Albaicín
Albaicín
Getting lost in the streets of Granada is essential to get to know it; and discovering its neighbourhoods is a great option: the centre, the Realejo... and above all Albaicín.
Together with Alhambra and Generalife, the Albaicín is one of the two spaces in Granada declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1994, in its case because of the conservation of its medieval urban structure. You will find the charm of the neighbourhood in every corner, in every street and in every square.
Its maze-like framework is lost among the slopes, viewpoints, and caves. El Carmen is the typical house of Granada that dates back to the Muslim era. Always with an interior courtyard-garden that becomes the heart of the house looking for the privacy and intimacy of living inside. Walking around the Albaicin you will find most of them. They are usually private houses but with a bit of luck you will find some door half-opened that will allow you to discover the beauty of these houses.
The Albaicin is full of viewpoints that offer the best views of Granada, Sierra Nevada, La Vega and especially Alhambra. Don't miss the viewpoint of San Nicolas from where you can enjoy one of the most impressive sunsets in the world. Don't forget to discover the aljibes: the neighbourhood still has many of them that were in full use until recently.
On the other hand, Albaicín offers us the possibility to see the transformation and adaptation that some of its most important buildings suffered, re-used after the Reconquest: some of its churches preserve part of what were the medieval mosques. An example of this is the beautiful tower of the church of San José, an old Almohad minaret, or the Patio de Abluciones, which houses the Collegiate Church of El Salvador.
|
|
|
|
|---|
How to get to Albaicín:
From the centre of Granada the best way is to walk up, it will allow you to discover each of its corners through three paths, each one more beautiful. We recommend starting your walk from the Carrera del Darro, Cuesta del Chapiz or from the Caldereria where you can stop for a while to have a cup of tea in one of its many tea shops.
If you want you can use public transport to go up to the Mirador de San Nicolas (Viewpoint): the bus line C31 and C32 from the centre of Granada and from Alhambra.
