The name "Generalife" may be taken to mean "garden of paradise". It seems it was the dream of every Islamic gardener to create paradise in a garden. This theme can be seen in the gardens of the Alhambra, especially in the Generalife.

A promenade leads to the "Patio de la Acequia", the heart of the palace grounds. There is a gallery of arches on the western side. A portico on the north side is called the Mirador. The Mirador has five arches in front and three behind. Beyond the portico is the Patio de las Cipreses with a pool in the center.

A series of small pools are lined with oleander and myrtle shrubs. Go up a stone stairway to the Upper Gardens. The Upper Gardens were formerly olive groves. Today the former olive groves have an esplanade, and a stairway with cascading waterfalls. At the end there is a stage where the annual International Festival of Music and Dance is held.

The Spanish elite who moved into the palace installed long rows of fountains that would crash together in the air and splash into the central pool. The Spanish concept was a sharp departure from the Moorish style. The Moor loved a perfect garden, completely enclosed.

There are several legends about the Alhambra and the Generalife. One of the most intriguing concerns a Sultana and her lover, a knight of the opposition Abencerraje family. They rendezvoused beneath the branches of a great cypress, which is still alive today. They were found and the Sultan ordered all the men of that family to be killed.

The great Cypress, which is now called Cipres de la Sultana is waiting for them to return. War, romance, beautiful gardens, mosques and churches, what a mix!

Why You Should Visit:
This one of the few places in the world where the West and East commingle so well. They meet in architecture, history, culture, passion and civilization in the Alhambra.

Tips:
Go early as possible to have time and space. Go later and enjoy the sunsets. If considering staying at a parador, make a reservation well ahead.

Alhambra in Arabic is "The Red One." It is a palace and fortress complex. It was originally built on the ruins of a Roman fortress in 889. It was rebuilt in the 13th century by the Muhammad I of Granada, the first ruler of the Emirate of Granada. It was converted to a palace by Yusuf I, Sultan of Granada. In 1492 it became the royal court of Ferdinand and Isabella.

The Alhambra was the place where Christopher Columbus received his commission to find the Indies which he never found. In 1526 Charles I of Spain ordered a Renaissance palace in the Mannerist style with its humanism contrasting with Nasrid architecture. After the decline of Nasrid influence, the Alhambra complex fell into neglect and disrepair.

Centuries later after Napoleon I had destroyed the site, the Alhambra was rediscovered. It is today one of the greatest tourist attractions in Spain. The Alhambra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has been described by poets as a pearl in emeralds. This was a literal description of the colors of the stones imbedded in the surrounding woods.

The Alhambra park is stocked with nightingales. Running water from the fountains and cascades can be heard at all times. The idea was to create a kind of "paradise on earth." The exterior was made to be plain and austere.

The Alcazaba, also known as the old citidel, is the oldest part. All that is left are the great outer walls, towers and ramparts. Beyond the Alcazaba is the palace of the Arab rulers. There are the Nasrid Palaces of Alhambra and then the Alhambra Alta. originally meant for court officials.

The royal palace is of three parts. The Mexuar is plain and simple. It was for functions of business and government. Sersllo contains the Court of the Myrtles. The Harem is richly decorated. It was the living quarters for the wives and mistresses of the Sultan. It provided hot and cold running water, including showers.

Poets of the Nasrid period made poems for the Palace. Lines are inscribed in arches and columns in arabesque, cursive script. "There is no victor but God." appears often.

Why You Should Visit:
One should visit often in order to focus on the different places of interest. There are so many, all of them captivating. Don't travel thousands of miles to see a Spanish McDonald's. Visit to see what you can see nowhere else.

Tips:
Be prudent about crowds. There were cutpurses in Nasrid times, there are pickpockets now.

Inside the Nasrid fortification of the Alhambra, well fed cats peer dispassionately at The visitors who come from all over the world. The visitors take pictures of the cats. Then they pass through the lush flower gardens to the Palace of the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V. The palace, begun in 1527, was not completed until the 20th century.

Charles was not only an emperor, he was a king. He was ruler of Spain and most of Southern Europe. He had palaces galore, but he needed a summer place. Ferdinand and Isabella had taken rooms at the Alhambra. He needed something new.

He chose Pedro Machuca as architect. Pedro had studied with Michelangelo. He would create something unique, something Italian. The palace is stylistically Mannerist. At that time Mannerism was all the rage in Italy. The exterior is a mix of rusticated stone on the first floor and ashlar smoothness above. The building was avant-garde, unique in Spain.

The palace is a square with a circular patio within. The roof has a circular opening above the patio. The patio is enclosed in two levels. A Doric colonnade encircles the lower level. The upper level is wrapped in a stylized Ionic colonnade. The visitors entering the patio are surprised, having passed from the square to the circle.

Charles never lived in the palace. As the visitors leave they pass through the gardens again. The cats watch them go.

Despite its name, the Plaza Nueva (New Square) is one of the oldest squares in Granada. In former times the plaza was the scene of bull fights, tournaments and an occasional execution, definitely a spectator event. Before it was a square, however, it was a bridge. Called the Bridge of of Loggers, it spanned the River Darro.

The square is centrally located and is an ideal starting point for explorations on foot. Walk from the Puerto Granadas to the Alhambra forest to the Alhambra, a 15 or 20 minute journey. Exit by way of the cobbled street on the left of the Church of Santa Ana to the River Darro. Perhaps go up Elvira Street to the Mirador San Nicolas and the Albaicin.

The main attraction of the square itself is the High Court of Andalusia. The court building was formerly the Chancilleria Real (Royal Chancellery). Construction of the Chancellery began in 1530. In the rear of the building a prison, handy to the court. The square is also home to the Arborea Flamenco. Cafes, flamenco, ole!

