A Breathtaking Monument – The Alahambra Palace
Granada in Spain represents the quintessence of the typical oriental city; its fame comes from the Alhambra Palace. The Palace with its sloping alleys is visible from any part of the city, as it dominates the hilltop. The city within a city attracts thousands of tourists every day and is one of the most remarkable monuments in Spain with its castellated walls and towers standing over a green bed of trees.
The gardens are amazing both in summer and in winter; the paradise gardens form mazes that offer you the possibility of spending very peaceful moments in their intimacy; you will think you are in an earthly replica of heavenly bliss.
The Alhambra Palace has four sections: the military fortress, the Nazrid Palace (the supreme flower of the Moorish architecture), the Generalife Summer Palace and the Renaissance Palace of Carol the fifth. The gardens stimulate your senses through the subtle combination of light, colour, sound and smell created by the fountains and the abundance of floral perfumes (roses, jasmine and honeysuckle).
When you finish with the gardens, turn your attention towards the architecture. The colour of the walls gave the palace its name (Alhambra is the Arabic word for “red”). The walls used to host a city with four gates, seven palaces, workshops, baths, mosques and a madrasa – an Islamic school. Some of them have disappeared but you can still admire the mazes, the vaulted ceilings, the stone carvings and all the other decorations. The Arabic inscriptions are the most elegant and fine details of the Palace, giving it the typical Moorish aspect that made it so famous.
Useful information
When you decide to visit the Alhambra Palace, make sure that you have an entire day at your disposal; less than a day would not be enough to discover all its wonders and you would then regret not seeing everything. If your holiday budget is strict, take the necessary food for a picnic with you because the restaurants are quite expensive. If you choose to take your own car, prepare for a battle for a parking place; if you do not want to spoil the beauty of the day, give up the private car idea and take a bus.
One other good idea would be to avoid groups because they are very noisy and you have to do the same as everybody else, so if you do not want any restrictions, hire a player and a headset. The tapes are an alternative for a guide and they are very informative and useful. And keep in mind one thing: learn to feel the Palace and you will have one of your best memories after visiting it.