Granada Province

Many people say that if you see only one city in Spain it should be Granada. As Federico García Lorca, the Granadino poet once said, “What effort it takes for the light to leave Granada! It weaves between the cypresses or conceals itself under water."
The city of Granada bewitches visitors with its history and monuments, the most notable being the magnificent Alhambra,  pictured above, a Moorish palace perched on a hilltop and adorned with arabesque and Islamic calligraphy unlike any other monument in the entire Islamic world. Ethereal in its grace and beauty, the Alhambra enchants and enthrals all who visit. So steeped in history are the thick walls of the Alhambra that, as you walk around, you can almost visualise a turbaned Moor sauntering along in the Courtyard of the Lions, and another, quietly smoking his hookah.

Throughout the months of June and July the Alhambra is host to a variety of performances as part of the Granada International Festival of Music and Dance; concerts and other performances can also be seen in civic centres, chapels, churches, cafés and clubs throughout the city. For details on the events being held visit the Granada Tourist Information Office.

The province of Granada is truly an Aladdin's cave of Moorish treasures. From the delightful winding streets of the Albaicín, the Islamic Quarter nestled beneath the Alhambra, to the imposing cathedral, the Capilla Real, where the bodies of Ferdinand V and Isabella I of Castile are interred; there is much to experience here.

A morning relaxing in one of the hammams (Arabic baths) is an excellent way to start your tour through the deeply historic City of Granada, followed by an afternoon of tracing city's heritage through its intricate architecture, perhaps taking time out to visit Sacromonte Abbey. To end the day, an evening spent relaxing at one of the many bars listening to live Spanish music is recommended. For a real treat, a visit to the Mirador de San Nicolás is a must. As you gaze out across to the Alhambra, there is no better place in the City of Granada to watch the sun slowly set in such a spectacular fashion.

For those interested in experiencing the age old Spanish tradition of a bullfight; these are held in Granada from March through to November at the Plaza de Toros. Again the tourist office will have details of all upcoming "corridas", as they are commonly known.