Valencia and Granada - Day 5

Our day was mostly spent travelling the 500+ kilometres along the Costa Blanca from Valencia to Granada, and on arrival in Granada we visited the fantastic Alhambra.

This remarkable palace/fortress overlooks the town. It was built to be the home of the Sultans of the Nasrid dynasty in the 13th century. Its name is derived from the Arabic al-qalaát al-hamra meaning red castle.

This was our introduction to the art, architecture and history of the Moors, who ruled over most of Spain for 780 years from the 7th century, giving Spain a history unique to the rest of Europe.

The Alhambra is an exceptional and breathtakingly beautiful place, a fantasy of stone-cut lace, arabesque gardens and fountains. It is the only medieval palace of its type and cultural significance to have survived anywhere in the world. In 1870 the Alhambra was declared a National Monument and in 1984 the UNESCO World Heritage Committee declared it a World Heritage Site.

We took many photos during our tour and visit, but they do not really capture the beauty of this place, perched along the top of a hill with the magnificent backdrop of the Sierra Nevada mountains.Read more