Portugal and Spain trip: day 5 in Granada

 We arrived  in Granada, Spain during rain yesterday, and put on our motorcycle rain gear this morning to walk around the Alhambra.

Granada sits at the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains where 4 rivers converge, in an area conquered by Moors in the 11th through 15th centuries. The highlight is the Alhambra, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the only preserved city from the Muslim period in Spain. We spent almost 3 hours walking through the Alhambra, a military fortress strategically sited at the top of a large hill; a palace built by Charles V after the Christians reconquered the area in the 1500's, and gorgeous gardens that are part of the ancient city. 

interior of the Alhambra is covered in intricate mosaics, wood carvings, and plaster designs from the Muslim era

tall walls and towers are reminders that the Alhambra was originally a military fortress

After Christians retook Granada from the Muslims, Emperor Charles V built a new Renaissance palace in the early 1500's next to the Alhambra fortress

interior courtyard of the Charles V palace

view from one of the towers

view from the old Granada city center and Cathedral from the Alhambra tower

The gardens were started in the 13th century and continue to be planted today

In the late afternoon we were part of the Easter Week (tomorrow is Palm Sunday) crowds in central Granada and around the Cathedral.

Construction started on a cathedral built on the foundation of the original mosque in 1518 in the Spanish Renaissance style. Construction continued for 181 years due to wars and financial issues.

We then walked through the narrow streets of the old city, up and down staircases that reminded us of Lisbon, as we headed toward Mirador de San Nicolas to meet up with the tour group for dinner.

Mirador de San Nicolas is a spectacular viewpoint of the Alhambra from the Albaicin - the heart of the oldest parts of Granada. We joined the crowds of people waiting for a turn to stand at the very edge of the plaza's viewpoint to look out over the city onto the Alhambra backed by the snowy Sierra Nevada mountains on another high hill across from us.

It was a glorious way to end the day, and we're looking forward to getting back on the motorcycle tomorrow to ride through the Sierra Nevada mountains, heading further south into Spain.