Spain > Andalusia > Granada
Granada
N 37°10.439', W 3°35.078'
2014-09-22
http://granadatur.com
Our rating: 7.60
Overall rating: - Rate this place - 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
The main stronghold of Spain Alhambra is located in Granada (http://www.alhambra-patronato.es ), so many tourists come here to visit it. Although, it is not even the fortress, but the great architectural and park complex, which was built mostly during the rule of the Muslim Nasrid dynasty (1230-1492). It consists of many parts, this is best seen on the next image (pdf version ).
Map of Alhambra ©alhambra-patronato.es
Tickets to the Alhambra better to buy in advance (for example here ). When buying on the internet you need to choose a window: before 14:00 or after 14:00, as well as a time of visit to the Nasrid Palace. You will receive a reservation, which must be exchanged for tickets at the ticket office or machine. There is also exist a night tour in Alhambra, tickets are bought on the same website. Entrance to the compex can be reached on foot (from point 7 on the map below). Despite the fact that the road is beautiful, keep in mind that you have to go uphill. Also you can go by buses C3 and C4, the ticket is bought from the driver. Map of bus routes is here . In the internet there are different tips about the order in which objects are best to visit in the Alhambra. As for me, there is no difference, number of visitors is always great (not on our photos, since we dispersed them :). Generalife Gardens left the most vivid impression, but they are more comfortable to visit first.
Generalife Gardens ©Yuriy Buriak
Generalife Gardens ©Yuriy Buriak
Generalife Gardens ©Yuriy Buriak
Generalife Gardens ©Yuriy Buriak
Generalife Gardens ©Yuriy Buriak
Generalife Gardens ©Yuriy Buriak
Generalife Gardens ©Yuriy Buriak
Generalife Gardens ©Yuriy Buriak
After the gardens, the main part of the complex does not look so impressive, but still interesting.
Alhambra ©Yuriy Buriak
Alhambra ©Yuriy Buriak
Alhambra ©Yuriy Buriak
Alhambra ©Yuriy Buriak
Palace of Carlos V at the Alhambra ©Yuriy Buriak
Palace of Carlos V at the Alhambra ©Yuriy Buriak
Palace of Carlos V at the Alhambra ©Yuriy Buriak
Alkazaba ©Yuriy Buriak
Monument to Washington Irving stands here for a reason. He wrote a famous book Tales of the Alhambra about this complex.
Monument to Washington Irving ©Yuriy Buriak
The strengthening of the Alcazaba fortress offers a good view of the city.
Granada ©Yuriy Buriak
Granada ©Yuriy Buriak
There is also a small old town in Granada, located near the cathedral (point 2 on the map below). Here are mainly restaurants and souvenir shops. More detailed map in pdf format can be downloaded here .
Map of Granada ©wikipedia.org
Cathedral of Granada ©Yuriy Buriak
Granada, the old town ©Yuriy Buriak
Granada, the old town ©Yuriy Buriak
Granada, the old town ©Yuriy Buriak
Granada, the old town ©Yuriy Buriak
Palacio Madraza, a former Muslim University ©Yuriy Buriak
Beautiful house on the square Bib-Rambla ©Yuriy Buriak
Granada ©Yuriy Buriak
Plaza Nueva ©Yuriy Buriak
In the evening it is good idea to go up to the San Nikolas viewpoint (point 24 on the map). It can be reached by bus C1, tickets bought from the driver. Find the bus stop on the Gran Via street or Plaza Nueva. Stops are not announced, so ask the driver or passengers. There are usually a lot of people on the viewpoint.
Оглядовий майданчик San Nikolas ©Yuriy Buriak
Better to come in the evening and watch the complex at sunset and with lights.
View of the Alhambra from the San Nikolas viewpoint ©Yuriy Buriak
View of the Alhambra from the San Nikolas viewpoint ©Yuriy Buriak
Getting to Granada The nearest large airport in Malaga (140 km). There is small airport in Granada, where fly Air Europa and Iberia. Buses depart from the airport after each flight and have the following stops: La Caleta, Gran Vía, Fuente de las Batallas and Palacio de Congresos. There is also a train station in Granada, connected with all major cities of Spain. The bus station is located far from the city center (Carretera de Jaén street). Granada is connected by regular bus service to Cordoba, Seville, Malaga.
