Over the hills and through the mountains to Granda we go!
After a scenic drive through the Sierra Nevada, past rows and rows of olive groves, we arrived in Granada — a centuries-old, storybook city nestled at the base of the mountains.
Granada is known for the Alhambra, a palace and fortress complex originally built in the late 1200s by the last Muslim rulers of Spain. Sitting high above the city, its presence is impossible to miss — and it was every bit as breathtaking as promised.
What surprised me most, though, were the adjoining Generalife gardens.
Flowers were in full bloom, spilling through rows of greenery and woven around towering cypress trees. Small pools of water were set into the stone, catching the light and quietly cooling the air. And everywhere, arches!
Granada, Unfolding
It quickly became clear there was more to this city than its most famous landmark — layered, diverse, and easy-going, Granada quietly hummed with life.
And because I basically eat my way through every city — I was thrilled to spot a nearby street lined with small restaurants, where El Rincon de Julio caught my eye.
Julio, the owner, happened to be outside and promised to squeeze me in later for dinner. I’m so glad he did.
Inside it was a true two-man show — one chef and Julio handling everything else. He made me feel like I was being welcomed into his home for dinner. Delicioso.
After dinner, on my way back to the hotel, I came upon a large group of children gathered in front of the Cathedral.
I’m not sure what was going on but seeing them so unguarded and completely at ease at that late hour was genuinely wonderful.
It gave me a sense of how gently the evenings unfold in Granada.
