Granada, Spain

In the 13th century Granada became the capital of the Emirate of Granada under Nasrid rule, the last Muslim-ruled state in the Iberian Peninsula. Granada was conquered in 1492 by the Catholic Monarchs and progressively transformed into a Christian city over the course of the 16th century. This was part of the Spanish conquest by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. They looked to spread Christianity throughout Spain and make Spain an entirely Christian country. This effort was called the "Reconquista." They took Granada from the Moors, which was the very last Moorish stronghold in Spain.

When Christopher Columbus was looking for a patron to finance his expedition to the East Indies, he actually did also visit with the Moors in Granada. However given that the Catholic Monarchs of Spain were at the doorstep they declined. The city was peacefully handed over, as we already said in 1492. After this handoff in January, Isabella and Ferdinand used the wealth accumulated from Granada to fund Christopher Columbus' expedition. This is why the two dates coincide. At least our tour guide at the Alhambra said so.

They plundered the treasures of Granada which would later help finance Christopher Columbus maiden voyage to the New World.

The most important thing to remember when visiting Granada is that it is hilly with steep staircases. Allow for a lot of extra time when walking north or east away from the Carrera del Darro towards the Mirador (viewpoints). Heading south or west can be pretty fast though.Read more