Allow me to delve deeply into this amazing piece of history.
The Alhambra, a Moorish citadel and palace, is the most renowned building of the Andalucian Islamic historical legacy with its many cultural attractions that make Granada a popular destination among the touristy cities of Spain. It is a massive castle constructed over many centuries. It consists of gardens, fortifications and grand palaces. It was the home of many of the Arab sultans who ruled the whole province and, therefore, received the optimum in interior decoration and architecture.
The name Alhambra comes from Arabic words "qa'lat al-Hamra” which means "red castle" due to the dusty red stone that was used to build the thick walls around the castle.
In the 11th century, the Castle of the Alhambra was developed as a walled town which became a military stronghold that dominated the whole city. But it was in the 13th century, with the arrival of the first monarch of the Nasrid dynasty, Mohammed I, that the royal residence was established in the Alhambra. This marked the beginning of the Alhambra becoming a palace, citadel and fortress, and ultimately the residence of the Nasrid sultans and their senior officials, including servants of the court and elite soldiers.
Although Granada has its usual quotient of churches and museums typical for a southern European city, it has the Alhambra which is considered by some to be one of the 10 wonders of the world. Nowadays, two million people visit the Alhambra each year and 8,500 people visit it every day. It is therefore Spain's most visited monument.
Anyhow, I found it difficult to describe what it was like to see and experience the Alhambra in person. The incredible history, the detailed architecture, the great use of space which allowed for some incredible views of the city below and the creative use of flowing and reflecting water and gardens throughout the grounds is simply amazing. I would say that my visit here is probably one of the best experiences that I have had during my travels and something I will never forget.
When going through the Alhambra, you should know that Islamic art does not use representations of living beings, but uses geometric patterns, especially symmetric (repeating) patterns. With this in mind, you'll find that the palace is decorated with stone and wood carvings, as well as tile patterns on most of the ceilings, walls and floors. The design and structure in the Nasrid Palace is considered to be the finest examples of Islamic architectural art to be found outside of the Islamic world.
Nasrid Palace consists of several different palaces connected together. I hope the photos below would give you a sense of what the Alhambra is all about.
In 1527, Emperor Charles V demolished part of the architectural complex to build the Palace which bears his name. Although the Catholic Monarchs had already altered some rooms of the Alhambra after the conquest of the city in 1492, Charles V wanted to construct a permanent residence befitting an emperor. And so, at the centre of the Alhambra stands the massive Palace of Charles V, an outstanding example of Spanish Renaissance architecture.
Thereafter, we proceeded to the gardens of Generalife. An Arabic word which literally means “Architect’s Garden”, it was the summer palace and country estate of the Nasrid sultans.
After a grand tour of the Alhambra, we were happy to get back on the coach for a relaxing and scenic drive to Costa del Sol.
Enroute, we stopped at a gorgeous village of Mijas with whitewashed houses, cute little shops and restaurants and beautiful views everywhere. One of the jewels of the Costa del Sol, it nestles comfortably in the mountainside at 428 meters above sea level.
Mijas, being built on the side of the mountain, is a multi-tiered town. At many given points, you can either look up or look down and be looking onto a totally different part of town.
When you wander through the narrow cobbled streets of this Andalucian village, you can understand what has attracted foreigners to settle here over the years. Many artists and writers have made it their home, enjoying the benefits of an excellent all-year-round climate, without being part of the busier, more commercial coastal towns just 7 kilometres down the mountainside. Despite its huge popularity with tourists, Mijas has somehow managed to retain much of its traditional Andalucian way of life, the locals displaying their unabashed passion for all things festive and an unmistakable relaxed 'mañana' outlook on anything that can be put off for another day.
As could be gleaned from the photos below, the whitewashed houses in Mijas sit on hilltops like silent sentinels, reflecting the bright Andalucian sun like a mirror. The whole town, when seen from afar, is striking in its beauty. And up close, just as beautiful.
And as you look into the distance, in many cases you can see the Costa del Sol and the ocean.
Hidden away in a corner of the village, overlooking the wonderful valley leading to the coast, is the hermitage of the ‘Virgen de la Peña’ that was built into a rocky outcrop by Mercedarian monks in 1520. According to legend, she appeared on this spot on the 2nd of June 1586 to two young shepherds that had been led there by a pigeon. Subsequently, an image of the Virgin was found concealed in a recess in the tower where it had been hidden for 500 years. In 1656, work started on the sanctuary cave, which is nowadays always decorated with flowers and pictures as offerings.
And as you may have guessed, I prayed and said my “not-to-forget” 3 wishes for the intentions of loved ones.
After a walking tour of the village, we were given enough time to wander around on our own, indulge in some retail therapy and eat ice cream. It was indeed a pleasant surprise to wander through the narrow alleys of this beautiful village.
Back on the coach, we proceeded to our hotel, Melia Costa del Sol, where we had some free time before an optional seafood dinner at a restaurant along the boardwalk.
The hotel, which is located in Torremolinos, faces the beach promenade with views of the Atlantic Ocean. Below are pics of the hotel lobby and the view from my hotel room. Can’t wait to get outside…
As a backgrounder, Costa del Sol is a region in the south of Spain, in the autonomous community of Andalucia, comprising the coastal towns and communities along the Mediterranean coastline of the Province of Málaga.
It is one of Spain's most popular tourist destinations, with its wide sweeps of golden sand. The area's mild climate is the main attraction – visitors and residents alike can enjoy the beaches, as well as alfresco dining plus a wide variety of outdoor activities, all year round. The area is famous for its hundreds of beaches to be enjoyed along this coast, from quiet, hidden coves to trendy stretches of sand with fashionable beach clubs populated by celebrities and beautiful people from all over the world.
The designation or brand name “Costa del Sol” is said to have various origins. It is documented, however, that the name was first used for advertising purposes at the Ibero-American Exhibition held in Seville in 1929. According to some sources, it was coined by an Austrian consul living in Cádiz, who often went to Almería along the coast and thus usually traveled across Málaga and Granada. Taking notice of the region’s good weather, he called it “Costa del Sol” (Sunny Coast).
The capital, Málaga City, is right in the centre, being the hub of the communication network and dividing Costa del Sol into two big areas: the east and the west.
The eastern Costa del Sol is much shorter, stretching from the provincial capital as far as Nerja, where it meets the Costa Tropical of Granada province.
The western Costa de Sol is the section of coast which curves round southwards towards Gibraltar, and includes all the major resorts such as Fuengirola, Torremolinos and Benalmadena, plus of course, the ritzy celeb-magnet of Marbella. This section has a very international feel, with visitors and residents from all over the world.
Below is a snapshot of me by the beach while waiting for the group:
We had dinner at Casa Florido, one of the seafood restaurants along the promenade. It was a yummy-licious meal. The dishes just kept on coming, with the main dish being a huge fish baked in salt and served to us. And the amazing thing was that the fish wasn’t salty at all. And just like what I did previously, below is a progression of snapshots of how the salted fish was “unearthed”:
After dinner, we walked along the boardwalk back to the hotel enjoying the beautiful warm evening.
To Be Continued........
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