Andalucia

Spain's most visited monument, the Alhambra palace, presides over a city full of architectural and historic treasures. Today, Granada's Islamic past is being reinvented for the 21st century in the shops, restaurants, tearooms and mosque of a growing North African community in and around the Albayzín. Alongside them flourish smart new tapas bars, tiny flamenco dives and chrome-and neon-clubs that support a dynamic student and gay scene.

Before the 20th century

Granada began life as an Iberian settlement in the Albayzín district. Muslim forces took over from the Visigoths in 711, with the aid of the Jewish community around the foot of the Alhambra hill in what was called Garnata al Jahud, from which the name Granada derives (granada also happens to be Spanish for 'pomegranate', the fruit on the city's coat of arms). After the fall of Córdoba (1236) and Seville (1248), Muslims sought refuge in Granada, where Mohammed ibn Yusuf ibn Nasr had recently established an independent emirate. Stretching from the Strait of Gibraltar to east of Almería, this 'Nasrid' emirate became the final remnant of Al-Andalus, ruled from the increasingly lavish Alhambra palace for 250 years. Granada became one of the richest cities in medieval Europe, flourishing with its swollen population of traders and artisans. Two centuries of artistic and scientific splendour peaked under emirs Yusuf I and Mohammed V in the 14th century. But by the late 15th century the economy had stagnated and violent rivalry developed over the succession. One faction supported the emir, Abu al-Hasan, and his harem favourite Zoraya. The other faction backed Boabdil, Abu al-Hasan's son by his wife Aixa. In 1482 Boabdil rebelled, setting off a confused civil war. The Christian armies that invaded the emirate that year took advantage, besieging towns and devastating the countryside, and in 1491 they finally laid siege to Granada. After eight months, Boabdil agreed to surrender the city in return for the Alpujarras valleys and 30,000 gold coins, plus political and religious freedom for his subjects. On 2 January 1492 the Catholic Monarchs, Isabel and Fernando, entered Granada ceremonially in Muslim dress. They set up court in the Alhambra for several years. Religious persecution soon soured the scene. Jews were expelled from Spain. Persecution of Muslims led to revolts across the former emirate and eventually to their expulsion from Spain in the 17th century. Without much of its talented populace, Granada sank into a decline that was only arrested by the interest drummed up by the Romantic movement in the 1830s. This set the stage for the restoration of Granada's Islamic heritage and the arrival of tourism.

Modern history

When the Nationalists took over Granada at the start of the civil war in 1936, an estimated 4000 granadinos (Granadans) with left or liberal connections were killed, among them Federico García Lorca, Granada's most famous writer. Though with the death of Franco in 1975 democracy was restored and Spain joined NATO and the European Community, Granada still has a reputation for conservatism.

Recent history

Granada's first new mosque for 500 years was opened in the summer of 2003 to a backdrop of anxiety following the post-September 11 focus on radical extremism. Despite fears the leaders of the mosque, built in Granada's old town district of Albayzin, went out of their way to welcome all people into the house of worship and the controversy soon died down.

Top Accommodation

Top Restaurants

Between June and September the weather remains hot enough in Granada to lease a sombrero and sleep with the windows open. The heat remains for much of the year during the day, cooling down at night in autumn and spring. From November to April the windows stay closed and the layers come out, though umbrellas are seldom needed.

Average weather

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Transport

Getting there and away

Planes fly daily to and from Madrid and Barcelona from Granada's airport, 17km (10.5mi) west of the city. Some budget carriers fly from the UK. Buses operate from the Carretera de Jaén, 3km (2mi) northwest of the city centre. International services, as well as services to various Spanish destinations can be found here. Car rental can be found across Spain but prices are high. The train station (Avenida de Andaluces) is 1.5km (1mi) west of the centre, off Avenida de la Constitución. Trains run daily to and from destinations right across Spain.

Getting around

Granada has an affordable transport network with buses and trains networking the city.