Day 4: Day trip to Granada with a visit to the Alhambra

 Day 4: Day trip to Granada


In the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Granada is known for its grand examples of medieval architecture dating from the Moorish occupation, especially the Alhambra. Built throughout the 13th and 16th centuries during various reigns, it has suffered pillage and decay, and has undergone extensive restoration. While the boys were quite upset to visit a castle, because they deem them boring, after a quick sandwich and soda, they rallied and dare I even say enjoyed touring the Alhambra. When we first arrived, we entered the grounds and realized the boys were hungry shortly after waiting in line. We exited once more to visit the cafe. We then realized that the timing of our tickets put us behind schedule, and Zachary used his superb Spanish to get us to the front of the line. I am quite certain the only reason it worked is because the tender was so shocked Zachary spoke such fluent Spanish. His jaw nearly dropped and his smile lit up, and the next thing we knew, we’d entered back into the Alhambra by skipping the line, and arriving to the palaces just in time! “Que bueno espanol” is a phrase the boys are hearing often, which has been fun to witness for us parents.


The Generalife Gardens were a highlight, with gorgeous reflective pools, serene patios, and fountains where the queen and her lover would meet in secret. We bought tickets to the Nasrid Palaces, and we all listened to the audio tour for an hour, clicking along on the headseats for the number of each station and its explanation. Dad lingered behind us, taking in every single inch of the history, not wanting to miss a single explanation. It was exciting for the boys for about the first thirty minutes, but then we simply walked through the rest, seeing the extraordinary architecture and detailed tiling work. A highlight for me was the prayer room, filled with white tiles and several arched windows looking over Granada. 


After the palaces, we drove into Granada and despite the crowds and tight streets, we finally found parking. We spent two hours eating an amazing salad, Pizza and Croquettes con Pollo at Mediterranean Taste for a late lunch, then walking the streets of the Old Town, venturing into shops and sweet stores. The boy’s highlight for the day was the candy shop, where they bought 3 euros of candy each to save for tomorrow. We found a local butcher selling prosciutto right off the pig leg, and purchased our dinner of meats and cheeses to take back to our apartment. 


Favorites of the Dia:


Aaron: The Palacios Zaraies at the Alhambra

Afton: The Generalife Gardens at the Alhambra

Zachary: Shopping in Granda, and free reign at the candy store

Colton: Shopping on Granda, and free reign at the candy store













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