From Seville we took a train to Granada at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, and site of the Alhambra.

We arrived on a Saturday and were immediately appalled by the hordes of bachelor/bachelorette parties running amok on the streets of the historical town. We decided to avoid the madness and spent Sunday hiking above the town.

Daytime temperatures were reaching into the 30s, so we took plenty of opportunities to rest in the shade.

The peaks of the Sierra Nevada were still snow covered in April, though everything else looked alarmingly dry for so early in the year.

On Monday morning we had booked a time slot to visit the Alhambra right at opening time.

Tile and carved plaster details.

Spectacular walls inside the Nasrid Palaces.

Intricate details.

How long must have all this work taken?

Reflecting pool inside the palaces.

Morning light in the gardens.

Overlooking Granada.

The Generalife gardens.

Evening view of the Alhambra.

Our last morning in Granada.

This last pictures is actually taken in Malaga, the last stop of our trip, where we hardly took any photos. This is a beautiful fig tree behind the Picasso museum. Pablo Picasso was born in Malaga and lived there for a few of his early years.