Abadiá de Sacromonte

This is one of my favourite places in Granada for the views, the tranquility and the amazing history that lies within its wall.  The Abbey itself is imposing and rings out its bells to the locals of Sacromonte.  To walk from Sacromonte to the Abbey takes around 25 minutes and is uphill all the way.  It is definitely worth the effort though for the views and to get a feel for the charm of the place.  It is also arguably the best place in Granada to view the sun setting from as you get to see the amazing sky behind the Alhambra and surrounding city

If you do make the effort to visit the Abbey, do not leave without having a guided tour inside the grounds.  Although the tours are infrequent, they are well worth the wait.  The history of the Abbey is immense and you will discover how the Abbey was constructed on this site, when the remains of Saint Cecil were discovered in around 1595.  Saint Cecil and a number of Christian followers were brutally murdered by the Roman whilst defending their faith.  The tour of the Abbey will tell you more and takes you down into the Catacombs below. Follow @nwbridges78

Mirador Cruz de la Rauda

This mirador is often missed as it is fairly well hidden of the main Albaycin to Sacromonte road.  It is however worth a visit as the views of the Albaycin are attractive allowing you to see across the whole of the district. Follow @nwbridges78

Plaza San Miguel

Plaza San Miguel is a great square for relaxing a enjoy a coffee or light lunch.  The Iglesia de San Miguel, which overlooks the square, was built over the site of a former mosque in the mid 16th century. Follow @nwbridges78

Plaza Nueva

Plaza Nueva was built by the Christians and named 'new square' to distinguish it from the square built by the Moors (Bib Rambla).  This is a busy place and one of the best gateways to the Alhambra, Paseo Los Tristes, the Albaycin or the City Centre. Follow @nwbridges78

Mirador de Cruz de Quiros

This viewpoint offers fantastic views of the cathedral and city below.  It is also right by the 'eye of Granada', a powerful camera obscura that allows you excellent views of the city in close-up detail. Follow @nwbridges78

Iglesia de San Jose

With its beautiful bell tower, converted from a minaret in the16th century, Iglesia San Jose invites you to want to move closer and see more.  Inside the church are many pieces of artistic heritage. Follow @nwbridges78

Iglesia San Pedro and Pablo

With its beautiful setting on the banks of the River Darro with the majestic Alhambra hill rising behind it, the Iglesia de San Pedro y San Pablo was the first church constructed in Catholic Granada with a rectangular ground plan. As well as the interesting murals painted on its exterior walls, the church boasts beautiful carved ceilings and paintings within.

Follow @nwbridges78

Iglesia de Santa Ana

This 16th century church, with its slender tower and pretty facade, is the first thing that strikes you as you walk towards Paseo de los Tristes from Plaza Nueva.  Lorca called it a "little tiny tower more convenient for doves" but its interior has some fine artwork and is makes extremely picturesque photos with the mountain backdrops. Follow @nwbridges78

Iglesia Santo Domingo

Although it is often overlooked due to its location out from the centre towards Realejo, the Iglesia Santo Domingo has one of the most beautiful facades of all the churches in Granada.  Its extremely well preserved mural paintings may have faded over the years, but they still hint at the former glory of this 16th century church.  Inside, the church houses a beautiful altar piece, chamber of mirrors and recreation of the last supper.  The statue outside honours Friar Luis, a chaplain to Phillip II who argued for religious tolerance amongst all faiths before losing his life. Follow @nwbridges78

Plaza Mariana Pineda

This square can be a shady retreat from the hot sun and houses many cafes and a very helpful tourist information centre.  The statue honours Mariana Pineda who was executed for treason in 1831, much to the anger of many inhabitants of the area.  Follow @nwbridges78

Mirador de San Nicholas

This is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful panoramas in the world and has been viewed by all manner of people, including Bill and Hilary Clinton.  What is magical about this mirador is that it seems to offer slightly different experiences at different times of the days.  In the day you can see the majesty of the Alhambra and the surroundings, whilst at night the Alhambra is lit up and is equally stunning.  A great place to watch the sun set. Follow @nwbridges78

Mirador de San Cristobal

This is the highest part of the hill on which the Albaycin was built and hence it offers dramatic views that can't be seen from any other part of the Albaycin.  From here, you get spectacular views of the Sierra Nevada, the old city walls and much of Granada city.  Follow @nwbridges78

Paseo de los Tristes

No visit to Granada is complete without wandering down the Paseo de los Tristes which runs alongside the river Darro.  Positioned below the Alhambra, you get wonderful views looking up and can just about make out the figures of people looking down at you and taking pictures of the Albaycin.  However, make sure that you do not look up for too long or you will miss some wonderful historical buildings along this road.  These include the Iglesia de San Pedro, Casa del Castril and the Cisterian Monastery of San Bernardo.  Along the way there are plenty of places to stop for a drink or, if the crowds get too much for you, duck down one of the side streets and explore the lower Albaycin. Follow @nwbridges78

Coral del Carbon

The Coral de Carbon, with its impressively ornate entrance, gives a glimpse back into the 14th century.  In ancient times, it was used as a coal yard and later for lodgings.  In Christian times, it was a corn exhange before being used as an oper air theatre.  This is something you can easily imagine when you step inside and look up at its balconies. Follow @nwbridges78

La Madraza

La Madraza was an old 13th century Moorish palace that functioned as a centre for studies such as theology and law.  In its time, it was highly prestigious and part of the heart of the Moorish city.  Situated right next door to the Cathedral, it is easy to overlook this building but its brickwork makes its extremely attractive.

Follow @nwbridges78

Alcaiceria

This used to be an extremely prestigious silk area frequented by merchants in Moorish times.  However, much of the original area was destroyed by fire in 1843 and what you see today is a reconstruction of how it used to be.

