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Stories, history and food traditions from Granada (Page 9)

Long-form editorial pieces written by resident correspondents: cultural deep-dives, the origins of local dishes, and the people and traditions that shape everyday life in Granada.

Washington Irving Alhambra scene at dusk: a moonlit view of the Patio de los Leones with marble lion fountain, 124 columns casting long shadows, evoking the Romantic atmosphere of 1829 when Irving wrote Tales of the Alhambra

Washington Irving and the Tales of the Alhambra

James Walker Updated

Washington Irving lived in the Alhambra in 1829 and published Tales of the Alhambra in 1832, sparking the tourism boom that made it Spain's top monument.

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Granada artisan crafts — taracea marquetry boxes and Fajalauza blue-and-green ceramics with pomegranate motifs at an Albaicín workshop

Granada Artisan Crafts: Taracea, Fajalauza Ceramics and Leather

James Walker Updated

Granada's taracea marquetry, Fajalauza ceramics, leather goods, and luthiery trace directly to Nasrid workshop traditions. A guide to finding the real thing.

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The narrow lanes of the Alcaicería in Granada — horseshoe arches and hanging lanterns above craft stalls selling taracea woodwork and fajalauza ceramics

Granada's Markets: A City's History Told Through Trade

James Walker Updated

From a Nasrid silk monopoly to Sunday flea markets, Granada's five markets map the city's history. Where to go, what's worth buying, and what each reveals.

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Calle Pedro Antonio de Alarcón in Granada at dusk — students on bar terraces, free tapa plates and beer glasses on outdoor tables, warm evening light on university quarter buildings

Granada's University District: Student Life, Bars & Culture

James Walker Updated

Granada's universidad quarter has 60,000 students, €2 beers on the main bar strip, free tapas, and a university founded in 1531. Here's how to explore it.

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Hall of the Two Sisters in the Nasrid Palaces of the Alhambra, Granada, with muqarnas stalactite vault and arabesque stucco walls, built under Nasrid dynasty sultan Muhammad V

The Nasrid Dynasty: Granada's 260-Year Islamic Kingdom

James Walker Updated

The Nasrid dynasty ruled Granada from 1232 to 1492 through 23 sultans, building the Alhambra while every other Moorish kingdom in Spain fell before them.

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The Torre de la Vela of the Alhambra's Alcazaba at dusk, Granada, the tower where Ferdinand's standard was raised on 2 January 1492, marking the end of the Reconquista

The Reconquista and the Fall of Granada in 1492

James Walker Updated

On 2 January 1492, Granada surrendered, ending 781 years of Moorish rule. The Reconquista, the siege of 1491, and the Granada Capitulations explained.

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Interior of the Alhambra's Nasrid Palaces, Granada — ornate muqarnas ceiling and horseshoe arches, the palace handed over by Boabdil, last Moorish king, in 1492

Boabdil: Last Moorish King of Granada

James Walker Updated

Boabdil (c.1460–1533) was Granada's last Nasrid sultan, who surrendered the city to Ferdinand and Isabella on 2 January 1492, ending 781 years of Moorish rule.

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Why Granada tapas are free — a bar counter in Granada showing jamón legs hanging from ceiling, free tapa plates and wine glasses lined up, traditional bodega interior in warm evening light

Why Granada Tapas Are Free: The History Behind the Tradition

Sarah Mills Updated

Granada is one of the last cities in Spain where every drink comes with a free tapa. The real history, the unwritten rules, and the best bars to find it.

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