Time for another Lockdown Armchair Travel memory, and we’re still on the letter S. And S is, of course, for Spain, a country I’ve visited so many times during my life, from the Costas to the cities to the islands, and I always love it. I hummed and hahhed a lot deciding where in Spain I should pick for this travel memory and decided on the beautiful Andalucian city of Granada, which we visited for a long weekend in June and July 2017. So, what do you think of, when you think of Granada (apart from the Manchester ITV station and TV rental sets of course!) Probably here:

The Alhambra! And where better to start our roaming around the city. I was lucky enough to go there when I was twelve, on holiday with my mum, and it’s a place that’s full of history, and beauty and memories.

Doors and alleyways lead you into room after room of Moorish moreishness!

Arabesque archways and Islamic calligraphy abound

And you just get lost in the beauty of it all

The Courtyard of the Lions is probably the most famous part

With those lions everywhere

In the Alhambra, there are no trials and tribulations, only tiles and tessellations!

The Courtyard of the Palace of Carlos V is used for concerts

And the views from the top are stunning!

And the Generalife gardens are the perfect place to relax after a couple of hours’ intense sightseeing

I have an old guidebook from my 1973 visit that quotes a rather over-the-top and dramatic poem: “Give him alms! There is no greater tribulation in life than being blind in Granada”. Those were different times.

Hard to believe, but there’s more to Granada than just the Alhambra. The cathedral is magnificent.

It’s one of those cathedrals that lends itself to exciting angles and moody corners

Not to mention the ridiculous wealth of the gold inside, of course

Elsewhere, the city has traditional Andalucian architecture

The city also looks beautiful at night

It’s a terrific place and you come home with great memories of charm and grandeur

Not to mention lions!