··· Travel Notes of Spain and Portugal · Memories of Granada ···
Starting from Ronda, we took a train and then a bus to Granada. The train was delayed for a while, but fortunately it did not affect our next trip.
Granada means "pomegranate" in Spanish. Unfortunately, I didn't know that before, and I didn't notice the pomegranate patterns that can be seen everywhere in the city during the tour. I only tasted a hint of sweet pomegranate flavor in the fruit wine Sangria. . This city, located at the foothills of the Sierra Nevada in southern Spain, attracts tourists because of its long history and the collision of various cultures. It has also become Spain's "famous city" in recent years thanks to the Korean drama "Memories of Alhambra". Internet celebrity destination”.
Upon arrival we walked from the station to the Catedral de Granada. When we visited, local people were practicing hymns with bassoon organ . The interior space of the church is very large. The tall white marble columns make the church space appear spacious and bright. The walls are decorated with golden sculptures and Renaissance paintings. The church's circular dome is painted with golden stars and blue Colorful sky. Each chapel in the church has exquisite sculptures and paintings, each telling different characters and stories, showing different styles due to different construction years.
On the way to the hotel, we passed by a famous ham shopViandas Hacienda Zorita. With a trying mentality, we bought a ham sandwich and a small bag of sealed Iberian hamJamón ibérico. This ham cured in the traditional Spanish way uses Iberian black pigs that feed on oak trees, and its meat has a hint of acorn flavor. We decided to save the bagged ham as a high-energy supplement for the Camino de Santiago, and after filling ourselves up with half a sandwich in the room, we set off for the Alhambra.
Walking up the hillside, we arrived at the Alhambra Palace Alhambra Palace before the scheduled time. This is Granada’s most famous architecture and attractions, and it is also one of Spain’s World Heritage Sites. There are many tourists who come here to visit. Even if you make a reservation several months in advance, there are only a few time points to choose from on the official website. We booked tickets online in advance and entered a specific area at the designated time. There were many tourists at the entrance of the scenic spot because they did not make reservations in advance. And was blocked from the door.
When entering the Alhambra , we did not visit in the order on the tour map. The Alcazaba, the fortress outside the palace, is the oldest part of the Alhambra Palace complex. There are many towers and remains of the fortress. You can overlook the entire city of Granada from the top of the castle.
Climb the stairs in the tower to the bunker outside the palace, and you can see the outside scenery through the holes in the wall.
Overlookingthe white houses of Albaicín, dotted with greenery and the mountains in the distance. This kind of scenery is slightly similar to Ronda, but it lacks the pastoral style of the countryside.
Through the flower windows in the palace, you can also see the scenery of Albayzin . The exquisite decoration on the window frames is unique.
Palacios Nazaríes Palacios Nazaríes is the highlight of the Alhambra complex. In order to protect the interior of the building, the scenic spot has implemented restrictions on the number of tourists. We arrived at the reserved time on our tickets in advance. Unexpectedly, we still had to queue up at the door before we were allowed in. Visitors without reservations could only be blocked from the door. There is also a security check before entering the site. During the visit, the security guards strictly required us to carry our backpacks on our chests.
In the Patio de los Arrayanes, a neatly trimmed myrtle hedge surrounds a rectangular pool. The overall design of the building is simple and elegant, and the details are amazing.
The paths on both sides of the pool are paved with smooth white marble. I really liked the carvings on the wooden door and the symmetrical patterns on the frame, so I asked my classmate Shanshan to take a photo for me.
For the sake of symmetry, Shanshan also stood on the other side of the wooden door and took a photo.
The center of Patio de los Leones is fenced off and visitors are not allowed to enter. We can only visit along the outer corridor.
In the center of the courtyard is a pool held up by a lion statue, and the water channels extending around it trickle into the palace.
No matter from any angle of the corridor, you can see the detailed and exquisite carvings, some of which are based on flowers and plants, and some of which are complex Arabic characters. It makes people marvel at the craftsmanship of the craftsmen and the huge amount of construction work.
Gorgeous walls and window frames can be seen everywhere in the palace. The detailed carvings on the top of the hall are full of layers, which makes people feel shocked when they look up.
Pools everywhere in the palace reflect the surrounding buildings and green plants, making people feel refreshed.
Wewere ready to leave the Alhambra, but on the way to the exit we bumped into this Islamic-style garden: the Generalife Garden. It is said that this was once the summer palace of the king of Granada. Through the arches of the garden corridor, you can see other buildings in the palace and the scene of the Albaicín district.
The Alhambra looks more gorgeous and noble than the Palace of Seville due to the complex texture carvings inside.
After leaving the Alhambra Palace, we climbed to the Mirador de San Miguel Observation Deck on the top of the mountain next door. Here we waited for the sunset in Granada and the Alhambra Palace night view.
Every sunset and night view seems to be the most anticipated part of the day.
The setting sun that has not receded in the sky and the dotted street lights in the city complement each other, which is particularly beautiful.
It is said that the name of Alhambra comes from Arabic, meaning "Red Fort". Against the background of the setting sun, the outer wall of the palace glows with a brick-red glow. I wonder if this is why it got its name. As night falls, the palace's outer walls are illuminated warm orange by strong lights, making it look heavily guarded and out of reach.
In order to see the Alhambra from another angle, we came to the Mirador San Nicolas Viewpoint. This observation deck is relatively famous, so there are many tourists. We had gone to the San Miguel Observation Deck on the mountain to watch the sunset just to avoid the crowds.
The beautiful scenery of Granada made us feel happy, and we couldn't help but think about the Spanish specialties that we had never experienced before. We carefully selected a tavern by the moat based on the recommendation of Google Maps, and prepared to enjoy a candlelight dinner in the beautiful night. After a lot of fuss and a long wait, the food was finally brought to the table. The imaginary pan-fried beef tenderloin is actually a plate of raw beef salad. The smell of smoked tuna on the bread is overwhelming, and a large amount of water cannot dilute the heady smell. Out of respect for the restaurant, the two of them swallowed most of the food on the table and fled. This nightmare dinner was expensive and completely shattered our courage and enthusiasm to try tapas.
After the failed attempt, the two people's eyes lit up when they saw the instant noodles in the supermarket. They borrowed a hot water bottle and a small fork from the hotel front desk and made do with dinner. After being disillusioned with Spanish food, I was still a little reluctant, but Shanshan comforted me that the journey was still long and there would be other opportunities for me to try on the way.