One of the best places to see free authentic flamenco in Granada is at Mirador de San Nicolas. There are usually some talented flamenco artists playing, singing and even dancing in informal spontaneous jam sessions in the San Nicolas look out point opposite the Alhambra. Mirador de San Nicolas is one of the places in Granada where most visitors to Granada will eventually go to. Most people will take a few selfies of themselves with the Alhambra in the background.
Places to see Flamenco for free in Granada
Places to see Flamenco for free in Granada
The photos and videos on this page were taken by our friend Nadezda also know as Nadin Nadinka.
It is becoming more and more common to see people performing in the street in Granada. One place where there is almost always so street performance is at the end of Plaza Nueva just before the start of the River Darro. The group in the photo below have invented a makeshift stage so that the audience can hear the “taconeo” (the sound of heals banging against the floor) I say that it is free but when quality people are performing the the street we ought to encourage them with a bit of cash.
Street Performances in Granada
Dancing in the street in Granada
Here is a you tube video of the performance above.
Another good place to see free flamenco is Mirador de San Nicolas.
There is always always some people having a flamenco jam session.
The you tube video below shows a typical day
Plaza Nueva – The centre of Granada
View of Plaza Nueva from the central apartments.
The image above is very useful for understanding the layout of Granada. Plaza Nueva is considered to be the absolute centre of Granada from a tourist point of view. The tower on the right of the the photo is the Torre de la Vela which is a big tower in the Alhambra. On the right between the two buildings is the Cuesta Gomeres which is a hill which goes up to the Alhambra. Just in front of that are the bus stops for the C30 and C32 minibuses which will take you to lots of interesting places in Granada. On the left is the Albayzin district. In the valley between the Alhambra and the Albayzin runs the River Darro which is very picturesque Right in the distance straight ahead is the Sacromonte neighbourhood. There is a taxi rank underneath the trees. The picture is taken from the start of the Calle Elvira famous for its lively night life.
Some links:
Tapas bars around Plaza Nueva
History and info about Plaza Nueva
Bars and restaurants around Plaza Nueva
See more photos of Plaza Nueva.
See map of Plaza Nueva
Get to Plaza Nueva on the bus More info
The nearest hotels to Plaza Nueva More info
Tales of the Alhambra
Tales of the Alhambra is a collection of essays, verbal sketches, and stories by Washington Irving. It was originally published in May 1832.
You can buy the book in most of the souvenir and bookshops in Granada.
You can read it for free here. We have added a lot of pictures.
https://granadablog.net/tales_of_the_alhambra/en/index.htm
What is the Albaicín?
Albayzin Granada
The Albaicin is a “barrio” (a neighbourhood) of Granada which has been built on a hill opposite the Alhambra. The layout came about when Granada was ruled by the Arabs long before the advent of cars so the streets form a narrow cobblestoned maze interspersed with small squares. The geranium filled balconies, glimpses of the Alhambra at every turn, the silence and the sound of running water in numerous fountains all give the Albayzin a romantic slightly enchanted atmosphere.
San Miguel Bajo
There are lots of squares in the Albaicín perfect for al fresco dining, people watching and generally chilling out hopefully with some good company. The photo above shows San Miguel Bajo but there are many more squares with open-air restaurants such as Plaza Larga, Paseo de los Tristes, Plaza San Nicolas etc.
The photo above shows the stones which cover the streets of the Albayzin. Car access is difficult or impossible in the labyrinth of streets. This can make building work difficult because it is difficult to transport the materials. It was possible to hire a man with a donkey to bring sand but sadly the last donkey powered haulage contractor retired in 2002. Comfortable footwear is necessary in the Albayzín, wearing high heels would be a big mistake.
Plaza Larga on market day
The Albayzin is not just a tourist attraction. In the photo above we can see Plaza Larga on market day. Many of the geraniums on the balconies are bought here. There are normally a couple of gypsies selling live snails from a bucket.
How to get to the Albaicín ?
The C30 and C32 minibus do a constant loop of the Albayzin and they pass by every 15 minutes or so. The most popular alighting point is Plaza Nueva.
What to do in the Albaicín ?
The Albaicin is all about eating out in restaurants and wandering around. An example of a good plan would be to get the minibus to Mirador de San Nicolas which has an amazing view of the Alhambra, then go and eat in an outside restaurant. Then afterwards just wander about without a map and see where you end up
Where to stay in the Albaicín ?
Granadainfo.com have a large selection of places to stay. Accommodation in Granada
Links:
Walking routes in the Albaicin
Restaurants and other establishments in the Albayzin
Information about monuments and places in Granada
Torre de la Vela Granada - From here you can see the whole of Granada
Here are some links to information about monuments and places in Granada.
MONUMENTS AND PLACES
| Alcaicería | Hospital Real |
| Carmen de los Mártires | |
| Carthusian Monastery (Cartuja) | |
| Sacromonte | |
| Corral de Carbón |
| OTHER |
| Kings and Queens |
When was the Alhambra built?
The Alhambra
The Alhambra was first mentioned during the reign of Abdullah ibn Muhammad (888-912) when it was referred to as a primitive small red castle where the Arabs sought refuge after being defeated in one of their battles with the Muladies. It was then largely abandoned until the 11th century when it was rebuilt in order to protect a Jewish settlement on the Sabika hill. Major reconstruction, however, was undertaken during the Nasrid dynasty (1212-1492) and it is this that we can see today.
Serious work on the Alhambra began in 1238 under the command of Sultan Muhammad I Ibn Nasr and in only one year, the ramparts had been completed, water had been brought from the river and a water channel built.
Where can I buy tickets for the Alhambra?
