The Area

Area map
Cortes
Gaucin
Ronda
Malaga
Granada
Marbella

Granada

Around 3 hours drive from Cortes (or take the train) is Granada.
When the Romans colonised southern Spain, they built their own city here and called it Illibris. The Arabs, invading the peninsula in the 8th century, gave it its current name of Granada. It was the last Muslim city to fall to the Christians in 1492, at the hands of Queen Isabel of Castile and her husband Ferdinand of Aragon.

Famous for the Alhambra a series of Palaces and gardens built during the Nazari Dynasty of the 14th Century. In the idle of the Alhambra stands the Palace of Charles V, an outstanding example of Spanish Renaissance Architecture. The Alhambra is a must see for everybody visiting the area, tickets are available on a first come first served basis and can be bought at the box office or at any branch of Banco Santander.Allow a whole day for this trip, once inside it is possible to leave and re-enter on the same ticket.

Granada is not just about the Alhambra, the Cathedral, the Monastery of La Cartuja and many churches in the town are well worth a visit. Take a walk through the old town and up to the Casbah or “Medina” through a fascinating labyrinth of white washed houses to see the late evening sun set on the Alhambra, but get there early to secure a good vantage point.