Good morning good morning guys.
As you can tell from the way we are dressed it is fill in the blank cold this morning.
Oh my gosh.
But we're really excited to be exploring.
Yes.
The Alhambra (الْحَمْرَاء‎) here in Granada.
So we are up bright and early.
We sure are.
We have tickets for 10 am to visit the Nasrid Palaces but we've come in early.
Yeah.
So we're going to have a look around visit the gardens.
Exactly, so there is two reasons why we decided to come so early this morning.
And it was actually minus this morning.
Minus temperatures.
That is why I'm dressed the way we are.
We have our hats, we have our toques and we have our scarves on.
Anyways there is two reasons.
Apparently there is the best light in the morning.
Yes.
And also you kind of beat the crowds a little bit.
Mmmhmm.
So we're hoping.
We're taking one for the team here.
A little bit cold though for sure.
Alright, let's begin this sightseeing adventure.
Let's go.
Let's do it.
The Alhambra (الْحَمْرَاء‎) is one of the most impressive sights in all of Spain and it receives over
2 million tourists every year.
This complex of palaces, gardens and fortresses once formed the citadel that was part of the
Nasrid Kingdom of Granada, which was the last Muslim dynasty to rule along the Iberian Peninsula
from the years 1230 to 1492.
So as we make our way in let's talk about the admission.
It was 14 Euros per person and we booked our tickets online so we just showed up with our
pdf tickets and just scanned right in.
Um if you are visiting in the summer you do have to book well in advance.
They say weeks or even months in advance because the tickets can sell out and they only allow
a certain number of people in per day.
But in winter it wasn't a big deal.
There were only two days in February that were sold out and the rest of the time they
had tickets available so it wasn't an issue.
Um, so yeah now we are walking in.
We have a little map so we know what direction to head in and it should be good.
This is going to be a fun day.
The Nasrid Palaces are a collection of rooms, courtyards, and spaces that were used for
business, administration, and for private living quarters.
The architecture is characterized by its carved arabic inscriptions, its intricate cedar wood
ceilings, and its colourful tiles arranged in geometric patterns.
Inside the Nasrid Palaces, we visited the Court of the Myrtles, whose key feature is
a pool fed by two marble fountains.
Not only did this help cool the palace, but it also acted as a symbol of power since water
was usually in short supply.
From there we continued to the Hall of Ambassadors, which is the largest room in the Alhambra (الْحَمْرَاء‎).
This was the grand reception room where the sultan’s throne was located.
One of the most impressive aspects of this room is the carved wooden ceiling, which is
a representation of the Seven Heavens of the Islamic Paradise.
Alright guys we're a little blinded by the sun right here.
Yep.
But it is time for an update.
We just finished visiting the Nazareth Palaces and oh my goodness that was quite impressive.
It is massive.
Yes.
So the two things that surprised me the most was just how big it was.
Mmmhmm.
How many different sections there were.
Yes.
And I was also surprised for this time of year, when it is this cold, how many people
were braving the elements and visiting.
Yeah, so we were in there a while.
We entered at 10 am.
What time is it now?
Yeah, it is 11 am.
Okay.
So we spent an hour in there visiting the numerous courtyards with fountains and I mean
just admiring the intricate details.
The ceiling.
It was so intricate.
It was like you had to look up, you had to look to your side, you had to look down and
you also had to look in front of you so you didn't bump into somebody.
Hahaha.
Very true.
So yeah that was just one section.
Now we have some free time to just explore the rest of the grounds.
So that is the plan.
Let's see the rest of the Alhambra (الْحَمْرَاء‎).
Let's do it.
Our next stop was the Palace of Charles the V, which stands out from the rest of the constructions
at the Alhambra (الْحَمْرَاء‎).
Construction of this palace was ordered by Charles the V who was Holy Roman Emperor at
the time.
He wanted to establish his residence close to the Alhambra palaces, though there is no
evidence he ever lived here.
Alright guys so our next stop is the Palace of Charles the Fifth.
It is a very different style from the last palace we just finished visiting.
This one was done in the Renaissance style.
Um, so yeah we're now inside the building and there is like circular plaza right in
the middle of the building.
It is pretty cool.
There was still plenty left to see in the Alhambra (الْحَمْرَاء‎), so our next stop was the Alcazaba.
This is the oldest part of the Alhambra (الْحَمْرَاء‎) which was built as a stronghold for surveillance
and defence.
We climbed up the two towers, which offer some of the best views of Granada.
And last but not least I found a giant.
More at the palace of the Generalife which would have been like an escape from a real
palace.
This was like a weekend getaway.
This was the idea of paradise right here.
With lots of cool garden, orange trees, flowers.
Yeah.
So pretty cool.
It is a great way for us to be finishing off too I've gotta say.
Yeah.
We're hungry.
We need to say bye to the Alhambra (الْحَمْرَاء‎) and go have lunch.
Bye.
And that’s pretty much a wrap for our visit to the Alhambra (الْحَمْرَاء‎).
We only spent a half day touring the grounds, but you could easily spend a full day there
- especially if you visit in the spring or summer once the gardens are already in bloom.
Our parting tips for the Alhambra (الْحَمْرَاء‎) are to visit with plenty of time, and to wear comfortable
shoes because you will be walking around a lot!
That’s it for now, and we’ll see you in the next video.