Introduction
Before finishing my first visit to Spain in the fall of 2013, I wanted to return. The reasons were many and the biggest attraction would be another Camino experience. In the late winter-spring of 2016, plans were developed to that end; supplemented with other travels within Spain before and after the pilgrimage walk. This post will focus on time spent exploring Madrid, Toledo and Granada. I will share the Camino adventure in a separate post. On the Camino and during some of my time in Madrid I was joined with the same two companions with whom I walked the Camino Frances three years earlier.
This is a fairly long post, but there are many photos!
I arrived in Madrid in the late afternoon on Sep. 5 and easily made my way to the city centre via the metro. When stepping into the plaza near my lodging (Puerta del Sol), the heat certainly was noticeable at 39 C. But, it was a dry heat!!The hostel where I stayed was nearby in a great location for restaurants and cafes as well as exploring. After checking in and getting refreshed, I went for a short walk to get some sun and explore in the area adjacent to the hostel. Then, it was time for a cold beverage and a light dinner before heading to bed early. Needless to say, I was extremely grateful for air conditioning!! The hostel was comfortable even though the room was small, but it did have a funky clock.
Feeling quite refreshed the following morning, I headed next door for a hearty breakfast and then off to first explore the Puerta del Sol plaza only about 300 steps away. This plaza is known for a few landmarks popular with visitors. One is the statue of a bear clawing a tree - a symbol from medieval times when bears inhabited areas outside the city. It was difficult to get a photo without people posing for selfies. Another interesting attraction is a "kilometre zero" marker that represents Madrid as being the centre of Spain geographically and economically, and for being the country's capital. As is the case throughout Spain, the plaza of course had its statue of a soldier riding a horse.
My favourite site in the city centre is the funky Tio Pepe sign overlooking the plaza from the top of a building.
The next destination was the main train station - Atocha - to check where I would be leaving to travel to Toledo a few days later on Sep. 9. Even though it was hot, the walk to the station was pleasant and it was easy to get out of the direct sun. On the walk, I located the hostel where I would be staying once my friends arrived in Madrid. The train station is quite impressive with lots of greenery inside the domed building. Across the street is an impressive building that houses the national ministry of agriculture.
Interior of Atocha station
Ministry of Agriculture
As with all my travel in Europe, my travel guide preference is for the publications by Rick Steves. In the Madrid guide, he has a few walking tours that I found very interesting and descriptive. One of this tours included the Mercado de San Miguel with its many tapas bars, produce stands and more. It is a popular place - don't go there if you're not comfortable in crowds of people. Lots of fun - sights, sounds and tastes galore!
After spending some time in the market, my next stop was the Plaza Mayor, which dates back several hundred years. It is massive and could easily hold two football fields! On the ground level the plaza is ringed with cafes, restaurants and a few shops with the above-ground levels mostly being private apartments. The ground-level shops sell produce, local foods, wine and souvenirs.
The plaza is another great example of how many European cities use plazas and squares as public spaces for people to come together to walk, eat, have a cup of coffee or glass of vino tinto and just hang out.
The second full day in Madrid was another hot one at 39 C, but thankfully the humidity was only 14%. Yes, it is a dry heat!! On some of the streets, large sheets of mess have been attached above the sidewalks to provide some shade from the direct sun.
Then, it was time to visit two of the major and interesting attractions of Madrid - the Royal Palace and Almudena Cathedral. Not a lot of details here about the palace except to say that is reputedly the third largest palace in Europe. It's construction and features are the result of the influences of several kings over several centuries. It is still used for ceremonial events and rooms included in the tour are decorated with a wide variety of tapestries, paintings, frescoes, bronze decor and priceless porcelain. It is considered as a "not miss" site by Rick Steves.
The Almudena Cathedral adjacent to the palace is a massive building that took workers 100 years to complete. It has a relatively modern look and feel inside and I found the stained glass windows especially attractive. In some senses it does not appear to be cathedral or large church due to the absence of a tall and visually dominating steepls or spire often associated with such structures.
On Sep. 8,
I walked along one of the major and most well know streets of Madrid - the Gran Via - with its eclectic mix of architecture. It is one of those streets where you walk along looking up almost all the way....fortunately it is not too long. At one end of the Gran Via, there is a park called the Plaza de Espana with what I consider the best part of this walk - a statue of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. As in many European cities, statues are ubiquitous it seems,
but this is one of few that doesn't honour royalty or a military hero. During my visit visit to Spain in 2013, I do not recall hearing any mention of Don Quixote, but in central Spain he and Sancho Panza are iconic figures.
