Moroccan street vendors, friendly locals, Arab baths, exclusive restaurants and breathtaking views from the top. Unless you've walked these cobbled streets and, if you are able, climbed to the top, then you haven't experienced the real Granada.

Granada is renowned for its larger than average collection of students, this lends to its lively nightlife, prevailing free tapas culture  and its own lively branch of Flamenco.

If you want Flamenco, real Flamenco, you visit Seville or Jerez, but if I could give you one tip for a visit to Granada it would be this - visit Pena de la Plateria - a real flamenco club, with traditional Spanish food, and offering sumptuous views of The Alhambra Palace, and all at a reasonable cost. As hidden gems go, this is the epitome.

If any of you ever hear anything more beautiful than real flamenco, please, let me know.