Albaicín Walking Tour
Albaicín walking tour by our Arabic district.
Our Albaicín is a living neighborhood, known for having many dreamlike lookout points where beauty and time whisper to us in a magical experience.
Albaicín was named by the UNESCO a Cultural Heritage Site in 1994 for its incalculable cultural value.
In the Islamic period, this neighborhood was divided into independent, walled suburbs. These existed to house guilds with the same business activities.
One of them was the falconer neighborhood, or “Rabad al-bayysin” in Arabic. As the name suggests, this guild was dedicated to caring for the falcons that were used for hunting.
Falconry is an ancient art that uses birds of prey in their natural environment to hunt. In the 15th century, all the suburbs were grouped under the name “Albaicín”.
What does the Albaicín Walking Tour with a private guide consist of?
In this Albaicín walking tour by the “Rabad al-bayysin” I will take you through incredible places that do not appear on travel guides.
It normally takes around two hours, but you can personalize it according to your preference and pace.
We will venture into a living neighborhood to discover its architecture, hydraulic system, streets, “carmen granadino”, locals, etc.
A unique blend in architecture
You will see its unique and authentic architecture. This architecture is a mixture of Hispano-Islamic influences. This visit is perfect for exploring diverse familiar architectural styles.
The reason it is sponsored by UNESCO
Delight yourself in the historical fountains and drink the water. Discover how this neighborhood’s hydraulic system is one of the reasons for its UNESCO denomination.
The locals will steal your heart
In the streets of the Albaicín, you will discover the locals known as “castizos”: genuine folk types who have the privilege of living in this beautiful, historical neighborhood and adding immense value to it.
The Albaicín and its locals will steal your heart with their art, their way of life, and their creativity.
The labyrinth of its streets
Walking in the streets of the Albaicín is as strange as it is fascinating. It is like getting lost in a maze. The neighborhood has large, medium and tiny streets.
Traffic on the large streets, known as “calles” in Spanish, runs only in one direction. Suddenly, you could find yourself in a “callejuela”, a narrower street for pedestrians, bikes, and motorcycles. The narrow alleys remind us our Muslim past.
And, as if by a magic spell, you could end up in a “callejón”, a very narrow, long, dead-end street.
“Carmen Granadino”
You will find the word “Carmen” in many places in this neighborhood, and you will learn something new: Carmen is not only a popular woman’s name. We have many “Carmen granadinos” in this neighborhood. I assure you that by the end of this walking tour, you will want to have your own Carmen.
Viewpoints
Also, if you love to take pictures as much as I do, get your selfie equipment ready! We will visit all the best spots to make your pictures of Granada even more spectacular.
A quick view of you will see in our Albaicín walking tour
Albaicin walking tour with children or teenager
Last, but not least important:
If you are traveling with children or teenagers, I offers you a fun, educational experience.
They won’t even notice how much they are learning about Granada’s history because they will be a part of it.
My special, treasure-hunt version of this private walking tour guarantees a time of both fun and learning.
