Unfortunately, the roads in Granada were blocked off for Easter Sunday. We did not arrive at the ticket office of the Alhambra until 10:50am. Somehow we were able to climb the steep steps to the Palacios Nazaries in 7 minutes (Elisabeth and Kate were great runners!). The guard at the Palacios Nazaries was kind enough to allow us to enter at 10:57am. Whew! Once inside we sat in the chairs in the main hall, drank water and rested from the sprint up the hill.
Palacios Nazaries
The Alhambra was part of the Nastrid dynasty from 1238 to 1492 after which the Catholic monarchs ruled over Granada. The star attraction is the Palacios Nazaries. The Palacios was worth the sprint: the tiles, mosaics and arches created a peaceful and serene environment. It is a mix of brick, wood and adobe. Throughout our tour we sat down often to admire the palace as the Nastrids would have viewed their palace from cushions and carpets on the floor.
Generalife (Yannat al Arif)
After touring the palace we walked to the Generalife, the country estate of the Nastrid kings. Elisabeth and Kate enjoyed the lovely fountains and gardens, especially the elaborate waterworks carrying water from the mountain to the lower gardens.
After strolling through the lush gardens of the Generalife we exited through the Puerta de las Grannadas and enjoyed an ice cream. We drove home to Almunecar to the Villa, to play at the beach, swim in the Mediterranean Sea and eat dinner at Tito Yayo.
We had a lovely day at the Alhambra, but I'm exhausted just remembering the sprint from the morning!
