Granada

This weekend we took a trip to Granada, an enchanting city nestled at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. 

We arrived in the evening and had a quick tour of the center with our guide, Angel. We began in Plaza Isabel la Catolica, a square marked by a statue of Queen Isabel with Christopher Columbus. We then wandered through Plaza Nueva and along Carrera del Darro before ascending into the base of the Albayzin, the historical Arab quarter of Granada. After the tour students took of the explore the center on their own for a while.

We started Saturday with a visit to the Parque de Ciencias, an amazing science museum full of interactive exhibits. Some highlights were the mariposario (butterfly house) and the observation tower that offered incredible views of the surroundings.  

From there we went for lunch and then it was time for our visit to the Alhambra. There is no question why this Arabic palace is the most visited site in Spain. We spent the entire afternoon learning the history and exploring the many parts of the palace and Generalife (the surrounding gardens).

Students spent the evening swimming in the hotel pool, shopping for souvenirs, and going for dinner with their friends (including two great Spanish students that joined us for the weekend).

On Sunday our bus drivers dropped us off at the very top of the Albyzin. We wandered down through this labyrinth-like neighborhood and learned about the unique culture that can be found in this part of the city. We stopped at the Mirador de San Nicolas (a plaza with an impressive view of the Alhambra), a mosque, and finally the Capilla Real (the chapel where the Catholic Kings are buried) along the way back to the hotel where our bus picked us up to take us back to Sevilla.