Where to go
Spain
Things to do in Granada
Granada is a city with a unique face in Europe and around the world, because of its perfect synthesis of typical elements of Iberian and Arabic cultures. Granada, which was conquered by the Moors such as much of Spain, was the last city to be taken over by the Catholic monarchs in 1492, thus maintaining a strong Middle Eastern sign.The particular charm of this Andalusian town origins from this "mezcla" (mixture) and also from the geographical position of Granada, which lies between two rivers, at the foot of the Sierra Nevada and not far from the Mediterranean Sea. The most important and famous attraction of the city is undoubtedly the Alhambra, a Moorish fortress that was built in the XIV century and contains the splendid palaces where Arab emirs lived, with magnificent mosaic tiling, patios and gardens.The Alhambra was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with the Moorish Albaicín district (with the breathtaking view of the Mirador San Nicolas) and the gardens of the Generalife, a suggestive crowning of the rural residence of the emirs.Granada also shows a typically Western sign, which is evident in charming Renaissance buildings such as the Cathedral, one of the major works of the Spanish Renaissance.A lively university city, Granada has so much to offer in terms of entertainment, nightlife, bars (such as the bars of Calle Elvira and the Middle East teahouses of Calle Caldereria Nueva) and gastronomic delights (try the tortilla of Sacromonte, gazpacho, beans with jamón, migas and remojón).