At the end of February we had a long weekend, also known as a puente, (bridge) in Spain. We typically have one puente per month, just like schools have holidays off in the United States. For this puente, we decided to go to Granada, a city in the south of Spain in the AndalucÃa region, located at the base of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It is known for its intricate Islamic architecture and Arab-flavored streets, along with historic churches and old-fashioned tapas bars. The top attraction is the Alhambra, a breathtaking palace and fortress also decorated with Islamic ornamentation and stunning landscaped gardens.
We spent time wandering the narrow cobblestone streets of Granada, weaving in and out of markets and tiny shops. We indulged in tapas on the packed streets, live music finding its way to us, with its middle-eastern influenced melody.
At sunset, we grabbed some Alhambra beers from a convenience store. We sat on the rooftop terrace of our airbnb that overlooked the Alhambra, the snow capped Sierra in the background. The Alhambra glowed golden as the sun slowly made its way west, and shortly after became illuminated by the lights of the palace. The crescent moon rose high in the sky, while the palette changed to a deep pink and blue. The village and city lights sparkled in the distance.
Our time in Granada was complimented by a day trip to Nerja, a beach town in Málaga, about 2 hours away. It was a beautiful day to spend roaming a new town and relaxing on the beach. The sun felt so warm - it's much stronger in the south of Spain.
This trip also brought spontaneity. On our third day in Granada, I went paragliding! A friend of ours was going and we went along to support her. When we met the crew they told us they had an extra spot, and asked which of us wanted to go. What did I have to lose? I'd always wanted to try something like this, so I figured there was no better time than now to give it a shot. It was SO worthwhile. The thrilling feeling of running off the cliff was met with a calmness once sailing in the air. Beautiful experience - I highly recommend it!
On the last day of our trip, we visited the Alhambra, which exceeded my expectations. The palace is extraordinary. There's so much to take in with all the ornate details, such as the grandiose archways and vibrant tiles. We easily spent a couple hours roaming the grounds.
Granada was stunning. It reminded me very much of Sevilla. While I love traveling outside of Spain, I think it's also really important to explore this incredible country where I am living.