The Alhambra and Generalife Gardens

No matter how much you have read or how many pictures you have seen of Granada's Alhambra palaces, this Moorish pleasure palace will still take your breath away. The Nasrid dynasty's royal palace is the artistic highlight of Spain's Islamic period, when Al-Andalus - as they called Andalucía - represented the epitome of culture and civilization in medieval Europe.

The Alhambra complex includes several buildings, towers, walls, gardens, and a mosque, but it's the indescribably intricate stone carvings, the delicate filigrees, the magnificent tile-lined ceilings, the graceful arches, and serene courtyards of the Nasrid palace that will haunt your dreams.

That said, the adjoining palace built for the Emperor Charles V, even in its unfinished state is the finest example of High Renaissance architecture in Spain. And Generalife's terraced gardens offer a peaceful respite from the grandeur, and splendid views back at the rest of the Alhambra.

Travelers should set aside at least a half day to visit the Alhambra palaces and several days to explore the tourist attractions of Granada. Besides the Alhambra, other highlights of Granada include the UNESCO-listed Albaicín, the medieval Moorish quarter; the 16th-century Capilla Real de Granada (Royal Chapel); and the Sacromonte quarter, where flamenco performances take place in gypsy caves.