Granada Day Trip

On Monday we took a day trip to Granda. The city, at the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, was the fathers in land that we planned to travel on our trip. About two hours north of the cost, the ride gave us a chance to see the countryside, which was a stark contrast from the green forests of Germany. Very dry, the mountains and hillsides were covered with olive groves.

The main tourist attraction in Granada is Alhambra, a series of Moorish palaces and gardens built under the Nazari Dynasty in the 14th Century. We didn't want to book a tour through the hotel, which only visited the castle and didn't allow visitors to see the rest of the city. And, despite the advice of the hotel's concierge, we decided to go without booking tickets in advance.

The number of visitors per day is limited to protect the monument. Since it wasn't high season, we thought it wouldn't be a problem to get in. However, when we arrive we discovered that there we no tickets to be had for three days.* Instead we choose to wander through the old city, have a lunch of tapas in a square near the cathedral, and walk to the Sacromonte district.

Sacromonte is also known as the Gypsy Caves. Though they look like regular houses at first glace, upon further inspection you see that these house are actually caves in the side of the mountain. At one time a large gypsy community inhabited these caves, and today is home to many Flamenco shows.

* Reservations can be made online at or by calling 902 22 44 60. For more information about the monument, visit www.alhambra-patronato.es.