Category Archives: Travel

Alhambra by Day

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As much as I loved our night visit to the Alhambra, I’m glad we were able to go back and experience the Palacios Nazaries during the day as well.  

As I mentioned in my planning post, we purchased tickets for the morning visit to the Alhambra, with an 8:30 entrance to the Palacios Nazaries.  It was early, but definitely worth it to beat the heat and the crowds.  I would highly recommend an early morning visit (no later than 9:30 would be my preference).  Even with the early entrance, there were a couple of tour groups, and it’s hard to enjoy the beautiful Moorish details and the relaxing courtyards with large groups of talking tourists. 

Since the 8:30 entrance time is the first available spot, it’s your best bet for enjoying the Palacios Nazaries without the extra noise and people.  We arrived about 15 minutes early, and there were about 15-20 people in line ahead of us.  However, unlike other time slots, the 8:30 slot allows no possibility of hundreds of tourists already roaming around the palace, clogging up the passageways and courtyards.  We were amongst the first people in for the day.  And, better yet, since we had already seen the palace at night, we skipped the very first room (which can get congested) and essentially had the entire place to ourselves (we did end up going back to the first room to take a look at the detailed walls in the daylight, but it was so extremely crowded that we only stayed for a few minutes).  The quiet and empty palace gave us room to move about each area to see the details and talk to each other without yelling. 

A closer look at the Moorish details at the Palacios Nazaries

As far as a guide for the daytime visit, we decided to try out the audio guide (6 euros) since we had already read the majority of Rick Steves’ site tour.  I’m glad we rented the audio guide because it gave some extra information (a lot of it was the same, though), and would recommend it if you don’t have something else to guide you through the palace.  The Palacios Nazaries will still be beautiful and amazing without a guide, but learning the use of each room or a story about something that happened in a courtyard really brings the palace to life and helps you appreciate it so much more.

Our daytime visit of the Palacios Nazaries lasted about an hour and a half, but had we not been on the night visit, we would have been there for at least two hours to take everything in.  While the moonlight and yellowed lights gave a mysterious and magical feel to the palace at night, the Moorish details on the walls and ceilings could be seen much better with the daylight.  The visit ended through a garden courtyard, which was closed during the night visit, and we were ready for the next stop on our Alhambra tour.

We were very excited to see the Generalife Gardens and the Alcazaba, since neither were open during the night visit.  The route through the Palacios Nazaries led us away from the entrance and toward the gardens, so we continued that way and enjoyed the beautiful flowers and trees along the path.  It took about 15-20 minutes to get there, but it was a flat walk, and at 10:00, it wasn’t too hot yet.  There are a few spots along the way which boasted great views of Granada, so we took a few breaks (as shown in the picture above).

The summer house of Charles V is what you pay for with the “Generalife Gardens” – the ticket-collector stands right outside the entrance to the house.  However, the most impressive part of the gardens is just before the house – mazes of hedges, beautiful flowers, romantic paths underneath canopies of greenery, and trickling water features.  While still older than almost any place I visit on a regular basis, the gardens right before the house were not built until the 20th century.  I couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed by how “new” it was, but we enjoyed the area nonetheless.  The expansive gardens allowed us to wander around without bumping into too many other tourist groups.  We spent very little time in the actual house.  The courtyard was pretty, but felt small and confined after visiting the Palacios Nazaries.  The house itself was nothing special – no elaborate decorations and only three rooms.

After we had enough of the Generalife Gardens, we made the 15-20 minute trek back to the Alcazaba, which is just a bit further past the entrance of the Palacios Nazaries.  Overall we were disappointed by the Alcazaba, but mostly because we were expecting more of an old fort, open for exploring (think Rocca Maggiore, in Asissi, Italy).  Instead, it was an old fort with a one way route guiding toursits on a predetermined path, with no room for veering.  We were able to get some great views of the city, but it would have been much more fun to roam through the ruins.  The entrance (and exit) is right near the entrance to the Palacios Nazaries, so it is worth a visit if you come before your entrance time (assuming it’s not the 8:30 entrance) or you have time afterwards.  It doesn’t take long to go through the fort, and there are several pieces of information on the audio guide. 

And finally, we spent very little time at Charles V’s Palace.  We didn’t have the energy (nor the interest, really) to go into the museum, so we walked around the palace ground and upper floors and then made our way out of the Alhambra, the same way we had entered earlier that morning.