A Couple of Days in Toledo
After a 30 minute trip on a high speed train, I arrived in Toledo just before 10 am on Sep. 9. The old walled city sits on a notable hill with the train station being at a notably lower elevation. Before starting the trek into the old city by foot, I took some time to appreciate the Moorish influences architecture and features of the train station. As you will see in the photo below, it is an attractive building.
Toledo is a city of about 85,000, but only 10,000 live within the walled area of the old city. It has an interesting history and, at one time, was the capital of Spain. The rich mix of Jewish, Moorish and Christian heritages is one of the main reasons I wanted to visit there. From the outset, I was immediately drawn in by this very interesting city. My first priority was to locate the hostel where I would stay for two nights. After a quick stop at a tourist info centre, I easily found my way to my hostel located on a narrow street with cobblestone paving just a couple of minutes from the city's incredible cathedral. I was able to get into my room even though it was a bit early for check-in. Again, the room was small and comfortable, and the staff were very helpful. The location was perfect for touring the old city by foot. I've found that many hostels in Europe are much like boutique or small hotels in North America.
After taking a few minutes to settle into my room, it was time to explore with the cathedral being my first stop. Walking in Toledo was good training for Camino walking as there are plenty of hilly streets.
The cathedral stands on a site that used to house a mosque. The structure is principally Gothic in style and was constructed over a period of 250 years. It is considered as one of Europe's best cathedrals and a self-guided tour using the audio guide is recommended. As in many of Spain's cathedrals and large churches there are icons featuring Santiago (St. James) a central character of Christian history associated with the Camino de Santiago. I spent a coupe of hours there that included taking time to sit, reflect and pray. In all these large cathedrals, there is much to see and the following photos illustrate just a bit of that.
In walking the narrow streets of the inner city, the mix of Christian, Moorish and Jewish cultures stands out in a mix of subtle and more visible ways. In a few places, there is a marker of some type indicating that you are entering into another area of the city, but much of the time one can move about the city not not realize immediately that you are moving from one historic cultural area to another. It certainly wasn't always peaceful across the three major cultures, but they have survived relatively peacefully over more than 2,500 years.
In many cities, a large building such as a cathedral can be a landmark as one wanders around the city. In the old city of Toledo, that doesn't work well because of the very narrow streets such as those below that block one's view. It is interesting to watch even the smallest cars maneuver these streets.
One reason I would be drawn back to Madrid is that it serves as a great base from which to explore many other parts of the country.
Granada
On Oct. 24, my two Camino companions and I headed in separate directions. I flew to Granada, which I was excited to visit based on the recommendations of friends and travel writers. Despite having come down with a nasty cold, I looked forward to exploring, especially the Alhambra. Once again, I was pleased with my city centre lodging in terms of comfort and being in a great location from which to explore. For anyone traveling to Granada - there is not a metro train service, but there is a good bus service from the airport to the city centre. The airport is small so it is easy to find the shuttle bus and you can pay the driver.
With a population of 470,000 Granada has a tumultuous history. While it was considered as the grandest city in Spain at one time, the shift from Moorish to Christian rule was accompanied by a loss of power for the city. Granada has recovered in the sense of attracting people from other parts of Spain and around the world. It is a multicultural city with many ethnic groups represented in the population, which of course results in diversity being reflected in restaurants and food. Another thing that makes Granada appealing is its youthfulness - 80,000 university students with 20,000 of those being from other countries. That is a lot of youth for its overall population.
After checking into the hostel, my first goal was to purchase an entrance ticket for the Alhambra which was the main reason for visiting Granada. Despite recommendations to make an online purchase ahead of time, many attempts at making the purchase through their website resulted in failure and a bit of frustration. However, the stop at a ticket office was successful when I was able to purchase the last ticket available during the time I would be in the city!
With the Alhambra ticket in hand, I set off by foot to get a feel for the city centre. My accommodation was near the Plaza Nueva, with the major sites being within about 20 minutes of walking according to Rick Steves (travel writer), so that is where I headed. I absolutely love the atmosphere in places like Plaza Nueva with the mix of locals and tourists. While there, I checked the route I would take to the Alhambra and also located the where I'd head on my way to the old Moorish a couple of days later.
