Grenada, Spain - Worth it?
 

My husband and I will be in London in May. He is desperate to spend at least a weekend in Grenada, to see the Alcacar plus the other Arab buildings. Is it worth spending more than just a day or two there? We're planning to take a Ryanair flight out of Stanstead.

It is Granada and it is the Alhambra but it surly is worth your time. Two days is plenty in Granada.

The Alhambra alone is worth a visit to Granada, but the Alcazar and Albaicin are great sites too. It's a cheerful, beautiful, very Andalusian city and you'll like it alot.
I agree that 2 days is enough time there, though.

I agree with the previous posters. Also, make sure to get tickets in advance--you can get them on the internet. And if you're going to be there overnight when it's open at night, I think it's worth going in both day and night. The place is magical.

Yeh Alhambra one of wonders of Europe and intimate old area adjacent to it worth a look as is the old cathedral in town center, but that's about it, otherwise a most uninspiring large city. One day was very enough for me.

Thanks. We shall probably combine a trip to Ganada with a day or two in Cordoba or the coast. Anyone know any nice seaside towns south of Granada?

Yes, Nerja. Lovely coastal resort that is starting to succumb to developers but still not ruined yet.

Two days are fine for Granada. I really enjoyed visiting the Alhambra. My ticket (purchased on the Internet) allowed me to enter in mid-afternoon and it was such a wonderful sight to watch the setting sun. I agree with bobthenavigator - Nerja is a nice town and Almuñécar has an interesting medieval center - the surrounding area is overbuilt, however. You can also stop in Salobreña - a nice white village with great views of the surrounding countryside and the Mediterranean.

Worth a trip, but Alhambra is one of those places with long lines, try to find out when to arrive, probably early morning. Find out if there is a guide, it will really help illuminate the history and features of the amazing architecture to have someone take you through. A Webshots search for Alhambra, or Court of the Lions, which is the interior court with fountains and you will get a glimpse of the treat that awaits you.
Now don't hurt me, but we had problems with pickpockets in Granada, so be very careful, son't put any bags down at lunch etc. I was not the victim, but my one of my lunch companions had his backpack lifted, and the only couple to pass us were like a gentle breeze and then they were gone. I am avoiding the "g" word to avoid any disparaging assumptions.

We were in Granada two nights in October 2004. Definitely worth it, for the Alhambra and Generalife Gardens, which should be great in May.

We took one of the little red buses from Plaza Nuevo through the Albayzin on Saturday (it's pretty much shuttered on Sundays.) If you take this trip, lather a little extra Polident on your dentures in the morning and wear your best foundation garments, because it's going to be a bumpy ride, if you get the same wild man for a driver that we had.

Regarding reservations for the Alhambra, take seriously the admonition to book your tickets early on the internet. They were already sold out for the morning entrances a couple of months before our departure.

Before we left for Spain, my sister recommended I read Washington Irving's "Tales of the Alhambra," which I didn't manage to do, but it might contribute to your enjoyment.

We also read a great and very readable Spanish history before and while we were there, "The Story of Spain," by Mark Williams, which offered a nice balance to Irving's portrayal of the Moors as entirely gentlemanly and admirable and the Catholics as completely corrupt. The truth, it seems, is something in the middle.

If you go to the Alhambra, you'll feel the ghosts of the Moors everywhere and, if you're like me, you'll wonder about them. Because their religion forbade them from making representations of people, there are few images of Moors available, at least I could find few. So I'm left with curiosity and a sense of mystery about the people who made such great art and then disappeared, it seems, from the face of Spain, as if there had been an alien abduction of a whole race/religion.

After our brief stay in Granada, we drove on to Cordoba, where we stayed one night, so we could see the Mezquita. We loved the drive, so if you can spare the time for the 2 1/2 hour drive, it's well worth it,IMHO, both for the wonderful view of the countryside and for the fabulous Mezquita.

