In the capital city of the province of Granada, in Andalusia, Spain

 "I do not know what to call this land upon which I stand. If what is beneath my feet is paradise, then what is the Alhambra? Heaven?" -- Lope Félix de Vega y Carpio, one of the key figures in the Spanish Golden Age of Baroque literature (second only to that of Cervantes)

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(in the capital city of the province of Granada, in Andalusia, Spain) The city of Granada is located at the confluence of four rivers: the Darro, the Genil, the Monachil, and the Beiro. Located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, the city sits at an average elevation of 738 meters above sea level, yet it is only a one hour drive by car from the Mediterranean coast.This area was settled in ancient times by Iberians, Romans, and Visigoths. The current settlement became a major city of Al-Andalus in the 11th century during the Zirid Taifa of Granada, which was conquered by the Almoravids in 1090. In the 13th century it became the capital of the Emirate of Granada under Nasrid rule, the last Muslim-ruled state in the Iberian Peninsula. Granada was conquered in 1492 by the Catholic Monarchs and progressively transformed into a Christian city over the course of the 16th century.

+ The Alhambra, a medieval Nasrid citadel and palace in Granada, is one of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture and one of the most visited tourist sites in Spain. Islamic-period influence and Moorish architecture are also preserved in the Albaicín neighborhood, and other medieval monuments in the city. The 16th century also saw a flourishing of Mudéjar architecture and Renaissance architecture, followed later by Baroque and Churrigueresque styles. The pomegranate (in Spanish, granada) is the heraldic device of Granada. (It is a locally abundant fruit that appears on the city’s coat of arms.)

+ Drawn by the allure of the Alhambra, many visitors head to Granada unsure about what to expect. What they find is a compelling city where serene Islamic architecture and Arab-flavored street life go hand-in-hand with monumental churches, old-school tapas bars and counterculture graffiti art.

+ The city was the last stronghold of the Spanish Moors and their legacy lies all around -- in the horseshoe arches, the spicy aromas emanating from street stalls, the teterías (teahouses) of the Albayzín, the historic Arab quarter. Most spectacularly, of course, it is in the Alhambra, an astonishing palace complex whose Islamic decor and landscaped gardens are without peer in Europe. There is also an energy to Granada’s streets, packed as they are with bars, student dives, bohemian cafes, and intimate flamenco clubs, which (as much as the more traditional sights) leave a lasting impression.

+ The Alhambra citadel of Granada (shown here) is one of the most famous buildings in Spain: a Moorish fortress with grand archways and delicate ornamental mosaics. Step backwards in time as you wind through the ascending cobblestone streets of Albaicín.