It was a relaxing afternoon in part because my energy level was limited. Nevertheless, I walked quite a lot and eventually stopped for an early dinner - again impressed by the warm and welcoming hospitality of the Spanish. In most of my travels I have experienced a good spirit of hospitality, but I honestly think no one does it better than the Spanish. Tapas and a couple of cold beverages were a perfect combo for a light dinner in temps that had reached the high 20s C.
Alhambra
The following morning, I walked up to the Alhambra to explore some of the site prior to my early afternoon scheduled entrance time to the restricted area. According to Rick Steves, the Alhambra is the "last and finest Moorish palace, highlighting the splendour of that civilization in the 13th and 14th centuries." No argument from me on his assessment.
Before finishing my first visit to Spain in the fall of 2013, I wanted to return. The reasons were many and the biggest attraction would be another Camino experience. In the late winter-spring of 2016, plans were developed to that end; supplemented with other travels within Spain before and after the pilgrimage walk. This post will focus on time spent exploring Madrid, Toledo and Granada. I will share the Camino adventure in a separate post. On the Camino and during some of my time in Madrid I was joined with the same two companions with whom I walked the Camino Frances three years earlier.
This is a fairly long post, but there are many photos!
I arrived in Madrid in the late afternoon on Sep. 5 and easily made my way to the city centre via the metro. When stepping into the plaza near my lodging (Puerta del Sol), the heat certainly was noticeable at 39 C. But, it was a dry heat!!The hostel where I stayed was nearby in a great location for restaurants and cafes as well as exploring. After checking in and getting refreshed, I went for a short walk to get some sun and explore in the area adjacent to the hostel. Then, it was time for a cold beverage and a light dinner before heading to bed early. Needless to say, I was extremely grateful for air conditioning!! The hostel was comfortable even though the room was small, but it did have a funky clock.
Feeling quite refreshed the following morning, I headed next door for a hearty breakfast and then off to first explore the Puerta del Sol plaza only about 300 steps away. This plaza is known for a few landmarks popular with visitors. One is the statue of a bear clawing a tree - a symbol from medieval times when bears inhabited areas outside the city. It was difficult to get a photo without people posing for selfies. Another interesting attraction is a "kilometre zero" marker that represents Madrid as being the centre of Spain geographically and economically, and for being the country's capital. As is the case throughout Spain, the plaza of course had its statue of a soldier riding a horse.
My favourite site in the city centre is the funky Tio Pepe sign overlooking the plaza from the top of a building.
The next destination was the main train station - Atocha - to check where I would be leaving to travel to Toledo a few days later on Sep. 9. Even though it was hot, the walk to the station was pleasant and it was easy to get out of the direct sun. On the walk, I located the hostel where I would be staying once my friends arrived in Madrid. The train station is quite impressive with lots of greenery inside the domed building. Across the street is an impressive building that houses the national ministry of agriculture.
As with all my travel in Europe, my travel guide preference is for the publications by Rick Steves. In the Madrid guide, he has a few walking tours that I found very interesting and descriptive. One of this tours included the Mercado de San Miguel with its many tapas bars, produce stands and more. It is a popular place - don't go there if you're not comfortable in crowds of people. Lots of fun - sights, sounds and tastes galore!
After spending some time in the market, my next stop was the Plaza Mayor, which dates back several hundred years. It is massive and could easily hold two football fields! On the ground level the plaza is ringed with cafes, restaurants and a few shops with the above-ground levels mostly being private apartments. The ground-level shops sell produce, local foods, wine and souvenirs.
The plaza is another great example of how many European cities use plazas and squares as public spaces for people to come together to walk, eat, have a cup of coffee or glass of vino tinto and just hang out.
One other small thing that I like about Spain is the attractiveness of many street signs - ceramic tiles that tell a bit of a story through an image and the street name. The one below is from the city centre where the main post office is located.
The second full day in Madrid was another hot one at 39 C, but thankfully the humidity was only 14%. Yes, it is a dry heat!! On some of the streets, large sheets of mess have been attached above the sidewalks to provide some shade from the direct sun.
Honour guide waiting for a procession of limos to depart the palace
The Almudena Cathedral adjacent to the palace is a massive building that took workers 100 years to complete. It has a relatively modern look and feel inside and I found the stained glass windows especially attractive. In some senses it does not appear to be cathedral or large church due to the absence of a tall and visually dominating steepls or spire often associated with such structures.
