I wasn't quite sure what the Alhambra consisted of until we spent the day there. It's much more than just a palace. It's more than many palaces. It's really a complete city of palaces that were originally built by Muslims and occupied by the reigning sultan. But it's more than that too.
The Nasrid Palaces are the most important part as they are incredibly well preserved given that they were built starting in the 1200s. The floor to ceiling tilework and the overall aesthetic of the designers is at once breathtaking and calming, if you can correlate the two. Fountains and pools are everywhere and the sound of water helps to drown out the less-than-peaceable sounds, like busloads of Chinese tourists, for example.
Beyond the palaces, on one side is the Alcazaba, the early military defensive walls and towers guarding the Alhambra. On the other side, and quite a long walk away is the Generalife, another set of sumptous rooms surrounding green courtyards and gardens where water and its cleansing properties are the focus.
In the middle of the complex, which is the size of a small city, is the later palace of Charles V, who built his structure in the 1500s, employing Spanish Renaissance design. The palace now holds a selection of Islamic artworks.
Then there is the San Francisco monastery, now converted into a luxury parador, or one of the many hotels in Spain that were formerly historic religious buildings. This one has it's own beautiful formal gardens and an outdoor terrace restaurant--perfect to recharge onesself after hiking through this incredibly beautiful place.
It took us about six hours to fully tour the place. This includes a stop for a quick snack and beverage halfway through, then a glass of wine at the parador restaurant at the end. It was six hours I will never forget.
I've wanted to see the Alhambra ever since my fifth grade teacher talked about it, you've given me a great tour.
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