Granada, 125 kms north east of Malaga, is a city with four districts surrounding the Alhambra Palace:

The Realejo
This is the location of the language faculty of the University of Granada. As you would expect you will find many students from all over the world in the bars and internet cafes of the Realejo.

The Plaza del Campo de Principe is where you will find numerous bars and restaurants to while away the hours.
Columbus was sailing to America in 1492 while Christian rulers conquered Granada and subsequently drove the Moors and Jews out of Spain.The area around the Campo del Principe was once, prior to 1492, the old Jewish quarter.

The Albayzin
This houses the modern Arab quarter with its associated bars, tea rooms and restaurants. From the square of San Nicolas there are spectacular views of the Alhambra. By day the view is framed by the mountains of the Sierra Nevada whilst by night it is transformed by the floodlights illuminating the palace walls.
Just below San Nicolas square is the Plaza Larga. This is the location of a huge church built on the site of the old mosque.
As you go down the hill towards the city centre you will go through Carrera del Darro which contains many historic buildings. While taking advantage of the architecture you can rest - and partake of a reviving coffee or beer - in one of the many bars and cafes along this stretch.

Sacromonte
Believe it or not, here you will find people living in caves! At first glance they don�t exactly look like caves. The dwellings were built into the hillsides and finished with a more traditional house front. Most of the residents are gypsies, some of whom will be found performing flamenco in the caves which have been converted into bars and cafes.
The history of these gypsies is on display at the Museo de la Zambra, while the Sacramonte Abbey and museum are also worth a visit.

The Old Quarter
This area is to be found on the flatlands between the Albayzin hills and the Alhambra Palace. Here you will discover the commercial and religious centre which has its roots going back to the 14th century. Modern shops such as Zara and Mango can be found alongside smaller units displaying traditional arts and crafts.

If shops are your passion you need to head for the south of the city where you will see El Corte Ingles (a large department store) and the Centro Commercial Neptuno. After the shops have closed if you stay in this area as you will find a great choice of nightlife along the Calle Pedro Antonio de Alarcon.

The Alhambra
Please try to find time to visit this beautiful complex which comprises three separate parts: The fortress, the palace and the gardens. It is absolutely stunning and the views are breathtaking!
The Alhambra as we know it today started life in 1238 when Ibn Ahmar, an Arab prince, established Granada as an independent Moorish state and started building on the site of an old fortress at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains. The ochre coloured walls led to the new fortress being named al-Hamra, the red fort. The Moors developed the red fort during their 250 year reign. The grounds now house other, more modern buildings which were built after the Moors left. The delicate Moorish architecture bears little resemblance to the renaissance features of the massive Carlos V palace. The San Francisco Parador Hotel started life as a mosque, then becoming a monastery, before eventually housing tourists.

Lengthy queues have been known to cause considerable delays, so to avoid disappointment, pre-book your tickets and get there early. As you can imagine, this is a very popular destination for tourists.