The Grandeur of Granada

One of the last big weekend trips I took during my semester abroad was to visit the city of Granada. This was one of the cities I was most excited to visit. I originally wanted to study in Granada, but I couldn’t find any programs that were affiliated with my university, so I ended up choosing to go to Sevilla instead. I spent Friday through Sunday in Granada with four of my friends, and I had a really nice time. Granada is a beautiful city with a unique historical background, and it was everything I hoped it would be!

On Friday morning I left with one of the other girls to head to Granada. We took an earlier bus because we wanted to spend as much time there as possible; the other girls had to wait to come later because they had class. We arrived in Granada and took a local bus to our hostal, Hostal AB. We got checked in and then set off to get some maps from the tourism office and do some exploring. We also stopped for lunch and enjoyed the “buy a drink, get a free tapa” rule that is customary in Granada.

My friend and I then went to the Cathedral and the Capilla Real in order to see where the Reyes Católicos, Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand II are buried. No pictures were allowed inside so I’m including some from elsewhere on the internet! Once our other friends arrived we did some more exploring and had dinner. Granada had some different tapas that I hadn’t tried yet, so that was fun!

The next day we all did some exploring in the city center. I loved the Albayzín district, which was historically the city center when the Granada was under Muslim rule. The Albayzín is part of Granada’s UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with the Alhambra and the Generalife, which we visited later that day. We explored the winding streets and took notice of the Islamic elements still present in the city today. Granada was the last city to fall during the Reconquista in 1492, ending the 800 years of Islamic rule in Spain. Granada still has a large Muslim population, and elements of this part of the city’s history are visible in the architecture and in the kinds of stores and restaurants found in the city center. We went to the Mirador de San Nicolás and got an excellent view of the Alhambra across the way, then kept exploring.

In the afternoon, we took the bus to get to the Alhambra. Thankfully we had heard far enough in advance that the Alhambra sells out of tickets pretty quickly, so we were able to get a reservation in time. The Alhambra is an enormous palace and fortress surrounded by the Generalife (gardens and more beautiful buildings). The complex is huge, with tons of buildings and rooms to explore, as well as lots of beautiful, well-maintained gardens. Because the Alhambra changed hands so many times over the years, there are tons of different types of architecture represented, making for a unique mix of styles. This is definitely one of the most famous places in Spain and that’s for good reason! I was incredibly impressed, and the whole place is very awe-inspiring. Because it’s perched on a hill, you get great views of the surrounding town, as well as the Sierra Nevada mountains.

On our last day in Granada, we took it slow and didn’t do too much sightseeing. However, one place I was excited to have been able to visit was the Casa Museo Federico García Lorca, Huerta de San Vicente. Federico García Lorca was a famous Spanish playwright and poet, and his old family home is located in Granada in the middle of a park. His family was very wealthy, so the house is nicely designed and filled with what were once top-of-the-line appliances (during the early 20th century, haha.) In order to go inside, you have to take a guided tour, but I thought it was worth it. Lorca was friends with other famous artists at the time, so there are drawings by Dalí and letters from many people who would later become incredibly influential. It was really fun to get to see where Lorca sat when he wrote amazing plays like Bodas de sangre (Blood Wedding) or La casa de Bernarda Alba (The House of Bernarda Alba). No pictures were allowed inside so I’m including a few from the museum’s website.

Granada was a great city to visit, and I’m so happy I was able to go. I had heard so much about the Alhambra in Spanish classes over the years, and it was amazing to get to see it in person. I had a nice time with my friends, and was glad that one of my last major weekend trips had gone off without a hitch! After that weekend, I didn’t take any more trips out of town until after I had finished my final exams. However, one of the weekends I was able to attend a corrida de toros (bullfight), so I think I’ll write about that next! It was a very unique experience to say the least!

¡Hasta luego!