We drove from Marbella to Granada to see the famous Alhambra. The scenic drive took about 2 hours through hills and valleys. The concierge gave us excellent directions that took us right to the parking lot for the Alhambra.
This 14th century fortress was built by the Moors (aka Muslims) when they occupied this part of Spain for 800 years. The courtyards, patios, halls and pools, with their intricate stucco carvings and patterned ceramic tiling, are incredible to see. Of all of our day trips, this one was the best.
It takes about 3 hours to tour the palaces and walk the incredible lush gardens. You need to plan a few days ahead as they only allot a certain number of people per day and per tour time slot to tour the Palace. (Don’t be late for your scheduled time as you won’t be permitted entry.) Some guests at the resort chose to take a guided tour but we found the best way to see the sites is to rent an audioguide for 4 euro which explained each part of the fortress. From what we heard from the other guests, we were glad that we decided to do it on our own time. Plus, it gave me the freedom to work for a few minutes as we toured.
We arrived a couple of hours before our tour and ate at a Fodor’s recommended restaurant, Jardines Alberto. This lovely restaurant, right beside the Alhambra, has 2 outdoor patios overflowing with trees and flowers. The food was excellent and the best lunch we had eaten since we arrived in Spain. We each had Gazpacho soup and shared an Omelette made with ham and cheese. This sounds quite ordinary but neither dish was made like anything we had eaten back in the States. For dessert, we had locally grown melon which was so sweet and juicy.
If you decide to only venture out on one day-trip from the Marbella Beach Club, make this the must-see on your list. You will be glad that you did.
Visit my website TheArtofVacationing.com and discover how I can book your Marriott dream trip for you.
