SPAIN: ALHAMBRA DE GRANADA

Probably Granada is known internationally thanks to La Alhambra de Granada. And I can confirm that the reputation of this great Arabian palace is deserved. La Alhambra de Granada is a spectacular monument, one of the most beautiful places I've seen, with a level of detail in the decoration almost unbelievable.

La Alhambra de Granada lit at night, one of the most beautiful memories of Granada

Inside La Alhambra de Granada I visited the following fantastic places. What I liked the most, Nasrid Palaces and Generalife Gardens.

• Arab bath or Hammam 
• Mexuar room in Nasrid Palaces 
• Arrayanes courtyard in Nasrid Palaces 
• Tower of Comares in Nasrid Palaces 
• Lions courtyard in Nasrid Palaces 
• Partal Palace in Nasrid Palaces 
• Palace of Carlos V 
• Views of Granada and Albaícin from La Alcazaba 
• Generalife Gardens

La Alhambra

Arab bath or hammam inside La Alhambra de Granada and near the Palace of Carlos V

I became a bit impressed when I look at the ceiling of this baths in La Alhambra, where I saw this star-shaped apertures 

Nasrid Palaces (Palacios Nazaríes)

Eventually, at ten o'clock we entered the Nazari Palace, the treasure of La Alhambra de Granada. In this picture, the Mexuar room, with this impressing wall highly decorated. Here the Sultan listened to the requests of his subjects

Detail of Mexuar Room in La Alhambra de Granada

Highly decorated Column in La Alhambra de Granada near Mexuar Room

The Nasrid Palaces in La Alhambra de Granada where built around courtyards with fountains and ponds because water was a really important element in muslim culture. The Arrayanes courtyard was the largest one and its pond reflects the light to the adjacent rooms

Another view of the Arrayanes courtyard with the tower of Comares in the background and the arab columns reflected on the water

Highly decorated ceiling of Abencerrajes Room in Alhambra de Granada

Decoration of Abencerrajes Room in Alhambra de Granada

Highly decorated ceiling of Dos Hermanas Room in Alhambra de Granada

Unfortunately the Lions courtyard, one of the treasures of La Alhambra de Granada was absolutely in restoration, so I was a bit disappointed. Obviously this picture is a photo of a photo

A closer view of the lions in La Alhambra de Granada

Partal Palace, one of the most beautiful buildings of La Alhambra de Granada, reflected on the water

Another part of the Partal Palace in La Alhambra de Granada

Gardens inside La Alhambra de Granada, near the Partal Palace

Palace of Carlos V

The circular courtyard of this palace inside La Alhambra surprises me a bit. It was circular because, this way, it was more suitable for the entertainment shows which took place here since the visibility of the audience was better

Another picture of this circular courtyard

Views of Granada from La Alcazaba

I found really interesting the views of Granada from La Alcazaba of La Alhambra. Here, a beautiful view of the Albaicín. On the top, a church indicates the San Nicolás viewpoint

This view of Granada from La Alhambra shows the cathedral and, on the bottom, the New square

Another great view of Granada: the Albaicín from the Vela Tower of La Alhambra

View of Sierra Nevada behind the Nasrid Palace and the Palace of Carlos V of La Alhambra  de Granada from the Albaicín

Generalife Gardens

From the north side of the Alhambra a path leads us to The Generalife, the summer residence of the sultans.

The Acequia courtyard is an oriental garden built around a long central canal. Always the water plays an essential role in Alhambra and Generalilfe courtyards

This courtyard of El Generalife, unlike the ones of La Alhambra, is covered with vegetation

Typical columns of Nasrid arquitecture also in Generalife Gardens

The courtyard of the Sultaness in Generalife Gardens of Granada was the place where Zoraya met her lover

Another view of this beautiful courtyard of Generalife Gardens

Finally, some beautiful pictures of La Alhambra de Granada lit at night:

When the sunlight began to disappear the spectacle of light started, as you can see in this picture of La Alhambra of Granada

The view of La Alhambra de Granada under the moonlight was spectacular

Clicking on the next links you will see more pictures of Granada, El Albaicín and Sacromonte Caves:

• El Albaicín
• Sacromonte Caves and Old City

Finally, other beautiful places you can visit in Spain are:

- Catalonia

• Costa Brava in Catalonia
• Barcelona
• Girona

- Basque Country

• Bilbo - Bilbao
• Getaria, Zarautz and Hondarribia in San Sebastián

- Cantabria

• Cantabria
• Santander, Comillas and Santillana del Mar in Cantabria

- Sevilla, Córdoba, Cádiz and Costa de la Luz

• Sevilla
• Córdoba
• Cádiz and Costa de la Luz

- Toledo, Madrid, El Escorial and Segovia

• Toledo, Segovia, Monasterio del Escorial near Madrid

- Mallorca, Ibiza and Formentera

• Sóller, Port de Sóller, Deià and Valldemossa in Mallorca
• Palma de Mallorca

• Beaches and Las Dalias Market in Ibiza
• Ses Illetes beach in Formentera

- Galicia

• Santiago de Compostela in Galicia
• Costa da Morte
• Baiona, Islas Cíes and more Beaches in Galicia
• Tui and Camino de Santiago Portugués

- Zaragoza, La Rioja and Navarra

• Monasterio de Piedra near Zaragoza (Tapeo in Zaragoza)
• Haro in La Rioja
• Laguardia in La Rioja Alavesa
• Camino de Santiago Francés
• Estella and Los Arcos in Navarra
• Tarazona, Veruela Monastery and Sanctuary of Borja

- Alicante

• Alicante, Elche and Isla de Tabarca