Corral del Carbón

An Nasrid era caravanserai that is free to visit but is mainly private offices today.

In one word: extraordinary—a place so delightful and full of beautiful energy that it can’t be captured in words or described adequately. Everyone must go. From the outside, it’s a stunning Andalusian structure, but inside... You enter through an area filled with incredibly detailed wood carvings; the ceiling is actually open but covered with vines, making it very airy and refreshing. In the center, a babbling fountain and decorative pool welcome you like an ancient Arab caravanserai. When you go, you’ll understand: this place fills your soul with peace and happiness; it’s bursting with the scent of life and history. You absolutely must visit.

Nestled at the footsteps of Alhambra, is Corral Del Carbon. It is a Moorish style property from the 1300s that was once an accommodation for traveling merchants during the Nasirid period. With a beautiful courtyard at its centre, it also had its own traders market within. The property is free to enter for visitors and tourists, and there is a public toilet on site as well. It's best to see this place during daylight hours as much of the intricate details are not noticeable in the evening hours. We spent about 20 minutes here. Worth a visit if you are in the area or want to take a break from the shopping plaza across the street.

This use to be used as accommodation for travelling merchants. The courtyard is perfect for taking photos with the vineyards hanging over the court, and giving it some character. Visitors are allowed on the courtyard only (as far as I’m aware). It is free entry. Also there is a toilet open to public, if you need to use it while you’re out shopping! There is a lovely little gift shop just outside ‘Corral del Carbon’. I found it to be good value for money compared to other shops. Also don’t forget to visit the Alcaceria shopping area. You can find your way to the Granada Cathedral following these connecting streets.

Cool little place that we looked at for 15-30 min. There’s an adjacent attached exhibit about the various moorish gardens. It seems just a little less impressive after visiting the Alhambra, but still well decorated. Free for entry

Not that impressive inside, but the gate is special, and when the walk. We were part of a guided tour, and I sunny believe it would be interesting without a guide's explanation.

Plants that make gardens Cypress trees, emblem of the gardens of Granada The Mediterranean cypress (Cupressus sempervirens L.) is the most characteristic tree on the landscape and in the gardens of the historic neighbourhoods of Granada. Ever since the regionalists adopted it as a symbol of the city, its popularity has increased and today the cypress is an integral part of the image of the city. The link between cypress trees and longevity, and hence with death and the life that comes after it, made it a typical plant in cemeteries, even in regions that were far removed from its natural distribution area. This did not prevent it becoming widely used as a garden tree, not only in Granada, but also in cities in Italy and the eastern Mediterranean. In the old gardens of Granada, it was used in very different ways as a freestanding tree or pruned in the shape of dramatic figures, from simple columns to pathways with arches, reaching its most complicated form in arbours with vaults made of overlapping arches, a sort of plant-based Gothic gazebo, which were a frequent sight in the city at the end of the 19th century.

This place is free to enter and used to be a traders market during the Nasrid era. It's definitely worth a look and to take some photos.