Granada – In the Shadow of the Sierra Nevada and the Alhambra
On these page, you will find pictures of the historic Andalusian city shaped by its Moorish heritage. It lies at the foot of the Sierra Nevada and is overlooked by the Alhambra. The old town (casco antiguo) in Granada is very charming.
As you walk through Granada, the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada often appear suddenly in the distance, between the buildings. The mountains blend so naturally with the clouds that one often forgets they are there. Granada has more of a continental climate, with often cool winters and very hot summers, while the snow-covered mountains are nearby.
Above: Statue of the great Captain Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, hero of the reconquest of Granada by Miguel Moreno, on the Avenida de la Constitutión.
Narrow streets, historic facades and lively squares give Granada a unique atmosphere, while viewpoints across the city reveal changing perspectives of landmarks as the Alhambra and the surrounding mountains.
At the bottom of this page, you can also see some photos of the local Federico García Lorca Airport of Granada-Jaén.
Old Town Streets, Spanish Architecture and the Gran Vía de Colón
Shown below is the Avenida de la Constitución roundabout, with the Spanish flag and the Granada Territorial Delegation of Education in the background.
Above: Small Square in Calle Elvira, a central historic street in the old quarter of Granada known for its Moorish architecture, Moorish tea houses (teterías), lively tapas bars, and atmospheric shops (see below). It connects Plaza Nueva with the historic city gate Puerta Elvira (see further down the page). Calle Elvira is very relaxing for a stroll, having a coffee, or visiting shops—sometimes touristy, but lovely. Outside of the summer season or holiday periods, Granada is not overrun with international tourists, giving it a more authentic Spanish atmosphere—ideal for practicing the language.
The Gran Vía de Colón is the main thoroughfare running straight through the historic center of Granada and was constructed at the end of the 19th century. The lively boulevard separates the modern shopping streets from the medieval Moorish quarter of Albaicín. The Gran Vía de Colón is like a vast, beautiful open-air museum of impressive eclectic and modernist architecture. Above and below you can see historic facades on the boulevard.
Beneath the Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús on the Gran Vía de Colón.
Above, you can see the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on Gran Vía de Colón in Granada’s historic center. Below: a tile mural depicting the church with the text “Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in You.” (Sagrado Corazón de Jesús en Vos Confío).
The contemporary cube lanterns of Granada’s Gran Vía de Colón feature a unique design. Smaller cubes are cut out from a larger frame to beautifully represent an open pomegranate(known as granada in Spanish):
Below you see a painting from the Spanish Colonial school depicting Our Lady of Solitude (Virgen de la Soledad). The artwork is located in the Palacio de Santa Paula hotel on the Gran Vía de Colón in Granada. This five-star hotel is housed in a former sixteenth-century convent (Convento de Santa Paula) and boasts a magnificent private collection of historical religious artworks, distributed throughout the cloisters and public areas.
Above: Tower of the Palacio de los Müller on the corner of Gran Vía de Colón and Calle Santa Lucía in Granada in the historic district of Granada. It is designed by architect Ángel Casas Vílchez in a Neoplaton-like style and was built in 1916. It was not possible to take a full photograph of the magnificent building due to the traffic at the time, but the tower is the most impressive part of the Palacio de los Müller.
For panoramic views of the city, the rooftop terrace of the Eurostar Gran Vía hotel—located on Gran Vía de Colón—is well worth a visit. From there, you can admire iconic landmarks such as the Granada Cathedral (photo below) and the Alhambra, situated on the city’s hills (see the next section).
Moorish Granada: Puerta de Elvira and the Alhambra
Granada was once a Moorish residence city. In 1238, the Kingdom of Granada was founded, which continued to exist for more than 250 years and developed into an important commercial and cultural centre. For centuries, the city was shaped by its Islamic past, traces of which can still be seen today in its gates, streets and monuments.
The Puerta de Elvira, shown in the photo above, was one of the main gateways to historic Granada and once formed the northern entrance to the city. In the photo below is the Alhambra, the world-famous “red fortress”, which still overlooks Granada and the Sierra Nevada.
The Puerta de Elvira (or “Elvira Gate” or “Elvira Arch) is located in the Plaza del Triunfo, in the historic city centre of Granada, which you also see below:
Below: Panoramic view of Granada’s Alhambra from the rooftop terrace of the Eurostar Gran Vía Hotel, on Calle Gran Vía de Colón in the historic centre.
Departing from Federico García Lorca Granada-Jaén Airport
Below you can see some photos of Federico García Lorca Airport in Granada: of the access road and terminal building, the departure hall and the runway with the Sierra Nevada mountains in the background.
Federico García Lorca Granada-Jaén Airport (GRX) is very welcoming, easy to navigate, and primarily handles domestic flights. It is a small, compact, and functional airport. With only one passenger terminal, you won’t have to deal with long security lines, overwhelming crowds, or long walks.