My final tips for the Alhambra: 

  • Choose a morning start time for the Palacios Nazaries, the earlier the better (to avoid crowds and the afternoon heat)
  • Use an audio guide (purchased at the Alhambra) or a different guide to learn more about the Alhambra
  • Take your time and don’t feel bad about going backwards if you want to wait for the crowds or tour groups to move
  • Enjoy!

Day Trip to Nerja from Granada

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We originally wanted to fit a few days at the Costa del Sol (Spain’s South coast) into our latest trip itinerary, but we just didn’t have enough time.  As a compromise, we decided to squeeze in a short day trip to the town of Nerja while we were staying 3 nights in Granada.  Alsa, a bus carrier in Spain, runs 7 trips per day to connect the two towns.  Each trip takes approximately 2 to 2½ hours and costs €10 each way.  The bus station in Granada is not centrally located, but can be reached easily by local buses or taxi.  The Nerja station is also not central, but is a quick 10 minute walk to the main retail and restaurant area or a 10-20 minute walk to any of the town’s great beaches. Although a trip back and forth is a lot to fit into a day, we thought our journey to Nerja was well worth the time investment.  We experienced a whole new culture of Spain, and enjoyed some excellent sunshine, cheap food, and warm Mediterranean water.

The ride to Nerja on the Alsa bus was very pleasant.  The drive follows a major highway that skirts by the Sierra Nevada mountains.  It passes over several dramatic gorges and by  many wind turbines, both major feats in engineering.  After reaching the ocean, if follows along the local road connecting all the coastal towns.  There are at least 2 stops between Granada and Nerja.  One nice surprise was that our Alsa bus to Nerja had free wifi on-board, which allowed us to do trip planning en route.  We were not so fortunate on our way back.

Once arriving in Nerja, we followed the road down to the Balcony of Europe, which is pictured above.  On the way, we picked-up a beach towel for €6 (well worth it in comparison to dragging your own all around Europe).  The Balcony of Europe offers some very picturesque views of the surrounding beaches, coastal mountains, and the expansive Mediterranean.  Africa is likely too far away to see even on a very clear day, but it’s exciting thinking it’s just beyond the horizon.

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Alhambra by Night

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The Alhambra in Granada, Spain was the only attraction that we booked ahead of time, and I’m so glad that we did.  The ticket-buying process was fairly painless, and we were assured entrance into one of the greatest sites in Spain. 

We decided that both a night visit and day visit would be worth it for us.  Reading the online reviews, it was almost unanimous advice that the day visit was not to be missed, but that a night visit is worth an additional trip if you have the time and don’t mind spending the money.  Well, I’m going to argue that I enjoyed the night visit more.  The biggest downside was that our time was limited at night (we only had one hour inside).

Our first night in Alhambra was the night we chose for the visit to the Palacios Nazaries at the Alhambra.  For 9.30 euros each, we purchased tickets to the 22:30 entrance.  The palace at night was magical and much less crowded than it was during the day.  There are no audio guides available for the night visits, so it’s important to either visit at night after a day visit, or bring along a different type of guide – in our case, this was Rick Steves’ Spain (we talk about his books a lot – he has some great tours).  We learned about the history of the Alhambra and stories about each room and Courtyard, while examining the palace under the moonlight.  The Courtyard of the Myrtles (pictured above) and the Courtyard of the Lions (pictured below) were my two favorite spots in the palace.  Both were interior courtyards, but open to the sky.  They exuded elegance, luxury, and privacy and I could imagine how perfect they would be for relaxation.

The spacious Courtyard of the Lions with the prominent fountain in the middle.

The palace was well-lit, so we were able to enjoy the Moorish details on the walls, ceilings, and archways.  There were no tour groups to clog up the walkways and just a lot less traffic in each area of the palace.  We left the palace only when we were kicked out and couldn’t wait to go back for more! 

We ate a huge, very late lunch, but otherwise, a night visit to the Alhambra can be finished off with a late dinner in Granada.  We enjoyed two different areas of Granada for dinner – the sit-down restaurants on Paseos de los Tristes and the tapas bars on Calle Navas, which is just off of Plaza del Carmen.  Both offer late-night dining that would be perfect after a nighttime visit to the Alhambra! 

