Why did we fall in love with Granada? Was it simply the Alhambra, an incredibly-detailed, Moorish-built palace and surrounding complex that captivated our attention for nearly four straight hours? Was it the winding, hilly streets that offered occasional peeps at that imposing structure on the hill? Was it our hotel room that offered a view both during the day, when the structure was framed by tile-roofed buildings, and at night, when the full moon glared at us from within the same vista? Or was it the night before we toured the complex, when we sat high upon an opposite hill, sipping wine and watching the sunset show the building in the amber day’s-end lighting?
Apparently, it was simply the Alhambra, which appears so simple from afar, but is filled with an amazingly detailed interior and perfectly maintained gardens. I do highly recommend allowing a full day, and preferably a night, in your agenda to visit this amazing place. We’ve done a bit of traveling in Europe, and I’ve never seen anything like it, especially on that scale. It’s massive, which spreads out the throngs of visitors (but about those throngs of visitors, you MUST reserve in advance, or risk extreme lines or simply not being able to get in at all), and requires at least three hours of your day.
I’m finally posting a few photos, which can only do the setting partial justice:
Travel Notch 