We were at Alhambra in perfect timing to get an afternoon ticket which goes from 2pm to 6pm. (It cost 12 Euros which is just under $20.) To get into the main palace every ticket is given a specific entry time. Ours was 2:30pm. While we waited we went to a nice open area near the fortress section of the complex and had lunch. (The usual European style of lunch; bread, cheese, fruit, etc.) Then we walked around the fortified area or alcazaba, which is the oldest section of the complex made of red clay stones and bricks, build in the 1200's. The palace, The Comares Palace, is the most important part, built in the 1300's by Yusuf I and later his son, Mohamed V. It is jaw droppingly beautiful. I cannot even describe the awe inspiring decorations of these rooms, pictures don't do it justice. It is absolutely incredible. After our tour through there we went to the second palace, built by Emperor Carlos V in the 1500's. The Muslim rulers lost Granada and Alhambra in 1492, after which this second palace was built. I thought it too was really great, but all the guidebooks dismissed it. We visited a few other smaller sites around the complex, a Catholic church built beside Moorish baths etc. Then we headed over to the Generalife, which is the garden section of the complex. They are also very impressive. Throughout the entire afternoon I was very interested in the water, which flowed through pools, fountains, tunnels, pipes, and troughs. It was very genius engineering for the time. We got kicked out, since we stayed right until closing.
The Comares Palace - Alhambra, Granda, Spain
Photo from Office Alhambra Website
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