Granada is a large city in southern Spain and one of the region’s most visited cultural cities. The area has been inhabited for thousands of years. The settlement was at one time called Iliberis, and it became a Roman colony in 44 BC. 17 years later it received the status of municipium with the name Florentia Iliberritana. The Moors’ conquest of the Iberian Peninsula started in 711, and the Moors left a big mark on Granada with the construction of some of the well-known sights of today. Granada later became the center of Sephardic Jews, who brought activity to the city as well. The Christian reconquest of Spanish territory reached its end in 1492, when the Emirate of Granada was conquered by Castile. The emirate was succeeded by the Kingdom of Granada, which was dissolved in 1833.

It is very cozy in central Granada, where you can start a stroll in the Plaza del Carmen square, where the city’s town hall is located. Here you can go to the Plaza de Bib-Rambla and on to the city’s cathedral, which stands monumentally in the streetscape. The Catedral de Granada was built from the early 16th century and completed through the Renaissance and Baroque periods with an impressive interior. At the cathedral is the Capilla Real de Granada, which is the royal chapel where the so-called Catholic monarchs from the 15th century to the beginning of the 16th century were buried. In the center you should also take a walk along the narrow street Carrera del Darro along the Darro River, where there is a special atmosphere and where you can see the old Moorish baths of El Bañuelo from the 11th century.

The Moorish Alhambra lies high above Granada, surrounded by walls and towers. It was built as a fortification but was developed into a palace when in the 13th century it became the residence of King Alhamar of Nasrid. The following centuries saw the construction of the Nasrid Palace and most of the Alhambra. The Patio de los Leones, with its marble fountain supported by twelve lions, is a beautiful example of Granada’s Moorish architecture and is one of the complex’s best-known attractions. Another elegant courtyard environment is the Patio de los Arrayanes, and from this courtyard there is an entrance to the reception hall Salón de los Embajadores, where Christopher Columbus obtained the support of the regents Ferdinand and Isabel for his voyage of discovery to the west and thus to America.

The Alcazaba is the oldest part of the Alhambra. It is a castle complex from the 13th century, which was built after the defeat of the Muslim Moors to the north, and thereby there was a need to establish a new fortress in the region, which formed the last part of the Muslim area in present-day Spain. From the tower Torre de la Vela, which is a distinctive feature of Granada’s skyline, there is an amazing view. The tower is named after the bell that can be seen up on the tower. The bell was brought by the Christian monarchs to the city, as a symbol of the Christian victory over the Muslims with its chime.

The Generalife facility is located opposite the Alhambra, and the name is believed to mean Garden of Paradise, which visitors can easily understand when exploring the area. Originally there was a covered passage from the Alhambra to the Generalife, but today you walk outside in the beautiful surroundings. Generalife was built at the beginning of the 14th century and served as a summer palace for the Muslim rulers. Today, the place is known for its beautiful gardens and courtyards, of which the Patio de la Acequia with its pool, arcades, fountains and flowers is the best known. There is also the Sultan’s Garden, Jardím de la Sultana.