If you'd like to see some images of what you might be in for in Granada, here's a link to my photos of Granada on Dotphoto:

http://www.dotphoto.com/Go.asp?l=Mar...947&Show=Y

It starts with shots of the incredible countryside between Ronda and Granada, then scenes from the Alhambra and Generalife Gardens, ending with photos shot out of the car window on the way to Cordoba.

Ooh, Mary Fran - good one. Yes to Tales of the Alhambra. I read it on my return, on guide's recc.

Frankly, for us, one very long day (10:00 am to 11:00 pm) was more than enough for us. We managed to do both the day and the night tour (which I was rather disappointed in) and fit in a good walk through the city in between tours. climbing up to the place in the Albacin to see the sunset over the Alhambra was also worth the time. I would never give it any more time than 2 days max and that's for poeple who don't like to be on the go nonstop as we do.

2 more Granada questions :)

Exactly how far in advance do Alhambra tickets need to be booked for a non-holiday period? Weeks or months in advance?

I am planning on arriving in Granada in the early afternoon; touring the Alhambra afternoon and early evening. One overnight in Granada then more touring in the morning. Is this enough time? Or should I add another overnight?

Thanks!

I'd add the extra night. We were there in March 2002, and had planned on staying a week because we had a real deal on an incredible apartment as the base of the Alhambra. However, our plans changed and we could only stay 4 nights. We felt it was the perfect amount of time. Unlike others who have responded, Granada was one of our favorite cities. We absolutely loved roaming around the ancient Arab area, but remember, it's a very steep climb to the top. Towards the end of our stay we realized a city bus can whisk you to the top in 10 minutes and you can then leisurely wander down the windy streets.

One of our other unexpected delights on this trip was spending a night in the little border town of La Linea, within walking distance of Gibraltar. There were no other tourists there because it's just a simple little Spanish town. But it makes a great base for visiting the rock, which I highly recommend. There were 4 of us and we hired a large taxi van to squire us around, which is a perfect way to see everything. He could go where big buses could not.

Thanks dabodin. Any details on that great apartment you rented? ;)

I was just in the Alhambra a couple of weeks ago; no reservations, got there around 1pm, walk right to the ticket counter and got three tickets, I did not even waited 10 seconds in line.

I was there just this past Saturday. Some others we met in the hotel also just walked up and got tickets but we had reservations. I wouldn't risk not having a reservation. Its easy and can be done by phone or online at www.alhambratickets.com. Two days I think is more than enough.

We were in Granada in September. We arrived in the late afternoon, stayed on the Alhambra grounds at the Hotel America and spent the evening wandering about the grounds. We took the tour at 9:30 the next day and left for Seville at about 4. The Alhambra was a feast for the senses - I had heard wonderful things but was unprepared for the magnificence of it all. We had dinner in the Albacin but had little time to explore. One night is enough but there is plenty to do if you decide to stay for two nights.

Hi Lauralamb,
We were in Granada in June of last year and the lines for the Alhambra were long and times were sold out. You can buy ahead of time and I HIGHLY recommend the first entry time. You are able to take photos without people in your way which will be impossible later. Granada is fun. Also went to Nerja and I, too, recommend it for a beach trip. Less touristy and flashy than Marbella. Take lots of film!!
Have a great time -- we loved it.

Here's the info on the great apartment we stayed at in Granada, the Escritores. Their website is
granadainfo.com/escritores. Our party consisted of 2 couples, so we rented both apartments. The Ganivet is one flight up, larger and more comfortable, but does not have as good a view as the Lorca apartment. Lorca has a second flight of steps to climb, but has an absolutely gorgeous view of the Albacain rooftops. And there's also a rooftop patio with tables and chairs that is perfect for watching the sun set. These apartments are not luxurious, but have all the basics and a location that couldn't be better: at the foot of the Alhambra, on the Dorro River, 2 minutes walk to the main square. And we thought it was incredibly inexpensive! I highly recommend this place.