The Alcaiceria, just between the Cathedral and Bib Rambla, is a great place for exploring and looking at the various pieces of clothing or jewellery for sale.  As it is fairly narrow though, it can get very busy in summer. Follow @nwbridges78

Plaza Bib Rambla

This is an attractive square of shops which has an inner square of cafes and flower stalls.  Quite often there will be some form of street performance taking place to entertain you as well.  A square has existed here for nearly 1000 years and it was the focus of Muslim public life in the past.  It also still retains an attractive 17th century fountain as seen above. Follow @nwbridges78

Carmen de los Mártires

This is a delightful park that is best accessed from Granada by ascending via Campo de Principe (Realejo) or is a 10 minute walk from the Alhambra.  It is a charming and peaceful park that you can stroll round to see views of the city and the Alhambra.  My personal preference though is to wander round the lake and see the ducks swimming around the grotto in the middle.    

In moorish times, military tournaments are likely to have taken place here.  A convent also used to exist on these grounds but this was destroyed in the 19th century.  You can however still see the convent garden. Follow @nwbridges78

Realejo

This is a quieter district than the Albaycin, but an interesting one that contains a number of historic monuments.  Realejo was once a thriving Jewish quarter of the city but during the reconquest of Granada in 1497, the Catholics expelled the Jews and transformed many parts of this district.  Realejo also offers a attractive route up to the Alhambra that provides panoramic views of the city and a direct route to the park known as Carmen de los Mártires.  This is a hidden gem in Granada that is often missed by visitors but is well worth a visit, particularly to escape the heat in summer. 

In addition, Realejo contains other attractions including the Casa de los Tiros, the historic Iglesia Santa Domingo and Plaza Mariana Pineda, where locals take coffee and relax on a bench under the watchful eye of Granada's favourite heroine.  These are all worth a visit. Follow @nwbridges78

Historic City Centre

The City Centre has many attractions that can take a number of days to fully explore.  For the last 600 years, the centre has been an important commercial and religious district to its inhabitants and now bustles with a large number of shops, cafes, churches and pretty squares.  The Cathedral is the central feature of this area and can be see from miles around.  Adjacent to this is the Real Capilla, the historic building that houses the mortal remains of the 16th century Catholic Monarchs Fernando and Isabel.  Around this area is the Alcaiceria, once a silk market, and now a place for purchasing tourist souvenirs.  Plaza Bib Rambla, around the corner, was once the heart of Moors public life and is a vibrant and enjoyable place to sit and relax. 

 

Other attractions worth exploring include the magnificent Monasterio de San Jerónimo, the Corral del Carbon and Plaza Trinidad.  It is also good to wander down from Plaza Nueva and go along the Reyes Catolicos to Puerta Real.  It can get very busy along this street though, particularly at weekends, so it is sometimes nice to explore the back streets just behind this road instead.  If you are feeling like a longer walk, the Carreta del Genil takes you to the river and a promenade that is nice to wander around and get views of the mountains and the higher Realejo district of the city. Follow @nwbridges78

Albaycin

The Albaycin is a delightful and picturesque district with a maze of winding pathways and white-walled gardens.  Often, visitors struggle to find their way up through this area as the routes can be confusing (not to mention steep!).  It is well worth the climb though as the Albaycin gets prettier the higher up you go and the vista from the Mirador San Nicholas is truly breathtaking.
 

View from Mirador San Nicholas

The Albaycin was declared a World Heritage site in 1994 and many parts of its old Moorish quarters are well preserved.  Amongst its many attractions are the bell tower at San Jose, the historic "mini-Alhambra" at the Dar Alhorra Palace and the multitude of lovely squares perfect for enjoying a coffee and watching the world go by.  Two particular squares you should not miss are Plaza Larga and Plaza de San Miguel.  As well as this, you can get fantastic views of the Alhambra and the city from its various miradors.  Mirador de Lona offers you views of the east part of the city whilst Mirador San Cristobal allows you to see interesting views of the Alcahaba, the old city walls and the Sierra Nevada mountains. 

 

Follow @nwbridges78

Sacromonte

Sacromonte boasts some of the most magnificent views in Granada but is often neglected by visitors. In the past, many gypsies inhabited this area, living in small caves formed in the natural landscape.  As a result, this area tends to be synonomous with flamenco music and dancing.  Today, you can still see some of the cave dwellings, but by and large the area is made up of white, stone houses that balance precariously on the hilly terrain.  Because of the slopes and winding pathways, visitors are able to walk up through the main part of Sacromonte and discover panoramic views of the Alhambra, the surrounding valleys and Granada city below.  Arguably, the best views of Granada at sunset can be seen from the Abadía del Sacromonte.

Visitors should also make sure that they visit the Centre of Interpretation, Casa del Chapiz and the Palacio de los Cordova.

Follow @nwbridges78

Getting to Know Granada

Cloisters of the Monasterio de San Jeronimo

Granada is a colourful and vibrant city, rich in cultural heritage and steeped in history.  It lies between two rivers, with the splendid backdrop of the Sierra Nevada mountains visible from many different parts of the city.  On a clear day in January or February, you can marvel at the snow-capped mountains poking out from behind many of Granada's magnificent buildings.  The weather is also fantastic providing glorious sunshine most of the year and giving Granada a real outdoor vibe. 

To understand the layout of Granada, it is best to see it as four separate barrios (districts).  You can read about each of these on this blog by clicking below

Sacromonte
Albaycin
Realejo
Centre

Follow @nwbridges78

Take a look at Granada

Plaza San Miguel, Albaycin

Campo Principe, Realejo

Carmen de los Martires

                                     










Follow @nwbridges78