Private Albaicín Tour with Andalusian Monuments includes tickets

We begin our tour in the Plaza de Isabella Catolica, right in the heart of the modern city, but a short walk from where Granada Ziri was born, capital of an Andalusian kingdom that marked the beginning of Islamic splendor in these lands. From here, we will enter a city that has been a frontier, kingdom and legend.

We are now in Plaza Nueva, which, despite its name, is one of the oldest squares in Granada. This space, built by the Catholic Monarchs after the conquest, was symbolic of the new Christian order, right at the foot of the Alhambra. But under our feet, Andalusian history still beats: very close to here was the ancient bab al-Bunud, the ‘gate of the flags’, which gave access to the Ziri medina.

Ahead of us stands the Royal Chancellery, symbol of the new power that was established in Granada after the Christian conquest. It was founded by the Catholic Monarchs in 1505 as the highest judicial institution in the southern peninsula, and its current appearance is due in large part to the reforms carried out in the time of Charles V. This building not only administered justice, but also represented a break with the Andalusian past. The old Zirite city gave way to the new imperial order.

The church of St Gil and St Anne stands where once there was a mosque, as if the stones inherited the memory of the place. In its Mudéjar architecture echoes of the Andalusian past still resonate, reminding us that Granada does not forget, only transforms.

To walk along the Carrera del Darro is to get lost among legends, hidden palaces and the eternal murmur of the river.

During our tour, we will stop at El Bañuelo, one of the oldest and best preserved Arab baths in al-Andalus. Access to the monument is included in the tour, so we will go inside to discover this fascinating space with a guided explanation. Let’s explore its different rooms – cold, warm and warm – and learn about the functioning of the Andalusian Hammam, as well as its social and cultural importance in medieval Granada. We will also look at its architectural features, such as the vaults with starbursts and the remains of its heating systems. An opportunity to enter the daily life of the Islamic city and appreciate an intimate space that has survived the passage of centuries.

During the tour, we will stop in front of the Maristan of Granada, the first public hospital in the Islamic West, founded in the 14th century by Sultan Muhammad V in the heart of the Albaicín neighborhood. Although today only a few remains and a partial reconstruction are preserved, this place was once an advanced center of medical care, where both body and mind were treated, with a surprisingly advanced approach for its time. It had separate wards for diseases and psychiatric care in addition to gardens and fountains. From the outside, we will explain its history, its original architecture and its importance within Nasrid society. An exceptional testimony to the scientific and compassionate vision of the Andalusian world.

We are in front of the Casa de Castril, one of the most beautiful Renaissance facades in Granada. Built in the 16th century, it belonged to the influential family of Hernando de Zafra, secretary of the Catholic Monarchs and key figure in the negotiations for the surrender of Granada. Its Plateresque cover, dated 1539, is replete with symbolism: shields, classical columns and an inscription saying “waiting for it from heaven”, which has nurtured numerous popular legends. Among them, that of the young woman locked in the house for forbidden love, who gave her name to this enigmatic inscription. Today it houses the Archaeological Museum of Granada, although at this stop we will focus on the artistic richness of its facade and its privileged location by the river Darro, in the heart of the ancient Andalusian medina.

We now reach Paseo de los Tristes, one of the most emblematic and picturesque corners of Granada. Its official name is Paseo del Padre Manjón, but we all know it by this nickname, which is because funeral processions passed here on the way to San José Cemetery, on the hill of the Sabika. Today it is a place full of life, with the Alhambra dominating from above, the River Darro at our feet and ancient cabins and palaces escorting the promenade. But at the time it was a key space for communication between the lower city and the Alhambra, as well as a meeting place, parties and popular fairs in modern times. From here we can admire one of the most impressive views of the Alhambra, among legends, history and the murmur of water that has accompanied Granada for centuries.

On our tour we will also visit Casa Morisca Horno de Oro, one of the best examples of traditional Andalusian housing preserved in Granada. Access is included in the tour, and we will enter to explore its interior with a detailed explanation. Located in the surroundings of Carrera del Darro, this house reflects how a well-to-do family lived during the 14th and 15th centuries. Its structure revolves around a central courtyard with pool, heart of domestic life, surrounded by simple but functional rooms. During the visit we will talk about the distribution of spaces, the use of water, the inner privacy – so important in the Islamic world – and how these houses were adapted after the Christian conquest. A quiet corner where you can still feel the intimate rhythm of Nasrid Granada.

We arrive at one of the most iconic places in Granada: the viewpoint of San Nicolas, from where you can see the most famous view of the Alhambra, with Sierra Nevada in the background. This corner of the Albaicín has become a symbol of the city, and it is not difficult to understand why: landscape, history and emotion merge here. Next to the viewpoint is the church of San Nicolas, built in the 16th century on an old mosque in the neighborhood. Its Mudéjar architecture reminds us that, even after the conquest, Grenada continued to mix Christian and Islamic influences in its forms and materials. This place not only offers a breathtaking view, but also a deep connection with the history of the Andalusian neighborhood, with its labyrinthine streets, its bulwarks and its neighborhood life that resists the passage of time.

Next to the viewpoint of San Nicolas we find the Mosque of Granada, inaugurated in 2003, after centuries without an official Islamic place of worship in the city. Its construction was a symbolic moment: the recovery of a living spiritual presence in the Albaicín, five centuries after the conquest. Inspired by Andalusian architecture, the mosque combines traditional forms with modern lines. Inside there is a prayer hall, gardens and a centre for Islamic studies. The place was chosen with intention: in front of the Alhambra, in the heart of the old Muslim quarter, as a gesture of continuity with the history of the city. Despite time, it remains a crossroads of living cultures.

We stop now in front of the Casa de la Hórra, one of the few Nasrid residences that are preserved outside the Alhambra compound. Its name, which comes from hurrah, “the free” in Arabic, could refer to a noblewoman or its function as a secluded house. This was one of the residential palaces of the Nasrid nobility, and according to some sources, here lived Aixa el-Horra, mother of Boabdil, the last Sultan of Granada. From this house, located on top of the Albaicín, Aixa was able to witness the slow decline of the Nasrid kingdom and the advance of the Castilians towards the Alhambra.

We arrive at Plaza Larga, the social heart of the Albaicín. Since Andalusian times, this space has been a meeting point and market. Here beat the daily life of the neighborhood: the trade, the talk, the screams of the market and the passage of generations that are still felt in its atmosphere. After the Christian conquest, the square maintained its popular character, surrounded by Moorish houses, small shops and taverns. Today it is still a lively place, where neighbors gather, and every morning a small traditional market is held. From here also departs the Arch of the Weights, one of the old access gates to the Ziri wall, which connects us directly to Islamic Granada. In this square the past and the present cross, in an almost miraculous balance that the Albaicín has managed to preserve.