Officially, the real name of Paseo de las Tristes is Paseo del Padre Manjon. The paseo was at one time a route for funeral processions. "Tristes" in Spanish can mean "sorrows." The paseo is easy to reach with the city's hop-on hop-off train or try a bus. When the weather is mild and clear the path is often crowded, especially at sunset.

The promenade is a pleasant walk bordered by the River Darro and some finer restaurants. There are stunning views of the Alhambra against the skyline. There is a flamenco venue (of course!) and tourist shops galore. The ancient cobblestone streets recall the medieval era.

The paseo leads to the San Jose cemetery, across the river and above the Alhambra. It was a long trip on foot for mourners. They must have stopped here, in this pleasant place to say their farewells. Today there is a spacious terrace with umbrellas from which to contemplate sunset views and have a drink and let go of the "sorrows".

Bill Clinton is supposed to have said "the most beautiful sunset in the world" when speaking of the sunset view from San Nicolas Lookout. San Nicolas does offer the best view of the Alhambra at sunset, but there are a lot of spectacular lookouts in Granada. San Cristobal is reputed to be a fantastic viewpoint of the City.

Each clear day at sunset there is a crowd gathering in the square of San Nicolas. They are there to watch the Alhambra turn red in the setting sun. Alhambra in Arabic means "red castle." Tourists, locals, and travelers come together at the overlook. There are vendors hawking snacks, flamenco dancers, souvenir sellers and other entertainments.

The lookout is named for San Nicolas Church and Square. The church was built on the top of a mosque in 1525. There seems to have been a trend, when the Catholic Monarchs took over in 1491, to drop a church on a mosque. Location, location, the man said. The church has been destroyed several times by fires, but the original bell tower survives.

For only a few euros it is possible to climb the tower San Nicolas and get a better view.

The San Jerónimo Monastery is located on Calle Rector Lopez Argueta, in the historic center of Granada. It was the first monastery to be built in the city following the Christian conquest of Granada in the Middle Ages. It was first founded in 1492 by Catholics in nearby Santa Fe, but was moved to its current location shortly after the city was retaken by Christian. Construction began on the current building four years later, next to an area known as the Almoravid, which now houses the city’s main hospital. It was built using the demolished Elvira gate during Moorish rule of Granada.

The church was a magnificent building with beautiful painted walls, a stunning celling and altar. The main chapel and transept were created by Jacopo Florentino and Diego de Siloé. The church holds many tributes to Gonzalez Fernando de Cordoba, the "Great Captain" of Spain’s Christian conquistadors, who ended Islamic influence on the Iberian peninsula with the conquest of Granada. The building’s exterior is adorned with his coat of arms, whilst a sepulchre of the military leader can be found inside the monastery, close to the ornate altarpiece.

The San Juan de Dios Church is located on the street of the same name. Both are named after Juan Duarte, a local monk who arrived in Granada in 1536. In a time of hardship for the city and surrounding region, Duarte dedicated his life to caring for the sick and needy. He died in Casa de los Pisa in 1550, and was later canonized. The city’s main hospital also bears his name. Inside this stunning baroque church, you can see the silver urn, held within a raised shrine, which contains his ashes.

The church was erected in the 17th century, as a sanctuary and crypt for Juan Duarte. It was designed by Jose de Bada y Navajas, the high master of cathedrals in Granada and Malaga. Designed in a Latin cruciform plan, it is notable for its collection of paintings and sculpture, added soon after the church was completed. The main altar was designed by Francisco Guerrero, and is made from gilded wood. A four room chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary can be found above the sacristy, close to the shrine to San Juan de Dios.

The church of San Juan de Dios is located in the very centre of Granada. It is open from 10am until 1pm, and from 4pm to 7pm, in summer. The church closes at 6pm during the winter months.

The Monastery Cartuja in Granada (Monasterio de la Cartuja) stands as an example of Spanish Baroque architecture. Founded in 1506, the monastery's construction commenced in 1516 and stretched over the next three centuries, reflecting a prolonged period of architectural evolution and embellishment. This extensive period allowed for the incorporation of Gothic and Renaissance styles, which can be seen in the intricate details and finishes throughout the structure.

While the exterior of the monastery presents a stark and austere façade, the interior tells a different story. It is an exuberant showcase of Churrigueresque style, noted for its flamboyant ornamentation and complex, geometric surfaces. Key features of the interior include the tabernacle, designed by Francisco Hurtado Izquierdo, and the church and sacristy, the latter of which was constructed between 1727 and 1764 by Luis de Arévalo and F. Manuel Vasquez. These elements highlight the dramatic and decorative richness that characterizes much of Spanish Baroque architecture.

The monastery also houses an extensive and valuable collection of paintings, prominently featuring works by Fray Juan Sánchez Cotán. Additionally, nearby church structures enhance the artistic appeal of the site with exquisite marble sculptures and notable paintings by Juan Sánchez de Cotán and a special ceiling painting by Palomino in the sacrament's tower.

The monastery's location on a northern hill outside the central area of Granada lends it a peaceful atmosphere, slightly removed from the typical tourist paths. Despite this, it remains a worthy destination for those visiting the city, particularly appealing for its quietude and architectural splendor.

Historically, the Monastery Cartuja was inhabited by Carthusian monks until 1835. These monks followed strict practices of silence and fasting, dedicating their lives predominantly to prayer and living largely as hermits within the monastery's confines.

The Monastery Cartuja not only serves as a historical and cultural landmark but also stands as a serene retreat from the bustling city center of Granada, offering visitors a glimpse into Spain’s rich religious and architectural heritage.