After walking the Gran Via, I wandered the city centre for a couple hours without anything specific planned. I went to the church from where we would be embarking on our Camino walk, checked out a few shops to get some ideas for gifts to take home and also went back to the train station to purchase my ticket for
the journey to Toledo. Purchasing the ticket was a
cultural experience in its own way as I waited for more than an hour to purchase a ticket
for a journey half that took amount of time!
A Couple of Days in Toledo
After a 30 minute trip on a high speed train, I arrived in Toledo just before 10 am on Sep. 9. The old walled city sits on a notable hill with the train station being at a notably lower elevation. Before starting the trek into the old city by foot, I took some time to appreciate the Moorish influences architecture and features of the train station. As you will see in the photo below, it is an attractive building.
Entrance side of train station
Early morning on the train station platform
View up to the old city about mid-point in the walk up from the train station
Toledo is a city of about 85,000, but only 10,000 live within the walled area of the old city. It has an interesting history and, at one time, was the capital of Spain. The rich mix of Jewish, Moorish and Christian heritages is one of the main reasons I wanted to visit there. From the outset, I was immediately drawn in by this very interesting city. My first priority was to locate the hostel where I would stay for two nights. After a quick stop at a tourist info centre, I easily found my way to my hostel located on a narrow street with cobblestone paving just a couple of minutes from the city's incredible cathedral. I was able to get into my room even though it was a bit early for check-in. Again, the room was small and comfortable, and the staff were very helpful. The location was perfect for touring the old city by foot. I've found that many hostels in Europe are much like boutique or small hotels in North America.
After taking a few minutes to settle into my room, it was time to explore with the cathedral being my first stop. Walking in Toledo was good training for Camino walking as there are plenty of hilly streets.
The cathedral stands on a site that used to house a mosque. The structure is principally Gothic in style and was constructed over a period of 250 years. It is considered as one of Europe's best cathedrals and a self-guided tour using the audio guide is recommended. As in many of Spain's cathedrals and large churches there are icons featuring Santiago (St. James) a central character of Christian history associated with the Camino de Santiago. I spent a coupe of hours there that included taking time to sit, reflect and pray. In all these large cathedrals, there is much to see and the following photos illustrate just a bit of that.
Before arriving in Spain for this trip, I made a personal commitment to combine the exploration of specific attractions and sites with simply taking time to wander around. As was the case in Madrid, I spent a few hours wandering around the old city of Toledo after having lunch. I find this kind of exploration often provides surprises and can be a highlight of a place like Toledo.
La Posada de Manolo (my hostel) has an open-air terrace on the top floor that is a wonderful place to sit with a cup of coffee and enjoy the views especially in the early morning as the sun is coming up and in the evening when the city lights have been turned on. The two photos immediately below were taken from the terrace on my second morning there.
La Posada de Manolo (my hostel) has an open-air terrace on the top floor that is a wonderful place to sit with a cup of coffee and enjoy the views especially in the early morning as the sun is coming up and in the evening when the city lights have been turned on. The two photos immediately below were taken from the terrace on my second morning there.
One side of the cathedral - photo taken from hostel terrace
Warm hues of the early morning sun
In walking the narrow streets of the inner city, the mix of Christian, Moorish and Jewish cultures stands out in a mix of subtle and more visible ways. In a few places, there is a marker of some type indicating that you are entering into another area of the city, but much of the time one can move about the city not not realize immediately that you are moving from one historic cultural area to another. It certainly wasn't always peaceful across the three major cultures, but they have survived relatively peacefully over more than 2,500 years.
Muslim mosque - Mezquita del Cristo de la Luz (dates back to about 1000)
It didn't take long to notice that there are many shops where a huge variety of knives, daggers and swords are available for purchase. Prior to the invention of gun powder and manufacture of hand guns, Toledo and some other places had a local industry based on the production of bladed weapons (swords, daggers and knives). Sword manufacturing in Toledo goes back to Roman times,
but it was during Moorish rule and the Reconquista (return of Christian
rule) that the guild of sword makers in Toledo played a key role in overseeing the quality of products. The
sword-making industry experienced great success in the 15th to 17th
century period and its products came to be regarded as the best in
Europe. A Royal Arms Factory was established in 1761 by the order of King Carlos III. All sword makers in the city were brought together in the this factory.
