Alyssa Smoot is a student at the University of Utah and an ISA Featured Blogger. She is currently studying abroad with ISA in Granada, Spain.
Okay Okay. I tricked you with the title of this blog post. This isn’t exaclty an ultimate guide into the Albaícin. This is, however, a collection of my favorite moments in this maze-like neighborhood that I think everyone should experience. Whether you wander around mindlessly, want to go to a specific tea shop, or are heading to the best view of The Alhambra, the Albaícin is a place I 10/10 recommend.
My Top 5 Favorites
- Tea, tea & more tea – there are a bunch of tea & hookah parlors on the little streets lined with tourist shops. I recommend getting the Moroccan Mint Green Tea and trying one of the famous moorish deserts. My #1 tip is to try new foods!
2. Shop for Moroccan leather duffles (or anything else that strikes your fancy) – On my trip to Morocco, I knew the only thing I wanted to come home with was a leather carry-on duffle bag with patterned fabric. I spent what I thought it was worth and I loooooove it. However, the next week my friend and I were walking around looking for one because she left Morocco wishing she had found one. While walking through random shops not even knowing which street we were on, she spotted a duffle bag and immediately went inside and negotiated a price for it. Turns out, they’re so much cheaper than if you buy it in Morocco!? Bargaining is your best friend in these Albaícin markets
3. Strap on your good shoes, and walk! – Just go explore without a map. Need I say more?
4. The views – San Miguel has one of the best views of The Alhambra and it’s one of Granada’s main tourist attractions. I recommend going mid day or after the sun has set (the lights are beautiful) because otherwise your pictures won’t turn out as great as you would like. I also found an amazing view of The Alhambra at a restaurant about a 10 minute walk above San Miguel and I thought it was 10x more spectacular. Those are the places you find when you just go walking ;)
5. Picture perfect streets, doors, restaurants, and more – When you go explore, it’s crazy the amount of charm you find. From the white buildings, cobblestone streets, and the perfect ivy on the walls, there is so. much. beauty. Go up hungry so that you can stop in a couple different cafés and grab a drink & a tapa and take a bunch of photos.
The world awaits…discover it.