The Alhambra is an amazing monument to Moorish Spain and includes the Nasrid Palaces, Generalife gardens, and Alcazaba. I chose a very early entry time for my pre-booked ticket at 9:30 anticipating a lot of crowds as the day progresses. Most of the Alhambra dates from the 13th and 14th centuries when the Muslim rulers transformed the site into a palace. When the Christians reconquered Spain, they demolished part of this palace for a Renaissance building and subsequent stewards had even tried to blow it up.
Gaining an entry was an adventure in itself. They run a strict quota system to limit the number of visitors to certain parts of the massive complex. Having heard stories of much time wasted in long lines, I opted to pay a little extra to get a pre-booked online ticket, guaranteeing my entry into the restricted sections. Luckily, as I visited on a weekday, the crowds were thin upon my arrival just before opening time. There was no line for the automatic ticketing machines where I retrieved my ticket with my credit card in seconds.
The Patio de los Arrayanes (Court of the Myrtles) is the Palacio de Comares' central courtyard. Named after the hedges around the long pool and gardens. The 45m-tall Torre de Comares stands on the other end.
After a short sunshine break, I continued to explore the various interior spaces with beautiful carvings.
Various windows within the Alhambra open up views of the Albaicin, which is on an adjacent hill.
