The Generalife is a complex adjacent to the Alahambra, but no longer connected to it. It dates back to the 14th century and was intended to serve as a summer residence for the Moorish rulers of Granada.
It was a place of leisure, rest and comfort during the hot hours of the Spanish days. Even today, it is a place of indescribable peace.
GENERALIFE: TWO STEPS FROM THE ALAHAMBRA
The visit to the Generalife lasts at least two hours and you should take this into account when organizing your time inside the Alahambra. Pay attention to the entrance time of the Palacios Nazaries: if it is in the afternoon, you can dedicate the morning to visiting this part of the summer palace, otherwise keep it for the end.
The entrance to the Alahambra is adjacent to the Generalife, but you can take a detour to the lower part and only return to the Gardens at the end of your visit.
Generalize the gardens
THE LOWER GARDENS
Walking along the long cypress avenue, shaded by magnificent green trees, one arrives at the first of the Generalife gardens, called the Lower Garden.
Behind a wide hedge is the amphitheater, still used today for numerous performances of opera, music and theater.
Immediately afterwards, the wonderful set of plants, flowers and shrubs expertly trimmed, forming a garden cared for in the smallest details and with a disturbing fragrance.
You won’t be surprised to learn that this place was created to resemble Paradise: the paths accompanied by perfect geometric hedges, the many varieties of flowers in a thousand colors and the water features between the tallest trees really give the impression of a celestial calm.
PATIO OF THE DITCH
The games continue inside the palace, in what is perhaps the most famous garden in the entire complex.
I want to talk about the Patio de la Acequia, the green courtyard where the water features play an impressive natural music. Despite the multitude of tourists, rest assured that you will still enjoy the sound.
Perhaps it is the magic of this place that makes everyone who comes into contact with it fall silent.
THE OUTSIDE GARDEN
Crossing the arcade, one continues to enjoy the magnificent view of the exterior thanks to wide open arches and low windows, as was the custom in Moorish times. The sovereigns sat on the ground, enjoying the cool shade and scanning the horizon before them.
THE SULTANA’S ROOMS
We then enter inside, into the royal rooms and the famous sultanas’ quarter. These places, devoid of furniture but richly decorated, all overlook the old Patio and the parallel Patio, called Patio de los Cipreses.
THE WATER STAIRCASE
The most magical part is undoubtedly the water staircase: a long series of steps with a hollow ramp, in which a fresh waterfall flows, seeming to descend directly from a spring.
The entire hydraulic system of the Generalife is undoubtedly unique, especially for the time in which it was designed. Thanks to the pools, waterfalls and continuous jets, the entire area starting with this staircase and ending with the High Gardens is much less stifling.
Even if the visit is made in broad daylight, with the more than 30 degrees typical of Andalusia, the climate is much milder.
THE HIGH GARDENS
The High Gardens, covered with rose bushes and jasmine, are much more shaded and offer a magnificent view of the Alahambra.
In the past, it was from this same street that one could access it, thanks to a link crossing the ravine that faces it. Today, this passage no longer exists and it takes at least 20 minutes of walking to return to the Palacios Nazarios.
Take this into account and enjoy the pleasant freshness as much as possible… you will not find it anywhere else in the Alahambra. A true paradise that is difficult to detach yourself from and especially difficult to forget.
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