Granada

About

Inhabited since at least 500 BC, Granada has been the region’s political center for the entirety of recorded history, and has the monuments to prove it. Next to the grand 16th century cathedral, you’ll find the beautiful carved alabaster tombs of Isabella I and Ferdinand II, the monarchs responsible for finally driving the Moors out of Spain, and backing Christopher Columbus on his voyage to the New World. There’s also still vestiges of the city’s Moorish heritage. The Old Town follows its original layout, and there’s some amazingly well preserved monuments including a bathhouse with reclaimed Roman capitals and the Corral del Carbón, a 13th century warehouse and shelter for merchants. To experience the roots of the city’s flamenco tradition, pay a visit to the Sacromonte neighborhood with its 16th century cave dwellings. Granada’s crown jewel, however, is the Alhambra. With its impossibly intricate details, this 14th century fortress-turned-palace is perhaps the single finest piece of Moorish architecture (tickets MUST be purchased in advance at https://www.alhambra-patronato.es/).