We caught a taxi to the train station where we were picking up another car for the next part of the journey. After a great few days in Seville, it was time to move on to Granada to visit the Alhambra.
The drive was mostly straightforward until the Sierra Nevada mountains came into view. Snowy peaks in the distance—very cool. It made me think it’d be a great area to come back to for some hiking.
We arrived at the Alhambra and made our way to the entrance to wait for our tour. We grabbed a couple of coffees and takeaway rolls from a nearby café while we waited. Once the group was together, we met our guide—another earpiece setup—and headed in.
We started in the Generalife, which was the summer retreat of the Nasrid kings. The gardens were peaceful and well-kept, with great views out over Granada. It had a really calm, open feel to it. From there we went through to the Nasrid Palaces, which were easily the highlight. The detail in the tilework and carvings was unbelievable—every wall and archway was different. The Court of the Lions was especially impressive.
The tour also took us to the Alcazaba, the old military section with watchtowers and panoramic views, then through the Palace of Charles V, which felt very different—more solid and classical. We finished with a walk through the Medina, where the palace staff and workers once lived. Altogether, the place had a mix of styles and layers of history that made it feel pretty special.
After the visit, I drove us down to Málaga where we checked into our Airbnb and went out for dinner. The city had a relaxed but lively feel to it, especially around the centre. We wandered the streets a bit, taking in the atmosphere, and ended up at a bar called La Tranca. It had a good local crowd, loud music, and really solid tapas—definitely a fun spot for our last night in Spain.
The next day we returned the car at the airport and flew to Dublin. Spain was a great leg of the trip, and I’d definitely like to come back and explore more of it.
Next stop: Dublin.
