COME WITH ME TO THE FANTASYLAND OF A SULTAN

Hello.

Please come with me to the fantasyland of a Sultan. Over 700 years ago, Moorish Sultans ruled Southern Spain. It was the fantasy of the Sultans to recreate paradise and, in my opinion, they did a marvelous job of it when they created the Alhambra. This 1.5 million square foot wonderland is the finest and most famous legacy of the Moorish rule of Spain.

It is said that the Alhambra is made of light & water, marble & plaster…

ceramic tile…

and beautiful colorful vegetation…

all contained in four clearly distinguishable zones: The stunningly beautiful Nasrid Palaces that I showed you in my last post here, the military zone or Alcazaba, the outlying city or Medina, and the Palacio del Generalife, which I will show you today.

Sitting majestically on what is called the Cerro del Sol (Hill of the Sun), the Palacio del Generalife enjoys a beautiful view of the whole of the Alhambra. Built between the 13th and 14th centuries as a place for the Moorish Sultans to rest, it exudes a very peaceful and tranquil atmosphere.

In fact, the Arabic word for Generalife, “Jannat al-ʿArīf” means Garden of the Builder, and thus, gardens play a huge role in what makes this palace so wonderful, and are what I love most about the Palacio del Generalife.

So join me as we walk the gardens on our way to the Generalife.

Here the pathways are lined with towering cypress trees that open into lush, decorative flower gardens.

And there is even a vegetable garden where we observed a chef collecting herbs.

Buildings with tall towers and turreted walls are seen along the way.

And water flows everywhere.

It is said that no one ever forgets the first time they see the Alhambra, and that was certainly true for me.

I visited here for the first time as a small girl, and I remember as though it were yesterday, the long flowing ponds and the babbling fountains that filled the many courtyards. It was here at the Palacio del Generalife, that I can picture vividly my first visit at age 11. These tiny jets of water, cascading along narrow channels, were fascinating to me, so much so that I have returned again and again over the years, each time enjoying my last visit as much as the first.

This is called “Patio de la Acequia”, (Court of the Main Canal) named for the canal that supplies its water.

Courtyards and fountains abound here…

all supplied by a very elaborate and sophisticated water system which is an integral part of the whole of the Alhambra.

Now, lets step inside the Palace.

This room has a marvellous ceiling that is surrounded by windows where light filters in through elaborate carvings…

and archways give way to a lovely view of the palatial city of the Alhambra beyond.

This being an outpost of relaxation from the other more palatial buildings of the Alhambra, the Generalife is not nearly as ornamented as the Palace of the Lyons that I showed you in my last post. But it is beautiful non-the-less.

Exiting the palace, we continued on through more picturesque courtyards…

and terraced gardens with pools and fountains.

To reach the highest part of Generalife, you take the Escalera del Agua, (the Water Stairway). Look closely and you will see water flowing down the side of these stairs.

The hilly and cobbled walkways were often decorated with beautiful stonework.

In recent years they have added a theatre within the grounds of the Generalife. The Festival of Music and Dance of Granada provided the impetus to convert part of the gardens into a large outdoor theater which is the site of international performances of music and dance. How wonderful would it be to attend a concert here?

What a glorious day we spent at the Alhambra. As we exited the grounds through these lovely iron gates, I knew I would never tire of coming to this magnificent place. I believe it is one of humanity’s greatest monuments. I will always hold the memory of it in my heart and look forward to seeing it again one day.

As I hope you have seen here, the Alhambra is a place not to be missed while visiting Spain. If you go, I highly recommend an overnight stay at the Parador de Granada. Built in a former convent, the Parador de Granada is located right inside the grounds of the Alhambra. In the evening, when all the other tourists are locked out, guests are able to wander the gardens (restricted to certain areas) of the Alhambra. On my 3rd visit to the Alhambra, when I took my oldest son Nathan to see it for the first time when he was a mere 7 years old, we stayed at the Parador. It was an experience of a lifetime, absolutely enchanting, and truly the stuff of fairytales. It is not the finest hotel in the world, but you sure can’t beat the location!

Here’s a video about the Parador.

Please stay tuned and in my next post I will show you how to dine like Gwyneth Paltrow in Spain. The food is so devine, you’ll want to take a siesta afterward!

So there you have it: COME WITH ME TO THE FANTASYLAND OF A SULTAN

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