The only thing that could make leaving a city as wonderful as Barcelona any easier was knowing that I was going to spend a full week in Andalucía. Although I had already visited both Granada and Sevilla on a roadtrip through Southern Spain with my friend Leslie (hey Leslie!) last summer, I loved them both so much I was dying to go back. First stop was Granada, which I'm convinced is one of my favorite cities in the world. From it's mountain landscape to Moorish architecture to the free tapa you get with every meal, it's absolutely magical!
We stayed in a hostel in the Albaicín, a hillside neighborhood known for its narrow, windy streets reminiscent of its Medieval Moorish history and breathtaking views of the Alhambra.
After getting thoroughly lost in the hills above the Albaicín, we finally found our hostel at dusk, aptly named "Cuevas Coloras" because it was, quite literally, in a cave! The hostel itself was... an experience - the toilet was broken, the mugs leaked, and the you could actually just lift the hinges off the "safety lockers". Ha! But I was glad I stayed there - it certainly had character and the view was unbeatable.
Getting lost in the hills has its perks… this was the sunset my first night in Granada
The Alhambra
Day two started with some work (I actually do work, sometimes!) and finished with a trip to the Alhambra, a sprawling Moorish palace and fortress dating back to the 13th century. There is way too much to say about the Alhambra and I'm sure Wikipedia could do a much better job describing it than I could, so I'll just share some of my favorite photos from my visit:
Inside the Alhambra
At night, the Alhambra is illuminated with a glowing golden light. Magical!
the land of free tapas
I'm sure none of you are surprised to hear that another thing I love about Andalucía is the FOOD! In Granada (and I think some other parts of Andalucía), you're given a free tapa with any food or drink order. Uh. Mazing. Food tastes so much better when it's free, doesn't it?!
As the last Moorish stronghold, there is a strong North African influence in Granada's population, architecture, and food! This is just one of many amazing displays of Arab pastries. They tasted even better than they look (trust me, I'm pretty sure I tasted ALL of them...)
I wanted to nickname Granada the "city of roses" because everywhere you go you stumble upon beautifu rose gardens.
Some nice street music in Granada!
After arriving in Granada just before sunset, we found ourselves wandering the hills of Sacromonte, a traditionally Gypsy neighborhood overlooking the city of Granada, in search of our hostel. The address wasn't accessible by taxi, so we found ourselves winding along narrow dirt trails surrounded by tall grasses and cacti, passing by the most interesting cave homes I've ever seen. Carved directly into the slopes of the hills, these primitive dwellings provided a stark contrast to the bustling city below, and serve as a undeniable reminder of how marginalized groups have been forced to the outskirts of the city, many still living without plumbing or electricity. Nowadays, the lower area is shared with artists and bohemians looking for cheaper rent, and plenty of cave-themed Bnbs and hostels (like mine) have popped up along its windy roads. But the upper area where the most basic caves reside still seemed relatively untouched to me, which was fascinating to see.
Literally slept in a cave for two nights!
One of the many beautiful inner courtyards
The Alcazaba is the oldest part of the Alhambra used to defend the royal palace.
View of the Alhambra from Mirador San Nicolas.
This was the free tapa during one of my lunches. Now you understand why I'm obsessed with Granada!
I had a great time wandering through the Arab markets.
Whoever came up with the idea for Italian tapas was a GENIOUS
MMMMMMMmmmmmmmmMMMMMMmmmm