Alhambra Queue - For people who have not bought a ticket in advance.
It is a good idea to buy your tickets in advance online or by phone. For more information about how to buy tickets, see this page. The general day ticket is valid for the morning or afternoon and includes entrance to the Alcazaba, the Nasrid Palaces and the Generalife. This way you have more choice and you will be able to indicate the time you want to enter the Nasrid palaces.
Waiting in the que for the Nasrid Palaces
Make sure you get into the queue for the Nasrid Palaces on time. If you are late they probably won’t let you in !!!!!!!!!
Space of the month (December 2010) – Casas de la Partal
These Moorish houses were built in the 14th century. Inside there is a mural which was painted in the first half of the 14th century and which is important as being the only figurative Nasrid painting conserved in situ. The painting was discovered in 1908 when plaster was stripped away and provides important information about daily life during the days of the Nasrid dynasty.
Alcaicería
This is now taken up with souvenir shops but it was once a great bazaar where silk was made and sold. Alcaicería literally means either the “house of Caesar” or “belonging to Caesar” in recognition of the fact that Emperor Justinian granted the Moors permission to sell silk. Traditionally these bazaars were situated in the centre of a city, with inns where the merchants could stay, and with gates at all the entrances to guard against looting and which were closed at night. The narrow streets inside were then patrolled by watchmen.
On the night of the 19th July 1843, a fire broke out in one of the shops making matches in nearby Calle Mesones and consequently the entire original bazaar burned down. It was soon rebuilt but never regained its importance as a bazaar.
Carlos V Palace
Carlos V Palace
When Carlos V came to Granada on his honeymoon, he fell in love with the Alhambra and the city. He took up residence in the Arab palaces but decided to build his own larger, more spacious palace adjoined to the Nasrid Palaces so that he could continue to enjoy them.
He commissioned the architect Pedro Machuca to design a building befitting a Roman Emperor and work began in 1527. Machuca died in 1550 and his son Luis took over. The project was then continued but most of the major work had by this time been completed.
Facade
This Renacentist building is 63m2 square on the outside with a 30m diameter circular courtyard on the inside. Originally there would have been a well in the middle but this has now been covered over.
The project was partly paid for with taxes collected from the Moriscos (Muslims who had converted to Christianity) in return for being allowed to stay in Granada and continue with their traditions.
Doric columns
Ionic column
The building has two levels: the lower level of the patio has 32 stone Doric columns and the upper level has 32 Ionic columns. The building was to be covered with a domed ceiling like the Pantheon in Rome but was never finished and the roof on the superior gallery was only completed in 1957.
Carlos V Palace courtyard
Carlos V never lived here. When he died, Felipe II transferred his court to Madrid in 1561 and in 1607 Madrid became the capital of Spain.
Today, the building houses the Museo de Bellas Artes with exhibits from the Alhambra.
For more photos of the Carlos V Palace, please visit this page.
How can I get to the Alhambra?
The Alhambra sits on the Sabika hill, 100 metres above Granada. There are four main ways to get to the Alhambra ticket office:
- Walk up the Cuesta Gomerez (pedestrian only – 1,100m from Plaza Nueva)
- Walk up the Cuesta de los Chinos or Cuesta del Rey Chico (pedestrian only – 720m from Paseo de los Tristes)
- Catch the minibus from anywhere along their routes. See Routes
- Drive along the Ronda Sur – the Granada ring road and park in the Alhambra carpark (map).
The best page with information on this subject is granadainfo.com
Click here for
Information on getting to the Alhambra
Carlos V
Juana la Loca
When Queen Isabel died in 1504, her will stated that her daughter Juana should succeed her on the throne. Unfortunately, Juana suffered from schizophrenia and this wasn’t helped by her husband Felipe’s frequent affairs. Following his death after short illness (though some believed that he had been poisoned by Juana’s father, Fernando), Juana went mad and her father Fernando acted as regent until his death in 1516.
Emperor Carlos V
After Fernando’s death, Carlos became King and he was to become one of the most powerful rulers in the world. In 1520, he was crowned Carlos V, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, an empire on which “the sun never set”. When his father Felipe died in 1506 he became Duke of Burgundy and ruler of the Netherlands, and on the death of his grandfather Fernando, he became King of the Two Sicilies and of Spain. His plan was to establish his court and residence in Granada to commemorate the Catholic Monarchs conquest of the Moor’s last stronghold and with this aim, he commissioned the Carlos V Palace.
Having become a European leader after a power struggle with France, he decided to retire and split his empire between his brother Fernando and his son Felipe. In 1556, his son became King of Spain and Carlos retired to a Spanish monastery in Yuste where he died in 1558.
Space of the month (November 2010) – Casa de la Calle Real
The Calle Real Alta passes through the Medina (the city of the Alhambra where the courtiers lived) and stretches from the Puerta del Vino to the Parador de San Francisco. This was where the workshops of the craftsmen responsible for the Alhambra decorative work were to be found.
This month, it is possible to visit one of the houses in the Calle Real which was built between the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century. The house was built around an interior courtyard and is of particular interest for its decorative plasterwork.
The house is open between 8:30 and 18:00 on Tuesdays, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday throughout November.
Restoration of the Lions
Lions from the Patio de los Leones
The lions will return to the Patio de los Leones in January 2012. Until then, they can still be seen in the exhibition near the courtyard in the Carlos V crypt with information about the restoration work. After four years of initial research and investigation, restoration began in 2006 but their return to the courtyard has been delayed by the need to repair the original leaking water pipes which were installed last century.
The lions as they were before restoration
NEWS: The lions were returned to the Patio de los Leones on Jan 15, 2012
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