Quick Granada guide
Most people visit Granada because of the Alhambra – a pinnacle of Moorish art which is part fortress, part palace and part water garden, and while we’ll talk about that particular building in a future article, today we’ll be focusing on a quick Granada guide on the whole.
Situated at the food of the Sierra Nevada and nestled between two hills, the river Darro flows right through the center of the city, dividing the town in two.
Despite this the center of the town offers a wonderful condensed view of the Moorish, Jewish and Catholic past, all bunched up into the vast cathedral featuring quite a few elaborate chapels and two very ornate gilded organs.
The Capilla Real is an even greater symbol of the Catholic reconquest and of the unification of the kingdoms of Granada and Castille. It features the Carrara marble tombs of Ferdinand and Isabella as well as Juana the Mad and Philip the Handsome. You gain access to the place through the Lonja – the area that was the 15th-century silk merchants’ exchange.
Nearby is the Alcaiceria, which is home to the craft market and the many souvenir shops, the place maintained the carved arcades of the Arab souk, however most of it had to be rebuilt after the fire in 1843.
The Plaza Bibarrambla is where you can see the Gigantones fountain, which is Granada’s equivalent of the Manneken-Pis. It’s a popular congregation spot for locals in the morning who tend to breakfast on hot chocolate and churros at one of the local eateries. In the evening the terraces fill up and entertainers ply their trade.
The Albaicin is the original Arabic quarter of the town, and when compared to the modern city it is much sleepier and way more intimate. The two districts are connected by the lovely and long Plaza Nueva, which itself is lined with a plethora of small bars and cafes, as well as the spiky façade of the 16th-century Real Chancilleria.
Whether you’re visiting Granada to see the Alhambra or you’re planning on spending some time in the city, keep our Spain car rental services in mind.
