Overview
The last stronghold of Moorish Spain, held until 1492, Granada keeps that heritage more strongly than anywhere, above all in the Alhambra on its hill. Below the palace, the old Muslim quarter of the Albaicín tumbles in white lanes toward the cathedral and the modern city, with the snow-capped Sierra Nevada rising behind. It is a student city with a lively, cheap tapas culture — drinks still come with free food — and a setting hard to match.
Highlights
The Alhambra, a complex of Moorish palaces, courtyards and the Generalife gardens, is among the most beautiful buildings on earth and needs booking well ahead. The Albaicín’s white lanes climb to the Mirador de San Nicolás for the classic view of the palace against the mountains. Free tapas with every drink, the caves of Sacromonte and the ski slopes of the Sierra Nevada round out a stay.