Andalusia Tour 2

Departure from the coast, destination Granada. Along the way we cross immense stretches of olive trees and cultivated fields, with the peaks of the Sierra Nevada standing out in the background. We arrive in Granada and head for the Cathedral, commissioned by Charles V as a tribute to his grandparents the Catholic Monarchs Isabella and Ferdinand, since in his view the Royal Chapel could not contain so much glory. It is a grandiose building, cyclopean even inside, with as many as 5 naves, and inside it the Capilla Real, a church within a church, with the statues of the sovereigns. Around the Cathedral, beautiful squares and the Alcaiceria, an arabesque bazaar with narrow Moorish-style alleyways, the scent of spices hanging in the air.

In the afternoon we are treated to a surprise beyond anyone's imagination: the fortress of the Alhambra, a fortified city on top of the hill overlooking Granada, where Charles V, who chose it as his residence, built a grandiose palace. It is an explosion of Arab art, with walls that look like lace, azulejos (the coloured tiles) everywhere. Not to be missed is the Patio de los Leones. Everywhere, on the wall carvings, appears the inscription "Allah is great", a sign of Arab rule. From the Alhambra you reach the gardens of the Generalife, a riot of greenery and fountains. In the evening, Granada by night, magic of lights, the view of the Alhambra from the Jewish quarter of the Albaicin is wonderful. Wandering among the white streets is amazing, like the huge fountain of Granada, coloured by the lights.