Day Trip to the Alhambra

By: LiSha Powell

Hi! My name is LiSha, and I studied abroad with CIEE during the fall 2024 semester in Seville, Spain. There were countless highlights during the trip, but one of the best moments was a CIEE-led excursion to Granada, Spain. The trip was open to all International Business and Culture students (about 55 people), but surprisingly, only 10 showed up—a puzzling fact, considering the trip was free. No complaints from me, though! The small group dynamic made it easier for all of us to bond.

With fewer people, we each got our own space on the bus, which was such a luxury. If you’ve ever taken a bus or flown on a plane, you know how much better the journey feels when there’s no one sitting right next to you.

On the first day, we went on a guided tour of the city with one of the best tour guides CIEE has to offer. These tours are usually long, but our guide in Granada made it so fun and engaging. We stopped by a convent to buy homemade sweets from the nuns and later visited a vista point with a stunning view of the Alhambra. The tour ended with the group visiting a Moroccan tea house, where I had the best tea of my life.

The next day, we toured the Alhambra, one of the most visited historical sites in Spain. Our guide told us that if you visit Granada and don’t see the Alhambra, you haven’t really visited Granada—and he was absolutely right. The gardens were breathtaking, and the architecture was fascinating to learn about.

Looking back on my time in Spain and comparing it to other study abroad programs, CIEE truly stands out. Their communication is excellent, and they genuinely care about their students. Trips like these are a perfect example—they prioritize not just academics but also the well-being and happiness of everyone in the program.

EXPLORE SPAIN