In the 20th century, the production of knives and swords for the army was reduced to cavalry weapons only; after the Spanish Civil War, bladed weapons were supplied to the officers and non-commissioned officers of various military units. The factory was closed in the 1980s and has been renovated to house a technological university. Blade manufacturing is still carried out in Toledo on a small scale and principally for sale to tourists.
On my second full day in Toledo, I decided to visit the Santa Cruz Museum and the military museum (Alcazar). I found the former to be one of the most interesting attractions of the city. Unfortunately, many of the display areas in the Alcazar were closed because it was "free admission" day.
The Santa Cruz museum has an interesting history - formerly an orphanage and a hospital funded by money left by Cardinal Mendoza when he died in 1495. In recent years, work has been underway to reorganize its collections. The façade of the building still bears the scars of the Spanish Civil War. The exterior, cloister arches and the stairway leading to the upper cloisters are good examples of a style called Plateresque; an ornate strain from the fancy work of silversmiths of the Spanish Renaissance (16th century). It was during this period (1500-1550) that the royal court moved from Toledo to Madrid. At that time, Toledo was a world power and Madrid was a village.
The museum has a number of painting by El Greco and many items telling the history of the city and the country. There are large and detailed collections of tiles and ceramics currently on loan to the museum that depict different regions of Spain. There are displays of pottery demonstrating their region of origination.
Jesus
St. Francis of Assisi
A very important thing I did in Toledo was purchase some baby clothes for my yet-to-be- born grandson. The owner of a baby/children's clothing store near the hostel was extremely helpful - she took out many items to show me and never exerted any pressure for me to purchase. Even with her limited English and my limited Spanish, we communicated quite well all the time being entertained by her 3 year old daughter. And, I came away with a few itmes.
My two short visit to this great city came to end the following morning when I walked to the train station, where I met my friends Phil and Donna to catch a ride back to Madrid with them.
Given an opportunity, I would gladly return to Toledo.
After Toledo - Two More Days in Madrid
The two days back in Madrid involved some site seeing in the city centre, some of which I had seen previously and was able to point out some things I had found interesting. During these days we welcomed two other friends, one (Gray) who joined Phil and I on our Camino adventure.
This was a relaxed time and, while some exploring was done, I was focused on the start of the walk coming in a couple of days. One of the places Phil, Donna and I checked out was El Rastro - the largest flea market in Europe that has everything one could imagine. It covers several city blocks with a mix of stuff that could be classed as junk and other quality items - highly popular with locals and quite entertaining.
We went to the Reina Sofia art museum which features art by many 20th century Spanish painters such as Picasso, Dali, Miro and others. Also featured are films and many photos. I am not a big art gallery person, but did enjoy the photos and films as many of these told stories from the Spanish Civil War period and the incredible impact upon the people of Spain.
For lunch one day, we went to the top floor of the Cortes Ingles department store to sample the amazing food court and enjoy great views of the city's skyline and surrounding area. This was a fun experience. Then, on one evening, we walked to the area of the Royal Palace just before and after sunset, which provided good photo opportunities.
We had many fine meals in Madrid and there was an excellent breakfast spot near the hostel where we went every morning. It was a combination of bakery and restaurant, which often makes for good quality meals.
Post-Camino Madrid
After spending three days in Santiago de Compostela following our 700 km Camino walk, we returned to Madrid for two days before heading in separate directions. Some of our time was spent walking over familiar turf as well as seeing a few attractions new to us. During these days, we encountered more rain and dampness than during all of our 700 km of walking. I was grateful for the spectacular weather for virtually all of our Camino walk.
Even though there was a lot of rain on our last two days in Madrid, we explored a few things. One of the places we visited was the Prado Museum, which is one of the city's top-rated attractions. The Prado holds more than 3,000 canvases, including entire rooms filled with masterpieces from renown painters. The museum receives travel writer Rick Steves' vote for being "the greatest collection anywhere by European masters." Among the many featured painters are Francisco de Goya, Diego Velazquez, Hieronymus Bosch, Bartolome Murillo, El Greco and others from across Europe. I enjoyed the time there, but have to say that I found it to be almost overwhelming because there is so much to see.
We also went to the top of the high rise building that houses city hall where there is a 360 degree viewing platform. The views here surpass those from the top floor of the Cortes Ingles store in terms of the distance that can be seen as well as being a notably taller building. As a reflection of the city's openness to refugees, a huge banner hangs from the front of the building saying "Refugees Welcome." Another notable site we visited was a church with impressive frescoes (cannot remember for certain, but I think it was the Church of Corpus Christi).
