Spain and Portugal for Visitors

The Alhambra (red castle), said to be "the most perfect example of Moorish art in its final European development," is probably the most romantic sight in Spain. Together with its sister gardens, those of the Generalife, it is the second-most visited place in the country, for good reasons. Apart from the beauty of the Alhambra itself, its setting is incomparable, with fabulous views over the city and countryside of Granada in one direction and of the majestic slopes of the Sierra Nevada in the other. And its multiple functionality, palace, fortress, and now museums, means almost everyone will find something to enjoy.

The Alhambra complex lies roughly on an east-west line on a plateau overlooking the city of Granada. It was home to the Nasrid dynasty of Kings or Sultans of the Kingdom of Granada, who came to power on the defeat of the Almohad dynasty by a coalition of Christian kings at the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa in 1212. Apart from the massive fortress walls erected over the centuries of Nasrid rule, they built first the Alcazaba, citadel, at the west end of the complex, and later the halls and courtyards of the Nasrid Palaces, the most exotically atmospheric part of the Alhambra.

Almost the first thing you are likely to see when you enter the Alhambra is, unfortunately, the Palace of Charles V, an enormous Renaissance (read "rationalist" in this case) affair which you would quite like to see almost anywhere except where it is, because to say it jars is an understatement. To compound the felony, not only did Charles and the Hapsburg dynasty whcih followed him clear away the better part of the Nasrid winter palace to build this eyesore, they never even got round to finishing it. It now houses the Alhambra Museum and a Fine Arts Museum which are only worth visiting after you have seen everything else.

The Alcazaba goes down well with small boys of all ages and castle enthusiasts in general and although not a great deal of it remains, it is worth lingering over, as you will find your time in the Nasrid Palaces frustratingly restricted.

If you have already seen the Great Mosque at Córdoba or even the Giralda in Seville, you will be struck by the ethereal fantasy of the Nasrid Palaces, the Alhambra proper, and the intricate detail of the ornamentation on their walls and ceilings. Your route around is liable to be affected by restoration of one kind or another - there are always at least one or two rooms closed to the public - but the following are the most interesting of the Nasrid Palaces' halls and courtyards, in rough order of encounter:

The Patio de los Arrayanes (Courtyard of the Myrtles), has a goldfish pond at its centre. The Salón de los Ambajadores (Ambassadors' Hall), is the largest room in the Alhambra and was where Christopher Columbus was given the patronage of Isabel and Ferdinand for his voyage to seek a westbound route to the Indies. The Patio de los Leones (Courtyard of the Lions), gets its name from the twelve animal figures supporting the basin of the fountain at its centre; they do not look a great deal like lions, so it is just as well that their function was less representational than to symbolise strength and courage. That and to work as a clock, water being spouted out of a different lion's mouth every hour. The anonymous Wikipedia contributor who wrote the entry for the Alhambra observes that "The Christians of the Reconquest took apart the clock to see how it worked and it hasn't worked since," and I can almost hear him chuckle as he writes it.

The Sala de los Abencerrajes (Hall of the Abencerrages) is most interesting as the location for a legend according to which Boabdil, the last King of Granada, had the heads of the family of that name massacred there a la Borgia. The Sala de las dos Hermanas (Hall of the Two Sisters) is so called for two perfect marble slabs in the floor there, if you can get excited about marble slabs, however perfect - I find the honeycomb or stalactite vaulting in the ceiling more impressive, myself.

There is much more: the Sala de la Justicia (Hall of Justice), the Patio del Mexuar, (Courtyard of the Council Chamber), the Patio de Daraxa (Courtyard of the Vestibule), the Peinador de la Reina (Queen's Robing Room), a whispering gallery called the Sala de los Secretos, the inevitably disappointing harem, gardens, courtyards, halls, towers. Your ticket, unfortunately, will stipulate your allotted time slot which is unlikely to be long enough.

Occupying more than half of the space within the fortress walls, south-east of the Nasrid Palaces is the Alhambra Alta, Upper Alhambra, which would have been home to civil servants and courtiers. This largely contains ruins, the foundations of the houses and palaces from which their inhabitants were forcibly ejected after the fall of Granada.

The Generalife is a palace on the hilltop adjacent to the Alhambra, less notable in itself than for its gardens, which retain their Moorish character. Their ponds and fountains, hedges and tree-lined avenues avenues are remarkably evocative, especially in the oppressive heat of a Spanish summer day, though it is quite possible you will find the tinkle of the fountains to have been silenced by drought restrictions.

Other related buildings nearby but outside the Alhambra are the Villa de los Martires (Martyrs' Villa), so called for the Christian slaves used to build the Alhambra, said to have been kept in underground cells here, and the Torres Bermejas (Vermilion Towers), a well-preserved Moorish fortification with underground cisterns, stables, and accommodation for a garrison of 200 men.

Click here for Alhambra opening hours, entrance prices, and how to get there.