Granada Spain - Things to do Granada - Granada Entertainment

Granada, Spain is one of the pearls of the country, most visited by tourists from the entire world. The long-time capital of Moorish Andalusia has to offer the most important reminds of this epoch in Spanish history, with the world-famous Alhambra at the top of

the list. Walk through beautiful gardens, charming narrow streets filled with flowers, sit down in one of those typical taverns to have some of that famous Spanish ham and local wine, and breath the centuries of history around you anywhere. There are gypsies singing Flamenco, and don't miss to visit their famous caves where some of them really live still nowadays in Granada, Spain.

The city is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada, Spain's highest mountain-massif with great possibilities for winter-sports. The highest peak, Mulhacén arrives to 3478 meters. On the other hand it is not far from the Mediterranean Sea, so Granada, Spain is a great place to visit in any season.

You're never short of something to do in Granada. The range of Granada entertainments on offer is vast and covers a wide spectrum of formal and informal events.

Alhambra This masterpiece of Moorish architecture is simply the most wonderful and inspiring set of buildings in Spain. It's the country's most visited historic sight. The buildings date mainly from the 13th and 14th centuries, after the Arabic Nasrid prince, Ibn al-Ahmar, made Granada an independent Moorish state. Each succeeding Nasrid ruler continued to beautify the royal palaces, combining wood, plaster, marble, brick and ceramic tiles with water, light and Arabic calligraphy.

Albaizyn You'll see Granada's finest medieval Moorish mansions in this attractive hillside district with whitewashed buildings and courtyards filled with fountains and flowers. There are great views from Mirador de San Nicolas over to the Alhambra on the opposite hill and the Sierra Nevada mountains in the distance. This district was populated by an influx of Moors in 1227 and historians maintain that Christians, Jews and Muslims lived in relative harmony here for many years.

Generalife These luxuriant and imaginative landscaped gardens are the image of a Muslim paradise: cool, shady, and tranquil with abundant running water. That's what the architects dreamt up for the Nasrid sultan in the 13th century to complement his summer residence since Granada is ferociously hot and dry in summer. It's still the sort of place where you can spend a relaxing day appreciating the patios, enclosed gardens, walkways, fountains and pools as well as the views over the Albayzin.

Granada Catedral Granada's cathedral (de Santa Maria de la Encarnacion) is huge, but you don't appreciate its size unless you see it from above because so many other buildings crowd around it. It stands in the centre of town where the Great Mosque stood during the Moorish occupation. Alongside are the Capilla Real (Royal Chapel) and the Palacio de la Madraza (Arab University). Work began in 1521 when the adjoining Royal Chapel was completed.

Capilla Real This masterpiece of late Gothic architecture was built in the early 16th century to house the tombs of the Catholic Monarchs, Isabel and Fernando, who had conquered Spain for Christendom by seizing Granada at last in 1492. You'll find the simple tombs in a plain underground crypt with their daughter Juana la Loca and son-in-law Felipe el Hermoso lying alongside. The outstanding features are the wrought-iron grille depicting scenes from the life of Christ and the altarpiece with scenes depicting the fall of Granada.

The range of Granada entertainment on offer is vast and covers a wide spectrum of formal and informal events. One of the first things you'll notice is the amount of posters displayed in public places advertising pop concerts, orchestras, ethnic bands, theatre shows, dance classes, photography exhibitions and lots more.

There's a regular calendar of live theatre in the Alhambra Theatre and Isabel la Católica Theatre with a selection of classic and modern drama. Get a list of Granada entertainment and events from the tourist office.

You could spend the day quietly soaking up information in the Archaeological, Manuel de Falla's, Federico García Lorca and the La Zambra Traditions museums. There's no shortage of cinemas either where you can catch up on the latest releases.

There's lots do to outdoors in the immediate vicinity as well. The Sierra Nevada ski resort is fully equipped and just 35km away. The beaches and water parks on the shores of the Mediterranean are only an hour's drive from the city centre. The Alpujarras is another great Granada entertainment.