Not only was Granada my favorite city in Spain that I visited, it is also the home of the Alhambra. April was a great time to go because of the spring temperatures and blooming flowers.

Not knowing what to expect, I went my separate way to capture different perspectives of the beautiful palace and fortress. After purchasing our tickets for the Palacios Nazaries, off we went.

I spent roughly 4 to 5 hours exploring and admiring the detail. I continued to imagine how much work it took to construct this palace through the years without modern day technology.

Generalife

I started at Generalife and worked my way to the bottom towards Palacios Nazaries. The climb to the Generalife entrance is advised for those that are physically in shape from Granada since it sits overlooking the city. Generalife has beautifully sculpted hedges and terraces, along with flowers and fountains to enjoy. It is also one of the oldest surviving Moorish gardens and was created in the early 1300s during Muhammad III’s reign.

The most recognizable area of the Generalife is the Patio de la Acequia (or Court of the Water Channel or Water-Garden Courtyard in English). The fountains and architecture around the courtyard are stunning.

Granada from General Life 2011

Generalife

General Life Granada View 2011

Generalife

General Life 2011

Hedges

View of Granada from General Life 2011

Generalife

General Life Fountains 2011

Patio de la Acequia

General Life Gardens 2011

Patio de la Acequia

Alhambra 2011

Flower Terraces

After leaving the Generalife, there are other buildings and churches to discover. The Iglesia de Santa María was a darkly lit church with natural light built in.

Iglesia de Santa María 2011

Iglesia de Santa María

Palacio de Carlos V

The Palacio de Carlos V (or Palace of Charles V) was the home of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. Charles V wanted to live close to the Alhambra palaces and chose to built along side the palace in 1527. The palace was never finished as Charles relocated to Madrid. The open courtyard in the middle of the palace is interesting as all the rooms were along the two levels overlooking the courtyard. I could definitely see the Roman architectural influence of this palace through the stone and column structure. Running out of time before my Nasrid Palace reservation, I was not able to see the inside (now museums) of this unique palace.

Panorama Central Courtyard Building 2011

Palace of Charles V

Panorama HDR Central Courtyard 2011

Palace of Charles V

Alhambra 2011

Second Level of Palace of Charles V

Alcazaba

Before touring the Nasrid Palaces, I explored the Alcazaba. The Alcazaba was constructed in the early 11th century as a palatial fortification. Plaza de los Aljibes was part of the early royal castle and only its outside walls remain. Walking through this area, it feels like you are looking down on a maze.  Climb one of the many towers to get a great view of Granada and the Sierra Nevadas on a clear day.

Panorama from Alhambra 2011

Granada from Alcazaba

Panorama of Granada 2011

Granada Panorama

Panorama of Alhambra 2011

Alcazaba Panorama

Panorama from Torre del Cubo 2011

View from Torre del Cubo

Palacios Nazaries

The Palacios Nazaries (or Nasrid Palaces) Get your tickets in advance and plan your visit around them. This area is the most stunning of all. Make sure to pay attention to the details of the walls, ceilings, and doors. There are three main palaces to see within the Palacios Nazaries. They are the Mexuar, the Comares (or Yusuf I Palace), and the Palace of the Lions, or of Mohammed V. The Patio de los Leones (or Court of the Lions) is one of the must-sees when visiting. Unfortunately for us, the courtyard was under construction, so we were not able to see it.

Alhambra 2011

Palacios Nazaries

Alhambra 2011

Palacios Nazaries

Alhambra 2011

Doorway

Alhambra 2011

Palacios Nazaries

Alhambra Ceiling 2011

Ceiling

Alhambra 2011

Palacios Nazaries

Below is a map of the Alhambra. As you can see, there is much to see, so spending a whole day here is very easy!

Map from PlanetWare.com

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