¡Como Granada, No Hay Nada!

This past weekend the students took a trip to the unforgettable city of Granada. As the last conquested city by Islamic rulers, Granada’s Islamic legacy runs deep in its blood. One step inside the city and you’re immediately surrounded by Islamic architecture, Teterías (Arabic tea shops), and tapas bars.

Our journey in Granada began with a short walking tour of the city to get the students familiarized with the city. Saturday, we woke up bright and early and made our way to the Parque de las Ciencias (Science Park), an interactive science center and museum. The flexible museum space houses permanent and temporary exhibitions, as well as a butterfly house and observation tower. The students toured two exhibitions, one entitled Viaje al cuerpo humano (Trip to the Human Body) and WOW. Maravillas de la vida salvaje (Wonders of Wildlife). The Human Body exhibition was a big hit among the students! They were able to test how our five senses work, play games that mapped brain waves, and learned about human anatomy.

Theo at the Science Museum from Kassandra Valles on Vimeo.

Afterwards, we toured the magnificent Alhambra, an Islamic palace and fortress which got its name from the Arabic word Qalat Al-Hamra. After the Reconquista, the Alhambra was converted into the Royal Court of Ferdinand and Isabella. As a result, the Alhambra displays a mix of Islamic and Renaissance style architecture. Today, the Alhambra is a UNESCO World Heritage Sites and one of the most visited tourist sites in Spain.

Our Granada visit concluded on Sunday with a tour of the Albaicín, a neighborhood of Granada known for its Medieval Moorish past. The neighborhood is also a declared UNESCO World Heritage Site. We stopped to take in the breathtaking views at the Mirador de San Nicolas, snacked on Magdalena muffins prepared by nuns, and toured the Capilla real, which houses the crypt of Ferdinand and Isabella, as well as the tombs of the Catholic kings. 

Although our tour of Granada was short, the city left a lasting impression on the students and many expressed interest returning someday.

Here is a short video created by one of our fellow Global Discovery students, Skyler Clay. The video was created for one of their filmmaking projects. 

Granada Skyler video from Kassandra Valles on Vimeo.

(Photo credit to Grace Dodge)