When planning this trip to Spain, I debated about where to go. My tickets were in and out of Madrid, so I thought I shouldn’t go too far away from the capitol and waste time traveling. I considered Granada, home to the Alhambra. This has been on my bucket list since I made it. I considered a day-trip to Barcelona made possible with a bullet train between the two cities. I would be able to experience the works of Gaudi. In the end, I decided to just stay in Madrid and do the short trip to Toledo, which is very close to the big city. Then I went to the BYU Museum of Art and saw the M.C. Escher exhibit.
Escher’s Granada Inspiration
Escher lived in Italy for many years and only left at the beginning of World War II. On his way out of Europe, he visited the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. Inspired by the tile mosaics and intricate plaster work of this former Moorish palace, Escher created some of his most iconic work in tessellations. As I read about that and examined his transforming and geometric patterns, the desire returned even stronger to visit this bucket list and UNESCO World Heritage destination.
Granada
The city itself has roots in Roman times. However, the Moors of Andalusia planted the seeds for what it would become. The palace was actually a citadel built on top of a hill surrounded by a river. The snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountain range is the backdrop. However, there was also a historic and beautiful city built in the valley and climbing the hills on the other side of the river.
This is where our hotel was, right in the heart of this historic place. We arrived at night and went out for a stroll through the old town. The cathedral of Granada is massive! It seems bigger than many I have seen in person. Similar to Toledo, there is a special feeling one gets walking through these narrow roads. I was ecstatic! I wish we had more time to just drink it all in and spend a few days in Granada.
The Viewpoint
There is one viewpoint that everyone will recommend you visit in Granada. It is just above where our hotel was on a plaza next to an old church. The view is of the Alhambra palace and gardens on top of the neighboring hill. The view got me even more excited for the next day’s tour of the architectural wonder.