As with so many large cities in Spain, one thing that stands out in Madrid is the
architecture. There are many of what I call grand or majestic
buildings from another era. Rather than demolish these buildings when showing their age and substantial deterioration, many have
been restored over the years with many projects currently are underway to do the
same. In contrast with a lot of large North American cities,
city centres in Madrid and other Spanish cities seem like desirable places for people to
live.
Even though there was a lot of rain on our last two days in Madrid, we explored a few things. One of the places we visited was the Prado Museum, which is one of the city's top-rated attractions. The Prado holds more than 3,000 canvases, including entire rooms filled with masterpieces from renown painters. The museum receives travel writer Rick Steves' vote for being "the greatest collection anywhere by European masters." Among the many featured painters are Francisco de Goya, Diego Velazquez, Hieronymus Bosch, Bartolome Murillo, El Greco and others from across Europe. I enjoyed the time there, but have to say that I found it to be almost overwhelming because there is so much to see.
We also went to the top of the high rise building that houses city hall where there is a 360 degree viewing platform. The views here surpass those from the top floor of the Cortes Ingles store in terms of the distance that can be seen as well as being a notably taller building. As a reflection of the city's openness to refugees, a huge banner hangs from the front of the building saying "Refugees Welcome." Another notable site we visited was a church with impressive frescoes (cannot remember for certain, but I think it was the Church of Corpus Christi).
One reason I would be drawn back to Madrid is that it serves as a great base from which to explore many other parts of the country.
Granada
On Oct. 24, my two Camino companions and I headed in separate directions. I flew to Granada, which I was excited to visit based on the recommendations of friends and travel writers. Despite having come down with a nasty cold, I looked forward to exploring, especially the Alhambra. Once again, I was pleased with my city centre lodging in terms of comfort and being in a great location from which to explore. For anyone traveling to Granada - there is not a metro train service, but there is a good bus service from the airport to the city centre. The airport is small so it is easy to find the shuttle bus and you can pay the driver.
With a population of 470,000 Granada has a tumultuous history. While it was considered as the grandest city in Spain at one time, the shift from Moorish to Christian rule was accompanied by a loss of power for the city. Granada has recovered in the sense of attracting people from other parts of Spain and around the world. It is a multicultural city with many ethnic groups represented in the population, which of course results in diversity being reflected in restaurants and food. Another thing that makes Granada appealing is its youthfulness - 80,000 university students with 20,000 of those being from other countries. That is a lot of youth for its overall population.
After checking into the hostel, my first goal was to purchase an entrance ticket for the Alhambra which was the main reason for visiting Granada. Despite recommendations to make an online purchase ahead of time, many attempts at making the purchase through their website resulted in failure and a bit of frustration. However, the stop at a ticket office was successful when I was able to purchase the last ticket available during the time I would be in the city!
With the Alhambra ticket in hand, I set off by foot to get a feel for the city centre. My accommodation was near the Plaza Nueva, with the major sites being within about 20 minutes of walking according to Rick Steves (travel writer), so that is where I headed. I absolutely love the atmosphere in places like Plaza Nueva with the mix of locals and tourists. While there, I checked the route I would take to the Alhambra and also located the where I'd head on my way to the old Moorish a couple of days later.
It was a relaxing afternoon in part because my energy level was limited. Nevertheless, I walked quite a lot and eventually stopped for an early dinner - again impressed by the warm and welcoming hospitality of the Spanish. In most of my travels I have experienced a good spirit of hospitality, but I honestly think no one does it better than the Spanish. Tapas and a couple of cold beverages were a perfect combo for a light dinner in temps that had reached the high 20s C.
Alhambra
The following morning, I walked up to the Alhambra to explore some of the site prior to my early afternoon scheduled entrance time to the restricted area. According to Rick Steves, the Alhambra is the "last and finest Moorish palace, highlighting the splendour of that civilization in the 13th and 14th centuries." No argument from me on his assessment.
The Alhambra is a huge site overlooking the
city of Granada - a bit difficult to describe as it is part palace, part fortress, part gardens and part World Heritage site. The site is about 740 metres (2,430 ft) in length by 205 metres (670 ft) at its greatest width covering an area of about 142,000 square metres 1,530,000 sq ft. The Alhambra's most westerly feature is the Alcazabra (fortress or citadel) - a strongly fortified position overlooking the old city.
