Andalucia in the south of Spain is indeed a region rich in history, architecture and culture. The big three World Heritage cities in this region: Granada, Seville and Cordoba are home to Andalucia’s most outstanding medieval Islamic sites.
Day 1: Granada – Sacromonte, Albaicin, Cathedral, Plaza Bib-Rambla, Alcaiceria
We make a quick stop at the tourist information centre at Plaza Neuva where we were given a city map that proved to be extremely handy, detailing the streets of the city and Albaicin with recommended routes to take. We then head along Carrera del Darro, a single lane cobbled road that runs alongside the river Rio Darro, in between the Alhambra on the right and the Albaicin district on the left. This uphill road continues on into Paseo de los Tristes which then makes a left into Cuesta Chapiz. At Peso de la Harina, we take a turn right, up the steep slope of Camino Del Sacromonte leading to the cave dwellings of Sacromonte. An alternative to walking up is to take either bus no. 31 or 34 from Plaza Nueva. Bus 31 stops at Pesa de la Harina, whereas 34 takes you all the way up but is rather infrequent (every hour or so).
gypsy cave quarters of Sacromonte hill
contrasting ecological features of the valley – the riverbank of the Alhambra with green vegetation and fewer luxurious buildings vs. the densely populated little caves on the opposite bank
The Museo Cuevas del Sacromonte is worth a visit. Here there are caves recreated to replicate the homes of the gypsies and their way of life and traditional crafts e.g. metalworks, basket-making and weaving. Unfortunately, there are no longer live demonstrations of these arts-in-making as were told the folks who once did them did not earn enough income from this.
inside the cave of the living quarters & cave of ceramic pottery making
Next we make our way downhill and into the maze of Albaicin, once an Islamic quarter. We take the recommended route of Capril the San Augustin, Carril Tomasa to find our way to Mirador San Nicolas. There is a spectacular view of the Alhambra and Sierra Nevada from this landmark, especially during sunset. From here, Callejon San Cecilio leads to Plaza Larga. From this square, we take a walk alongside Murallas del Albaicin.
sunbathing at Mirador San Nicolas
Alhambra at dusk seen from the lookout point
sunset view from San Nicholas
‘painted art’ on the walls of Albaicin
whitewashed houses of Albaicin
We continue on along Calle San Jose which meets the top of Calle Caldereria Nueva. This colourful street with an Arabic influenced atmosphere is lined with shops selling jewellery, decoratives and is an ideal place to get some interesting souvenirs.
tea and souvenir shops at Calle Caldereria Nueva
leather slippers, fabric and jewellery
Before ending the day, we head towards the area around the Cathedral and shopping district – high street shops around Plaza Bib-Rambla (famous for its flower market in the day) and an Arab Bazaar at Alcaiceria. I found that the items in Alcaiceria were similar to those at Calle Caldereria Nueva, with Calle Caldereria Nueva having a wider variety.
facade of the Granada Cathedral
tea leaves and spices outside the cathedral
shopping at the Arab Bazaar
Plaza Bib-Rambla with the Fountain of the Giants and statue of Neptune
Plaza Isabel La Catolica on a moonlit night
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