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Barcelona to Granada on 10 day trip/ Moorish sites suggestions

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Fingers crossed, with everyone's health and world events, I will be traveling to Barcelona on the second week of April (the week before Easter) with my dad.

My Dad wanted to see Barcelona so I booked my spring break (I'm a teacher) there. All of a sudden, my dad is expressing extreme interest in visiting Granada and touring the Alahambra. I know that I could personally swing a 6 hour (one-way) trip to Granada but my dad has had a couple rough health years (long-haul Covid and a recent Shingles attack) and I think he will be exhausted.

Has anyone done this before in such a short timeline OR does anyone have any alternative Moorish sites that would be closer to Barcelona? I was thinking possibly Zaragoza which is around 3.5 hours away or even Toledo.

I'm torn because he probably won't realistically visit Spain again but I want this to be an enjoyable trip for both of us, not just a site seeing marathon. Any insight would be appreciated and thanks in advance!

Posted by
1942 posts

My parents flew to Granada from Barcelona. You really only need two days to spend in Granada to see the Alhambra and the town. The other 5 days you could spend in Barcelona seeing the sites.

Can you change your flights to open jaw-arriving in Barcelona-leaving from Granada?

Posted by
6503 posts

The Aljafería in Zaragoza is a good choice given your limited time and much closer than Granada.

“This Islamic palace was built in the 11th century in the Taifa of Zaragoza, one of the most northerly outposts of Al-Andalus, located in the north-eastern city of Zaragoza. It was later residence of the Christian kings of Aragon and today is used as the headquarters of the regional parliament of Aragon.”

While there visit the Mujedar belltower at Iglesia de San Gil, Chuch of Saint Giles Abad. Despite being in use as a Christian church retains its original Mudejar belltower showing the ornate engraving and lattice work famous in Moorish architecture.

Posted by
27057 posts

I agree that Zaragoza and Toledo are both good choices. The historic center of Toledo is rather hilly, though.

The Alcazar in Seville is also fabulous, but Seville isn't really that much easier to reach from Barcelona that Granada. The difference is in the size of the two sights: The Alcazar is large whereas the Alhambra is huge--multiple buildings spread out across gardens. Of course one can go to the Alhambra and see only the Nasrid Palaces, the jewel in the crown, though I'd recommend tying to see the Palace of Carlos V as well; it's now a museum where they display some of the high-impact decorative elements from other parts of the complex.

Since you're going to be in Barcelona anyway, your dad might like to see a few of the neo-Mudejar structures in that city--not as a substitute for the real thing, but as a supplement. Google neo-Mudejar Barcelona and take a look at the pictures.

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