April 2026
This city was visited as part of an Erasmus-style tapas tour of Spain: Madrid, Granada, Sevilla, Córdoba, Barcelona
Generally speaking, of course, the trains in Spain are excellent. They aren’t cheap, but they run frequently and quickly. The only downside is that you don’t get any extra comfort for the high price. On the other hand, you get to see a design straight out of the ’90s and arrive in Los Yebenes
The reader might wonder, how is that possible—such views in the very first photo? My answer is, yes, we lived just three minutes from here
Another irony of life. As a child, I might have thought that Spain was exactly where I would study, work, and live in general, because I studied Spanish for a full five years in college. After arriving in the Czech Republic, I didn’t touch Spanish even once, and over the course of 15 years, I’ve pretty much forgotten it. Now, Spanish just gets in the way of my French
But in Granada, you don’t even need Spanish. When people saw me, they didn’t even try to answer me in Spanish. Even when I spoke Spanish, no one was going to do that with me
We came here, ironically enough, to the university. Through the Erasmus program. On the first evening, I was amazed at how beautiful everything was here
I’ll remember these little streets and hills for the rest of my life
I can’t even imagine how many times I’ll end up showing these exact views in this article
They filmed an Airbnb right here. The prices, by the way, are pretty low—apartments are several times cheaper than in Prague
Would you like that?
By the way, oranges grow everywhere in Spain, but I didn’t dare try them
The coolest design-related thing I saw on the whole trip is that there’s a guy in Granada whose job is basically to be a ticket booth. The idea is that this bus stop is right next to the university, and the guy only comes to sell tickets when students are likely to get on the bus
It’s hard to say exactly what constitutes the center of Granada, but for me, this is still the center
In Spain, by the way, no one is shy about expressing their opinion on the conflict in Palestine
Right in the heart of the city—flamenco and crowds of tourists
By “the very center,” I mean the part of the city that’s particularly flat and perfect for a leisurely stroll
Policía Loca
There’s really no point in commenting on European-style architecture—it’s beautiful, of course
But every now and then, even in these areas, you come across design solutions that don’t often occur to Europeans
And then, just like that, it’s any European city again
The symbol of Granada isn’t what you might think—it’s actually an open pomegranate
Walking around, by the way, was a real pleasure. In Spain, I often had to go for walks in the evening because even in April, it gets too hot during the day
Bread is the bread and butter of life. In Spain, by the way, the bread situation is pretty bad; being neighbors with France didn’t help at all
For several days in a row, I had to walk uphill to get home. What a treat—but at least my butt got toned
The street signs are beautiful and unique, and you can buy replicas of them in souvenir shops
Of course, there are markets, but I never bought anything at them
Basically, Granada is famous for being home to the Alhambra. The Alhambra, in turn, is famous for the fact that you have to buy tickets about three months in advance, otherwise you won’t get in
For me personally, Granada also became known for the fact that you have to pay an entrance fee for almost every church or cathedral, so it was worth buying a combined ticket for several
I didn’t even try to remember the names of all the places I visited
All I can say is that Granada is an absolute blast, even for someone like me who isn’t interested in all those cathedrals at all
Ceilings like these are a sign of Arab influence. Speaking of Arab influence: I spent several years of my life studying Spanish history. It turns out to be a very interesting place, and for me, as someone used to Central Europe, it was a real treat. It’s better to see it once than to hear about it for years.
Another top topic. The names of university graduates are written directly on the wall. These walls are completely free of anything else
Another discovery after 15 years of thinking about Spain is how often the word “de” is written here in this style
Again, either some kind of cathedral or some kind of mosque
Another observation that only I seem to notice. A million ways to write the letter Ñ. With a stroke in different directions, with a tilde, and with a horizontal line.
There will be plenty of ceiling shots from this trip
Following the old tradition from Brno, you should, of course, park closer to God
My favorite section is Tapas. This time, we got one sandwich for the two of us. It’s almost impossible for a tourist to figure out the tapas system. We went to a restaurant, ordered two beers, and they brought us two huge plates of meat and potatoes—the kind you’d usually get for lunch in the Czech Republic. In this restaurant, on the other hand, we got one measly sandwich for two more expensive drinks. In some restaurants, they won’t bring you practically anything at all, or they’ll only bring it if you pay extra. In short, there’s not much logic to it
The next place I stayed was right by the university. I suppose an ordinary person wouldn’t be able to get it. The views are simply breathtaking, mind-blowing. You can see the Alhambra right from the window. On top of everything else, it’s full board. And finally, at least here they spoke to me in Spanish. Well, “Spanish,” as it turned out, meant the local dialect. Although, surprisingly, for some reason I understand this dialect very well, unlike other Spaniards
Local ninjas
I’ll have plenty to tell my grandchildren
Next, I visited the Alhambra itself. There isn’t much to say about it. It’s a complex of buildings. Basically, in a single day, you can quickly grasp what Arab culture in Spain is like and how people lived before the Reconquista. Again, explaining it to someone who isn’t familiar with the subject probably isn’t very interesting, but for those who know at least a little about Spain, it really hits the spot. Sometimes it gets a bit monotonous, but on the other hand, it’s still breathtakingly beautiful
The Alhambra
Basically, the Alhambra consists of walls, ceilings, and gardens
Since you’ve made it this far, I’ll try to be at least a little helpful. First, you can walk there, though you’ll have to go uphill. Second, you really need to buy your tickets well in advance—trust me. Third, bring an empty water bottle. There are quite a few drinking fountains here. Also, following standard Spanish procedure, you’ll need to bring a printout of your tickets and your passport, and be prepared for ticket checks and lines. Yes, the ticket checks here are a bit of a hassle. I recommend planning about 5 hours for the tour. It really is very large, and the heat makes you tire quickly
The Alhambra was a fortress, so the area below it is still the city center, with narrow streets
By the way, buses run through the narrow streets from time to time, and everyone has to step aside
What’s even more infuriating is that taxis are everywhere too, and for just one person, about fifty people have to step aside. Strangely enough, there are so many taxis that sometimes it even seems like they’re part of Granada’s public transportation system
But Granada is also, at first glance, a very Catholic city. If not Catholic, then at least deeply religious
Old light switches
It’s hard to say which was more beautiful: the Alhambra or the student residence
One of the things I’m thinking of bringing back from Granada is these lanterns
By the way, just a reminder: yes, we’re still in Spain
Although sometimes it reminds me of my hometown, Kaluga
And this thing here is called the metro
Thoughts on Granada: the beauty is incredible, and there are tons of tourists. The terrain is hilly, so you get pretty tired walking around, but it’s so beautiful that you stop feeling the fatigue. The university infrastructure is also impressive.