Moorish Granada - East meets West

What to expect

Granada is a city where the Moors ruled Spain for the longest time. This era has not passed without a trace. Just look into the eyes of a passing Spaniard, and in his dark eyes, eight centuries of Moorish rule will be reflected, although he will never admit it, neither to himself nor to a foreigner. The mosques have not heard the muezzin's call for five centuries, now transformed into Catholic churches, filled with incense, and their walls have been listening to the Spanish 'Our Father' for all these centuries. But despite this imposed cloak of Catholicism, Granada has retained its Moorish soul. Just pay attention to the ceramic tiles adorning the entrances of houses, and everything becomes clear: Granada is the East in the West.

I invite you on an exciting journey to Moorish Granada. It is a city full of surprises, where behind the baroque facade lies a madrasa, the former school of the Quran - the first university of Granada. Next to the silk market Alcaiceria's narrow streets remember how the Moors sold their silk to Genoese merchants, who eagerly took it to Europe, amassing fortunes. Next to the silk market, there is, of course, the ancient Caravanserai. How could we miss it? Merchants who had no friends or relatives in Granada stayed overnight here. Eastern hospitality was an integral part of Moorish culture. Another important aspect of Moorish Spain is hygiene. By the Darro River bank, we will find an Arab bathhouse, where men and women washed in turns. The narrow alleys of the Albayzin snake up and down the hill, resembling more Arab cities than European urban planning. And suddenly, beyond an unexpected turn, the gaze breaks out of the labyrinth of streets and hovers over the Alhambra, the ancient Moorish fortress - here we reach the viewing platform.

To complement the impressions of Moorish Granada, of course, we will visit an Arab tea house, where Moroccan green tea with mint and Arabic sweets await us.