Carrera del Darro (Darro Street), Granada (must see)

The whole left bank of the River Darro is called the Carrera del Darro. Carrera del Darro is unique in a city full of unique things. The street runs in between the river and the forest of Alhambra. At night the churches are lighted and the Alhambra at the top of its hill glows with light.

Starting in the sixteenth century the nobility of Granada made their homes in this picturesque place. Renaissance buildings, churches, and ruins beside bars and cafes line the street and the banks of the river. The Banuelo is here. Public baths came in the 11th century. Mudejar churches like Santa Ana and San Pedro date from 1567.

Then there is the tragic story of the House of Castril balcony. Today the Castril House is an archeology museum. It is a Renaissance dwelling built in 1539. It belonged to a rich nobleman named Zafra. Zafra was obsessive with keeping his daughter Elvira locked away from the local swains.

He ordered the death of a servant who was caught with a message for Elvira from a likely suitor. He believed the message of love was from the servant and ordered that he be hung from his daughter's balcony. When the servant protested his innocence, Zafra suggested he hang from the balcony and wait. Elvira took poison and killed herself.

There is an mysterious inscription that was found, "Esperando La Del Cielo" ("Waiting for Heaven") above Elvira's balcony. A melodramatic tragedy, the case was never solved.