Originally constructed as a small fortress in AD 889 on the remains of Roman fortifications, the site was pretty much ignored until the mid-13th century when the ruins were renovated and rebuilt by the Moorish Emirate of Granada who constructed the current palace and walls. It was converted into a Moorish royal palace in the 14th C and following the Christian Reconquista in the late 15th C the site became the site of the Royal Court of Ferdinand and Isabella. It was here that Christopher Columbus received royal endorsement for his expedition to what came to be North America. In the following centuries, the site went through many changes in evolving to its current state as one of the greatest attractions in Spain and indeed in Europe.
Sadly, the Moorish art and architecture were damaged and in some cases destroyed at different times, but significant reconstruction occurred in the 20th C and much restoration is still underway especially with the Alcazabra. It is an incredible example of medieval architecture and remarkable monument to Moorish culture and creativity. It is easy to understand why it is an important "pilgrimage" destination for many people.
It was quite busy when I was there in late October, but it is much busier in summer months when the site receives about 6000 people daily. For the most part, I did not have to contend with crowds of people except inside the Palacios Nazaries where just about everyone (except me) were taking endless selfies despite signs prohibiting such. This specific site actually encompasses a number of sections and features. Despite the crowds in this area, I found the presence of still or running water throughout this complex to be appealing and soothing along with the compelling art and creativity of the Moorish culture.
After going through the Palacios Nazaries, I finished my visit in an area called Generalife. Translated from the Arabic jinan al-‘arif (the overseer’s gardens), the Generalife is a beautiful arrangement of gardens, pathways, patios, pools, fountains, tall trees and, in season, flowers of every imaginable hue. From there, it was a nice shaded walk back to the old city for a cold beverage and more tapas. A very fine day!
Exploring the Old City
Sadly, the Moorish art and architecture were damaged and in some cases destroyed at different times, but significant reconstruction occurred in the 20th C and much restoration is still underway especially with the Alcazabra. It is an incredible example of medieval architecture and remarkable monument to Moorish culture and creativity. It is easy to understand why it is an important "pilgrimage" destination for many people.
After going through the Palacios Nazaries, I finished my visit in an area called Generalife. Translated from the Arabic jinan al-‘arif (the overseer’s gardens), the Generalife is a beautiful arrangement of gardens, pathways, patios, pools, fountains, tall trees and, in season, flowers of every imaginable hue. From there, it was a nice shaded walk back to the old city for a cold beverage and more tapas. A very fine day!
The next morning, I decided to explore the old city which has many of the same types of things one can see in other Spanish cities - cathedral (second largest in the country), market areas, plazas and statues. One of the interesting sites is the Corral del Carbon - a protected place for merchants to rest their camels, eat and swap stories. While it is not a remarkable site other than for its history, it is close to the Alcaiceria market - historically it was a Moorish silk market filled with shops selling spices, silver and, of course, silk. While some of that still exists, there are many tourist oriented shops and eateries.
Christopher Columbus receiving his commission from Queen Isabella
Just a couple blocks from the cathedral is a square (Plaza de Bib-Rambia) that was the centre of Moorish Granada when Spain was ruled by Moors for 700 years. After Christian control was reasserted, the initial tolerance directed toward Moors and Jews was replaced with the Inquisition with many of these large segments of the population being forced to convert to Christianity or evicted. That is an extremely brief synopsis of was much more complex and extensive social, cultural and religious event. Today, the square is characterized by cafes and bars to quench one's hunger and thirst.
Albayzin
On my last full day in Granada, I stared the day by taking the long, hilly walk to the large and oldest Moorish quarter which overlooks much of the city and offers excellent views across to the Alhambra. On this walk, I didn't have any specific sites to see, just walking to take in the atmosphere of the colourful narrow streets and views. The best view of the city is adjacent to the Mirador de San Nicolas. I took different routes up and down; enjoying both directions a great deal. While there were tourists in this area, it was remarkably quiet compared to the city centre and the Alhambra. Along with the walk to the Alhambra, I highly recommend this journey.
Back to Madrid and Home
After a great time in Granada, I returned to Madrid for a one-night stay near the airport and then home on the morning of October 29. Another 45 nights and another great time in Spain, it was great to be heading home to reconnect with family and friends as well as sleep in my own bed.
I hope to soon write a post on my fall 2016 Camino journey....stay tuned.
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