mlchad147
- Jul 13
- 5 min read

July13, 2024–Granada, Spain

Greetings from Málaga, Spain, where we didn’t spend the day. I’m sure Málaga, a city of more than half a million Andalusians, is a lovely place, worthy of a visit, but its main attraction for us was that it’s the nearest port to Granada, the Muslims’ last-ruled bastion in Spain.

Granada (Gra-NAH-da) is inland, and a two hour bus ride from Málaga, so we knew in advance that we’d spend half of our eight hour excursion looking out the window at the passing countryside. Still, if the tour description was accurate, it would be worth it. I didn’t have a lot of time for research, but I did learn that the Catholics finally conquered the city in 1492 (quite a historical year, wouldn’t you say?), and that it is the home of the Alhambra, a Muslim citadel that is one of Spain’s most visited tourist sites. Moorish, Renaissance, Baroque and even Gothic architecture combine to make this melting pot truly unique. I couldn’t wait.

Granada lies at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, some of whose peaks top 11,000 feet. And here’s something interesting. It was 97 degrees and sunny in Granada this July afternoon, but we could still see snow on the tops of some of the nearby mountains. And speaking of the temperature, it was definitely less humid in Granada than it has been in the coastal cities we’ve visited, and it made a big difference. I’ll take heat over humidity any day.

As to the city’s attractions, there are really two superstars—the Alhambra and the Cathedral. The old town is nice, and it was fun to wander around in the Grand Bazaar and Silk Market, but neither of them is enough to justify a journey all the way to Grenada. The Alhambra and Cathedral are a different story.

Unfortunately, we weren’t able to enter the Alhambra. Timed tickets for the Muslim citadel must be purchased far in advance, and if you go that’s all you’ll have time to see on a day trip. The place is huge, more than 1700 acres, and is really a city unto itself. We were able to see a portion of the outer walls, so it wasn’t a complete miss, but I’d love to come back some day when I have enough time to see as much of it as possible.

Ah, but the Cathedral. Not only is it the world’s fourth largest cathedral (depending on how you measure these things, apparently), but the attached Royal Chapel houses the remains of Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand, they of Christopher Columbus fame, along with some of their family members. You can actually see their simple caskets in the crypt below the Chapel, which we did. Interestingly, above the crypt are elaborate marble caskets that serve as monuments to what lies below. No photos were allowed in the Chapel, so you’ll have to take my word for all this.

Photography is permitted in the Cathedral, and happily so, because it is magnificent. Like Gaudi’s cathedral in Barcelona, Grenada’s is cavernous inside, but there’s nothing modernist about it. It’s a big, muscular, yet classically beautiful structure, and I could do an entire blog post on it, but you’ll have to settle for my photos.

Before leaving we were given an hour of free time to roam around on our own, which we used to do a little shopping and grab some lunch in a coffee shop overlooking a large public square. Then we walked several blocks back to the bus for the two hour ride to Málaga and the ship.

My final assessment: come to Granada if you want to see the Alhambra and/or the Cathedral. Otherwise, skip it. It’s not that the old town is bad. It isn’t. In fact, some of it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s just that you can see most of the same or similar things in places that are easier to get to.

Today was our last day in the Mediterranean after a month in its sunny, warm waters. It’s been great, but I’m looking forward to getting back out into the Atlantic, starting with Casablanca tomorrow. I’ll be back with a full report on my efforts to find Rick’s Cafe, so stay tuned.

Just in case you might be getting the impression that these European cities we’ve been visiting are 100 percent adorable, I thought I’d show you a photo or two of Granada outside the old town section. This could be anywhere.

I haven’t been in the US for a while, but in Spain you can get a McRib with queso and bacon. Yes, it’s a big deal.

I’m a fan of the old fashioned newsstands they have here.

Okay, on with the tour. This elegant building is the local tourism office. Nice digs.

Another beautiful old city. Europe really grows on you.

First time I’ve seen anything like this. It gets really hot here, and they’ve installed shades over the street.

Lots of side streets just begging to be explored.

Outdoor cafes in one of the main plazas.

It was here in Granada that Christopher Columbus successfully pleaded his case to Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand. This statue commemorates that world changing event. I know, I took the photo from the back, but this was where the light was right and there was a great old building in the background.

An alley in the old city.

First and only look at the walls of the Alhambra. Unfortunately this was as close as we got. I’d love to come back and see it.

Closeup of one of the Alhambra watchtowers.

At one time this was part of a bridge and door to the Alhambra.

You won’t lack for places to shop in Granada.

Narrow alleys provide shade, and are much appreciated.

Thirsty? They say the water is good.

It takes a lot of willpower to pass by a shop like this without stopping in.

It’s not all cathedrals. This is the Iglesia de San Gregorio Bético.

Another pretty, narrow street.

More shopping.

Do you like Valencia oranges? I meant to mention it when we were in Valencia a couple days ago, but this region is where the real deal comes from. It’s big business here.