Seville to Granada
We’re starting to get the hang of train travel in Spain. It has been generally straightforward, but there were minor differences between stations that kept us on our toes.
In Madrid Atocha, they didn’t announce the platform until 15-20 minutes before departure. We learned to go through security early and wait on the other side for our platform number to appear on the screens.
In Seville Santa Justa, they announced the platform 40 minutes before departure. We went through security, but they wouldn’t let us onto the platform, and there was no place to sit and wait. So we went back out to the hall, waited 20 minutes, and then went through security a second time before boarding. (We learned to wait until the platform number on the screen starts blinking.)
We left Seville on the same Avant train that had taken us to Córdoba a few days before. This time, we stayed on board until it reached Granada. Through the (regrettably dirty) window, I watched the scenery change as we traveled east, from the plain to the mountains of Andalusía. Granada is at the base of the Sierra Nevada, at an elevation of about 2,400 feet, just one hour’s drive from the Mediterranean Sea.
In Granada, we took a taxi to our hotel, which was inside the Alhambra. That’s right, we stayed in the Alhambra! The Parador de Granada, near the center of the Alhambra complex, was originally a Nasrid palace, and later a monastery. Now it is a parador, part of a hotel chain operated by the Spanish government. From the terrace near our room, there was a lovely view of the Generalife (the Nasrid summer palace and gardens) on the next hill.
We did a bit of exploring in the non-ticketed areas of the Alhambra. After a simple meal nearby, we relaxed in our room, excited to be near the mountains, in the magical Alhambra.
“If you were to visit just one city in Spain, it should be Granada.”
