Retrospective: Alhambra, Granada

Overlooking the sprawling city of Granada, Spain, is the Alhambra: the pinnacle of Moorish architecture and a lasting tribute to Spain’s rich Islamic heritage. This majestic hilltop fortress dominates the city skyline and necessitates a visit: besides its ideal location for a panoramic cityscape, its opulent splendour will leave any visitor in awe (and quite possibly with very sore feet, due to the large amount of walking involved!) Although I wrote about my time in Granada here, I have since felt I didn’t quite do this monumental fortress justice . . . so here is an entire post dedicated to this beautiful (and big) UNESCO World Heritage Site.

10 Places to Visit in Eastern Andalusia

Andalusia is a vibrant region, which offers sandy beaches, incredible national parks and everything in between (including a little bit of Britain abroad in the form of Gibraltar and Europe’s only desert, near Almería!) With so much to see and do, there’s never going to be enough time to see the lot in one short trip. This post will focus on what there is to see and do if you venture east, beyond Málaga. If you’re visiting Nerja check out this post and if you’re in need of further inspiration for a trip to Granada, check this one out!

Granada: Moor than just a Moorish settlement*

*I usually leave all the puns to my dad, but on occasions such as this one it was too good (or bad) to leave out.

In the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains lies the city of Granada, steeped in history and home to two world heritage sites: the world-renowned Alhambra and the Albaicín district, a maze of narrow winding streets. Granada is a culture vulture’s dream: the beautiful tiles and architecture of the Alhambra are mesmerising; the Basílica de San Juan de Dios is simply breathtaking; and there’s a never-ending variety of things to see and do in this vibrant Andalusian city. Here’s my take on what to see and eat while in Granada, in no particular order:

Nerja: A Hidden Gem of the Costa del Sol

In late August, I went to Spain with my family; we spent a week by the coast in the pretty seaside town of Nerja, before spending a week inland, in Granada (more on that to come). Nerja is just under an hours’ drive east of Málaga: the compact town centre with its traditional whitewashed buildings has an unspoilt charm; there are numerous sandy coves; and there’s a vibrant atmosphere in the town’s two central restaurant squares.