River Walk and a Perfume Museum

On our way to the Alhambra, there were a lot of things to see and we had a bit of time to check things out before our guided tour at 12 p.m.

We went into the daily market and picked up a bocadillo (sandwich) and then walked beside the lovely Darro River on the narrow, cobblestone Carrera del Darro that is at the foot of the Alhambra. Cute stone and brick bridges, built in the 17th Century, cross over the river and its little waterfalls.

There were numerous and interesting buildings from the 16th and 17th Centuries as well as remains of Arab houses from the Nasrid period. There are also old convents, palatial houses, churches and historical buildings along the road.

We stopped and went in a beautiful Renaissance palace from the 17th century, originally built by the Marqués de Sálar. It has been transformed into a Museum of Perfume.

The front section had a store with perfumes made from the region’s plants like patchouli, sandalwood, lavender, frankincense, myrrh, etc. Downstairs , we saw photos of the interesting history of this area’s perfumes. There were ancient flasks that were used for storage and an explanation of the newest present-day extraction techniques used for modern scents.

Outside, there was an open air patio full of aromatic plants and fresh herbs. It was a serene and beautiful space. Chris just wanted to return with his book and read there all day.

A nice smelling side trip.Read more