Tags, Spain: fortress , observation deck Tags, all countries: fortress , observation deck
- Rate this place -
Location : ------------ 1 - Far beyond the settlements, you must spend minimum a day 2 - Near the small town, you need to walk long distance 3 - Can be reached only by car 4 - A small town with a poor public transport 5 - Outside the settlements, but with excellent transport links 6 - A small town with excellent transport links 7 - Medium-size city 8 - Suburb of the capital or major city, the ability to reach by public transport 9 - Big city 10 - Capital
Impressions : ------------ 1 - No point in visiting 2 - Boring, wasted time 3 - You can visit, if you have a lot of free time and nothing better to do 4 - A lot of things, but not so interesting 5 - It seems to be interesting, but hard way to spoil the impression 6 - There is something interesting, but the rest is not worth the attention 7 - Probably interesting, but for everybody 8 - Very cool, but difficult to see everything and long-distance trails 9 - Very cool, but there are similar facilities in other locations 10 - Very cool, this is not anywhere else
Number of tourists (weekend afternoon) : ------------ 1 - Crowds, impossible to see everything normally 2 - A lot of tourists, a long wait 3 - A lot of tourists, the organization is lame 4 - A lot of tourists, but good organization 5 - There are many tourists, but they are concentrated in one place and you can walk freely 6 - Many tourists everywhere, but the large space is compensated 7 - The average number of tourists. To photograph, you must wait 8 - Tourists are, but they do not interfere 9 - There are few tourists 10 - You are alone
State : ------------ 1 - Only title left 2 - Dull ruins 3 - On restoration 4 - The picturesque ruins 5 - Have not been restored, the state is poor 6 - Partially destroyed, but the rest of the normal state 7 - Have not been restored, good condition 8 - OK, but it is possible to make better 9 - Looks good from the outside, partial repair inside or without repair 10 - In excellent condition, well-groomed area
Picturesque (for the photographer) : ------------ 1 - - 2 - - 3 - Horrible background, normal pictures only from the top 4 - wires and cars do not allow make normal photo 5 - Interfere with foreign objects 6 - In the city, but more or less normal photo can be made 7 - Beautiful, but you can take pictures with just one point 8 - Very nice, but you can only shoot at a certain time 9 - Very nice, but hard to get to the good weather or permanently interfere with tourists 10 - Very nice, but occasionally interferes with the weather or tourists
* - Note: Description of the evaluation is not always appropriate for a particular object, it's just a little help
Our rating - 7.60
Location : ------------ 1 - Far beyond the settlements, you must spend minimum a day 2 - Near the small town, you need to walk long distance 3 - Can be reached only by car 4 - A small town with a poor public transport 5 - Outside the settlements, but with excellent transport links 6 - A small town with excellent transport links 7 - Medium-size city 8 - Suburb of the capital or major city, the ability to reach by public transport 9 - Big city 10 - Capital
Impressions : ------------ 1 - No point in visiting 2 - Boring, wasted time 3 - You can visit, if you have a lot of free time and nothing better to do 4 - A lot of things, but not so interesting 5 - It seems to be interesting, but hard way to spoil the impression 6 - There is something interesting, but the rest is not worth the attention 7 - Probably interesting, but for everybody 8 - Very cool, but difficult to see everything and long-distance trails 9 - Very cool, but there are similar facilities in other locations 10 - Very cool, this is not anywhere else
Number of tourists (weekend afternoon) : ------------ 1 - Crowds, impossible to see everything normally 2 - A lot of tourists, a long wait 3 - A lot of tourists, the organization is lame 4 - A lot of tourists, but good organization 5 - There are many tourists, but they are concentrated in one place and you can walk freely 6 - Many tourists everywhere, but the large space is compensated 7 - The average number of tourists. To photograph, you must wait 8 - Tourists are, but they do not interfere 9 - There are few tourists 10 - You are alone
State : ------------ 1 - Only title left 2 - Dull ruins 3 - On restoration 4 - The picturesque ruins 5 - Have not been restored, the state is poor 6 - Partially destroyed, but the rest of the normal state 7 - Have not been restored, good condition 8 - OK, but it is possible to make better 9 - Looks good from the outside, partial repair inside or without repair 10 - In excellent condition, well-groomed area
Picturesque (for the photographer) : ------------ 1 - - 2 - - 3 - Horrible background, normal pictures only from the top 4 - wires and cars do not allow make normal photo 5 - Interfere with foreign objects 6 - In the city, but more or less normal photo can be made 7 - Beautiful, but you can take pictures with just one point 8 - Very nice, but you can only shoot at a certain time 9 - Very nice, but hard to get to the good weather or permanently interfere with tourists 10 - Very nice, but occasionally interferes with the weather or tourists
* - Note: Description of the evaluation is not always appropriate for a particular object, it's just a little help
Visitor's rating - 0.00
Location : ------------ 1 - Far beyond the settlements, you must spend minimum a day 2 - Near the small town, you need to walk long distance 3 - Can be reached only by car 4 - A small town with a poor public transport 5 - Outside the settlements, but with excellent transport links 6 - A small town with excellent transport links 7 - Medium-size city 8 - Suburb of the capital or major city, the ability to reach by public transport 9 - Big city 10 - Capital
Impressions : ------------ 1 - No point in visiting 2 - Boring, wasted time 3 - You can visit, if you have a lot of free time and nothing better to do 4 - A lot of things, but not so interesting 5 - It seems to be interesting, but hard way to spoil the impression 6 - There is something interesting, but the rest is not worth the attention 7 - Probably interesting, but for everybody 8 - Very cool, but difficult to see everything and long-distance trails 9 - Very cool, but there are similar facilities in other locations 10 - Very cool, this is not anywhere else
Number of tourists (weekend afternoon) : ------------ 1 - Crowds, impossible to see everything normally 2 - A lot of tourists, a long wait 3 - A lot of tourists, the organization is lame 4 - A lot of tourists, but good organization 5 - There are many tourists, but they are concentrated in one place and you can walk freely 6 - Many tourists everywhere, but the large space is compensated 7 - The average number of tourists. To photograph, you must wait 8 - Tourists are, but they do not interfere 9 - There are few tourists 10 - You are alone
State : ------------ 1 - Only title left 2 - Dull ruins 3 - On restoration 4 - The picturesque ruins 5 - Have not been restored, the state is poor 6 - Partially destroyed, but the rest of the normal state 7 - Have not been restored, good condition 8 - OK, but it is possible to make better 9 - Looks good from the outside, partial repair inside or without repair 10 - In excellent condition, well-groomed area
Picturesque (for the photographer) : ------------ 1 - - 2 - - 3 - Horrible background, normal pictures only from the top 4 - wires and cars do not allow make normal photo 5 - Interfere with foreign objects 6 - In the city, but more or less normal photo can be made 7 - Beautiful, but you can take pictures with just one point 8 - Very nice, but you can only shoot at a certain time 9 - Very nice, but hard to get to the good weather or permanently interfere with tourists 10 - Very nice, but occasionally interferes with the weather or tourists
* - Note: Description of the evaluation is not always appropriate for a particular object, it's just a little help