City Overview: Granada, Spain

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City.  Granada, Spain

When?  Tuesday, September 11 – Friday, September 14 (3 nights).  I actually think the three nights was plenty – they were very busy days, but we did pretty much everything we wanted to, including a day trip (about 7 hours total) to Nerja.  

Where? We stayed at the Carmen de la Alcubilla del Caracol hotel in a room with a private terrace (we were in La Torre, which was on the second and highest floor with a commanding view of Granada).  The hotel was located a quick 10-15 minute walk away from the Alhambra (pictured above), which was super convenient for us since we visited twice.  Our room was 140 euros and breakfast was an additional 8 euros per person, but it was a great breakfast and definitely worth it.

Transportation.  We walked a lot in Granada.  As I mentioned above, our hotel was conveniently located close to the Alhambra, so there was no need to take public transportation up to the entrance.  Also, the main area of Granada (near the cathedral and Royal Chapel) was a downhill walk from the hotel and was not too steep to walk up.  We did use the bus for two trips: the minibus to the caves of Sacromonte and the Alsa bus on our trip to Nerja.   

Food.  We had some fantastic food in Granada, including a few free tapas!  Our last night in Granada we went to Calle Navas, which is just off of Plaza del Carmen (and close to the Cathedral and not far from Plaza Nueva – really, everything in that area is very walkable).  There were so many tapas bars concentrated on this one street, and it was bustling until late in the night.  We had a mix of tapas – marinated tomatoes, jámon iberico, fried baby squid, and grilled cuttlefish, and they were all delicious!  We were especially impressed with the flavor and freshness of the tomatoes and the lemony cuttlefish grilled to perfection.  Calle Nueva was also a great place for people watching.  I just wish we had tried out the area before our last night!

Day Trips.  We took a partial day trip to Nerja, on the southern coast of Spain.  We rode the Alsa bus both ways, which took around 2 hours and was comfortable (our bus on the way there even had wifi!).

Attractions.  There were so many things to do in Granada.  The best site was definitely the Alhambra, which I’ll talk about in more detail later, but we also enjoyed other sites like the San Nicolás Viewpoint (with a great view of the Alhambra) and the Cave Museum of Sacromonte (pictured below).  The caves took a bit of time to get to (including a hike up a steep hill), but it was really interesting to see the caves set up as if they were currently being used as houses, kitchens, stables, and rooms to make crafts.  We also decided to relax a bit and tried out the Arab Baths at Hammam Al Ándalus.  For 23 euros each, we had 90 minutes to relax in the warm pool, hot pool, cold pool, and steam room.  Only 30 people are allowed during each time slot (every 2 hours, 10:00-24:00), so it’s not super crowded.  It was nice to get out of the heat of the day and do something we normally wouldn’t do.  There is also a location in Sevilla!

Language Barrier.  Similar to Sevilla – I was able to use some Spanish when I could, but everyone spoke English very well.  

Cost.  Aside from our first lunch in Granada (after checking in it was almost 16:00, so we had limited options and went to the fancy restaurant nearby), our food was very reasonable.

Advice.  Book ahead for the Alhambra!  I will be writing more detailed posts about our two visits, but I would highly suggest a night visit for less crowds and a more magical experience.  We also enjoyed our day trip (we had a lot more time), but it would have been too hot and too crowded had we not chosen one of the first few time slots. 

Closing comments.  Andalucía is a beautiful part of Spain and should not be missed!  We absolutely loved Granada and Sevilla and would love to visit the area again.  Even though Granada is a large city, it felt personal and very cultural. 

Traveling on RENFE Through Spain

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Back in July, I posted on our positive and money-saving experience of booking tickets online before our trip.  I figure I’d post a follow up on our success with using the online tickets, as well as our experience on riding RENFE’s trains.  We bought tickets for 3 individual journeys online to connect Barcelona, Sevilla, Granada, and Madrid.

Our original plan was to collect paper copies of our tickets from the self service machines at each train station.  Our desire was to get “real” tickets that my wife could use to scrapbook, but we brought along paper copies from our printer at home as backup (which work just as well, as far as the conductor is concerned).  It’s good we brought along the printouts, because the self service machines at the Barcelona train station did not have a clear option to change languages and certainly no option to print tickets from an advanced purchase (although this is supposedly available).  With little time before our departure, we decided to forego the “real” tickets and head straight to the train. Continue reading →