Summary

The author recounts a memorable yet challenging first visit to the Alhambra in Granada, detailing their experiences with ticketing issues, rule-breaking attempts, and the eventual exploration of the Nazrid Palaces and gardens.

Abstract

In December 2019, the author visited the Alhambra, a renowned historical site in Granada, and found the experience to be both frustrating and awe-inspiring. Despite arriving early, the author faced a one-hour entry delay due to payment method discrepancies, leading to an unsuccessful attempt to sneak into the restricted areas. The visit was further complicated by public holidays impacting opening hours. However, the author's persistence paid off with a memorable tour of the Nazrid Palaces, albeit amidst a crowd rush due to the delay. The beauty of the palaces, gardens, and the snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains, along with the scenic drive and local cuisine, ultimately made the trip worthwhile, despite initial setbacks.

Opinions

The author expresses frustration with the ticketing system, particularly the unfair advantage given to cash payers over credit card users.
There is a sense of disappointment due to the strict enforcement of rules, which initially prevented the author from fully enjoying the Alhambra experience.
The author's opinion of the Nazrid Palaces improved significantly after subsequent visits, suggesting that the initial disappointment was mitigated by later experiences.
The author is critical of their own rule-breaking attempts, describing feelings of paranoia and criminality while trying to evade security.
Despite the initial challenges, the author is awestruck by the Alhambra's natural and architectural beauty, highlighting the gardens and outer buildings as particularly impressive.
The author appreciates the local cuisine, praising the tenderness of the pork dishes enjoyed in Córdoba after the visit.

An Afternoon at the Alhambra

It wasn’t long enough!

If you haven’t been to the Alhambra in Granada, you must put it on your bucket list. I recommend getting there at dawn for the tour of the Nazrid Palaces and going on the night tour as well. This is what I did when I visited in December 2019. The first time I visited was December 2011. This is the story of that first visit.

After reading all the information we could find on the Alhambra, we decided to make it an afternoon visit from 2–6 pm even though the morning visit is from 8.30 am–2 pm for the same entry fee.

The first disappointment

We arrived much earlier and purchased tickets. Kiryn and Lorelle paid cash and were allowed in at 1 pm, I paid by credit card and wasn’t allowed in until 2! I thought I’d wander the gardens for the next hour as I wasn’t allowed into the Nazrid Palaces until 2.30! Nope, I was not allowed in at all! I was pretty pissed off, I can tell you.

Breaking the stupid rules

I met an English guy who said there’s no guard on the side gate but by the time I got there, the guard had returned. The helpful guy tried to engage the security guard in conversation to distract him while I sneaked past but I was caught and once again told to get out. The guy and his girlfriend then said I could walk right down the end of the road and get in that way which I did.

I managed to buy a couple of postcards just as the shop was closing at 1.30 pm. It’s another public holiday! There are public holidays wherever we go! It was a public holiday the day we arrived in Córdoba and everything was closed which is why we ended up having hamburgers delivered to our room.

A change of disguise

I felt like a criminal avoiding the security guards whenever I could. I dashed into a toilet, took off my coat and headband and messed up my hair in case the guards at the top radioed down to the guards at the bottom. I was quite paranoid.

The Nazrid Palaces

At 2 pm I lined up for the Palaces and got to the front of the line at 10 past 2, however, Mrs Hitler would not let me past so I was the first of a very large group of people who were not allowed entry until 2.30! Consequently, at 2.30, there was a stampede to get in. I don’t know whether it was the long wait, or their being sticklers for rules but I was mightily disappointed. (After my more recent visits, I have completely changed my opinion!)

Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if I had had an audio guide, but I simply could not have walked all the way back to the entrance gates to get them. I was far more impressed with the gardens and outer buildings and spent more time wandering through them, taking photos and getting lost!

I even saw a squirrel but he was too quick for me to get a photo. Back at the entrance, I sat and waited for Lorelle and Kiryn. They must have enjoyed it much more than I had because they started an hour earlier than me and finished an hour later!

View from the palace of the Generalife. Photo by author

Snow-capped Sierra Nevadas

The highlights of the day for me were seeing the Sierra Nevada Mountains covered with snow, which act as a backdrop for the Alhambra, and the drive there. We saw many pretty villages, hilltop castles and millions of olive trees! Now we know where all of the Spanish Olive Oil we buy in Australia comes from.

Kiryn took the alternate, faster highway route home and we arrived back in Córdoba in time for dinner — the only problem being most of the restaurants were closed (public holiday again remember?) I finally found one open. Kiryn was too tired and footsore to eat, Lorelle went off to find Kiryn, which left me on my own. I was hungry!

A delicious dinner on my own

I had a couple of beers and an entrée of pork belly served on thick greaseproof paper with fresh bread, and a main of Andalusian pork steak in olive oil with the thinnest French fries I have ever eaten. The pork was delicious — it just melted in my mouth. The best pork steak I have ever had! I don’t know how they cook pork to make it so tender; maybe slow cooking? My hunger satisfied, I headed back to the Hotel Serrano as we have to be up early tomorrow to return the car to Córdoba station.