Alhambra

Sometimes we are really stupid. We have decided that today is the day to make the drive to Granada and see the Alhambra. It is about two hours from Marbella, which, now that I have mastered the art of driving in Spain, is a piece of cake. It is a bright, sunny day, traffic is light, and the scenery driving up into the mountains is a pleasant change. As we ease into our parking spot, it is hard to imagine the morning going any better.

Stepping into 44 degree weather snaps one back to reality pretty quickly. For rough context, Granada sits about 30km from a ski resort. We’re coming from the beach of course, and not thinking it wise to check the weather are finely decked out in sandals and shorts. Alhambra is the most visited place in Spain and there are hundreds of people around us. I see plenty of puffy down coats, scarves, and boots, but nowhere do I see another pair of shorts. On a positive note, it looks like we can expect it to get eight degrees warmer yet. This could be a long day.

Alhambra is a palace/fortress complex dating back to the 1200s (some elements preceded that, but it was that time frame when things really got poppin’). For 200 years it was a Muslim stronghold, creating a mix of Islamic architecture and the Renaissance style in vogue at the time Ferdinand and Isabella pushed them out in 1492.

Let’s go in.

The main attraction (the only one you have a timed ticket for anyways) is the Nasrid Palaces. These date back to the 14th century, with successive rulers expanding buildings, adding courtyards, and otherwise one-upping those that came before them.

Next to the palaces sits the Alcazaba, the oldest part of the complex and original fortress. There is not much left of it other than the outer walls and towers, but a few flights of stairs gets you some great views of the city below and, yay, selfies!

A short walk away sits another palace called the Generalife. It was the summer palace of the Nasrid rulers, which I can’t quite figure out since it sits only a few hundred yards away from the main palace. Perhaps when you’re that rich you just want a palace where you can enjoy a great view of your other palace.

As a royal getaway, the Generalife goes heavier on the gardens and other outdoor spaces, although almost all of them have been redone over the centuries leaving little of the original design.

Far below, we can see the old city and figure it is worth the short cab ride down to have some lunch and pop in to yet one more cathedral. What more can I say at this point – it’s a cathedral.

As we hit the street once again we’re starting to lose the sun and with it the few degrees that separate nippley from downright cold. We hike back up to the Alhambra (props to my fearless navigator) and head back south.