Right on the doorstep of our hotel in the Albayzin, a UNESCO World Heritage district with a medieval Moorish past, was the Carrera del Darro—a narrow, scenic path that runs along the Rio del Darro.
Lined with centuries-old buildings, punctuated by picturesque stone bridges and paved with cobblestones, the Carrera del Darro is a lovely place for a stroll—especially in that magic hour before sunset, when the sun bathes everything with a sheer golden coat. As you can see, quite a few people seem to agree.
Remember this dress from my first trimester? Something about the colors and print just made it seem like something I should wear in Spain. Thankfully, it still fits and the peplum falls right over the bump.
So, come walk along the Carrera del Darro with me! And let’s see what we can find along the way.
Whenever Marlon and I travel, we almost always come across cats—black ones in particular. So we have a running joke that Rogue has an international team of cat-agents to keep surveillance on us while we’re gone. (In some cities, she sends black dogs or black birds instead.) It seems that in Granada, her agents hold office on the banks of the Rio del Darro.
After distracting you with the cats, the Carrera del Darro offers glimpses of the winding alleys of the Albayzin to get lost in—and, if you’re lucky, music to echo down those narrow streets to help you find your way back.
This walk has it all: history, architecture, music, even poetry. Remember this guy?
As it turns out, he has a blog (a must for every modern poet) filled with rather awesome hand-bound books and calligraphy. Not a bad find! Here’s the typewritten poem we picked up off his table for €1.
Translated from Spanish, it reads:
All my shirts, three,
have a hole,
me and them, we are used
Puede. May pinanghuhugutan si Koya. Gamitan ang peg.
At the end of the short stroll, an easy reward: the Paseo de los Tristes.
Surrounded by beautiful old buildings and a lively crowd, it’s a pretty spot to stop for a drink (cerveza in the summer, chocolate in the winter?) to watch people and enjoy the view.
Speaking of a nice view: overlooking the Paseo de los Tristes is the Casa de las Chirimias, which looks like some kind of bad-ass defense tower but was actually built so that Granada’s officials could have a nice view of festivities in the plaza down below. Priorities, people.
I’ll leave you with these images for the week, but I’m excited for what I have to share on Monday: a glimpse inside Granada’s most famous monument, the Alhambra. Till then, have a happy weekend!
