Albayzín Walking Tour (Self Guided), Granada

The Moorish quarter of Albaycín is a world of its own inside Granada. Mainly, this is due to a strong Islamic vibe still present in the area. The city's oldest district was established by Arabs in the 11th century and to date has retained much of its original charm, manifested in the neat maze of narrow Medieval lanes, shady, intimate courtyards and squares, plus a multitude of well-kept, traditional whitewashed houses built practically on top of one another. As an open-air museum of history and architecture, Albaycín was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1994.

The neighborhood is particularly popular for the spectacular San Nicolas Lookout, affording dramatic views, especially at sunset, of the magnificent Alhambra fortress and its terraced gardens, perched on top of a hillock, with the charming Sierra Nevada mountain range at the backdrop, glowing in the rays of the sinking sun.

Some say, the name Albaycín means "quarter of the falconers", although most historians incline towards "quarter of the people of Baeza", referring to the Moors settled here after Christians drove them out of their hometown of Baeza in the 13th century.

Nowadays, the only Moorish palace here still in place is the 15th century Dar al-Horra. Another Moorish remnant is the 11th-century El Bañuelo, a traditional Arab bath found at Carrera del Darro. Built above the house, it escaped demolition unlike most Arab baths in the district – viewed by Christians as brothels and therefore destroyed.

Following the reconquest of Granada by the Catholic Kings in 1492, many local mosques were torn down and replaced with churches. One such is the San José church, with a minaret turned into belfry.

If you wish to delve deeper into Andalusia's Medieval Moorish past, take this self-guided walk in Albaycín as an educational part of your Granada city trip.