Granada Part 4 - The Alhambra

 This post is all about the Alhambra, one of Spain's most famous medieval buildings, and also, perhaps my favourite place to visit in Spain.

First off, lets get the warning out the way. Book in advance, I cannot stress this enough. If you're trying to visit in the busy tourist season, do not expect to be able to just wander up to the gate and be let in. It does not happen. When I was there, I'd booked about 3 weeks in advance, and still managed to grab one of the last few tickets, and I was visiting in August. So just be prepared for it. Be prepared for queuing in places, and waiting ages because tour groups are blocking doors/rooms etc. But don't stress about it, because there will be times you've got a room to yourself and you can just stand there and really feel the essence of the building (but don't actually touch anything, the complex is too beautiful to have finger marks all over it)

The Alhambra complex in my view is perhaps one of the most beautiful buildings in the world that I've been to & visited. It's a hard choice between the Alhambra and the Hagia Sofia in Istanbul. Everything about the palace just exudes beauty, grace and incredible design features. Every room is well thought out and designed beautifully, to the point where you dont want to ever leave! It's no wonder so many people come to visit.

The complex was started in 1238 by Muhammed I Bin Al-Ahmar, and over the years each ruler added more and more to this palace, making it a complex almost living art form. Its one of the most famous examples of medieval Islamic architecture in the world, and  can guarantee that when you visit, there will not be a shred of disappointment.

The Alhambra consists of the Generalife Gardens, the Nasrid Palace and the Alcazaba. The Alcazaba is the semi ruined tip of the Alhambra, and was a defensive structure and complex. The Generalife gardens were a large country estate, both in and around the complex. The gardens are much more structured within the complex, but theres also forest included which you can wander through and tae shelter from the heat. And finally the Nasrid Palace. It's a bit of a catchall term, because there are many buildings that make up the palace, such as the Palace of lions, Theres also the palace of King Charles V, with its iconic perfectly round courtyard.

To see everything, I recommend you visit as early as you can, as you'll spend all day there!

I'm going to let the following pictures do the talking for a change, and you'll see just how incredible the Alhambra complex is.

And if you walk up or down the hill, you get to see this magnificent archway. It both welcomes you to the Alhambra, and also bids you farewell.

I hope this post showed you the true beauty of the Alhambra complex, and It's somewhere I recommend that everybody should visit! Trouble is, if I had lived there, I would never want to leave!