We arrived at the Granada airport early on a Saturday night and  purchased a ticket for the 50min bus ride into the central town for 3€. It was very easy. We use public transportation whenever we can to try new systems and save some money. The bus driver was helpful and friendly.
Our hotel was a 7min walk from the bus drop-off point. We were overwhelmed as this part of the city was bursting with tourists and students. Some were enjoying bachelorette parties as part of the Saturday night traditions. We learned the next day that the clubs are only open 2 nights a week and we had arrived at Party Central.

We booked our stay at the Palacio de Santa Ines with Expedia so that we would be in the historic centre and we were! Our hotel was in a restored apartment building from 1520 which is the oldest building we’ve ever slept in. There was a large beam above our toilet and every threshold was a duck and step over situation. It had character!! The steep steps (no elevator) to the 3rd floor with our suitcase was a challenge, but we soon adjusted. We eventually discovered our Alhambra view and that we had a balcony! We also loved how the original windows/shutters opened. The staff were helpful. We took their advice and enjoyed our first dinner at the very lively Bodega Castaneda. It was delicious and we enjoyed wine and a local vermouth served on ice.  It was busy, tasty, and the servers were excellent! Bodega Castaneda is worth a visit!

Alhambra Tour
The city of Granada sits below an ancient fortress and palace called the Alhambra. We booked a walking tour via Viator where we walked up to the UNESCO historic site.  And by up, I mean up the side of a mountain. The steep streets and the forest walk were picturesque. It was a beautiful day to tour and the crowds got bigger as the day went on. We toured the fortress and learned about the sultans who lived there. We have discovered that any UNESCO site designation equals crowds!! I thought April would be a better visit time and it is but it was still very busy!
The architectural details are beautiful in the fortress wall, the grand palace home, and the sultans summer residence and  gardens. April was the perfect time to visit as the roses, wisteria, orange trees and jasmine were in bloom. We learned that the creation of marmalade came from the sour oranges grown here. We also learned how the Muslim designs reflected their culture and are still beautiful today despite being converted to Christianity in 1492. The last sultan was paid to leave and so Granada was surrendered to a Christian emperor -Charles V
The aqueduct still works today to bring water to the city. Our tour guide, Marie Carmen was very good. She provided many interesting facts and lore. We enjoyed eating out at local places. We enjoyed the Morrocan/Spanish lunch at Papas Elvira after our 4h  walking tour.
We tried Manuels for dinner and the food was fresh but it did not have the same ambience as Bodegas Castaneda
We explored the cathedral the next day after an excellent breakfast at D’Sano Cafe. The Cathedral’s audio tour app was well done and the cathedral has been beautifully maintained. It’s one of the largest cathedrals in Spain. I was really impressed with the sacristy. In my church at home, the sacristy holds the sacrament and the altar decorations.  In this cathedral, the sacristy is also a dressing and storage area for all of the officiates. This was the first time I’ve been in the sacristy of a cathedral.
We enjoyed our last tapas meal in a small cave-like restaurant called La Tabernilla del Darro.
After dinner, we walked through the Albaycin neighborhood. This was where the poor Muslims used to live until Charles V evicted them. It has always been a relatively poor neighbourhood. It has not yet been gentrified but it is becoming popular. The views of the Alhambra above were breathtaking. We loved walking around the small streets as there was something new to see on every corner.

Sevilla
We booked our train tickets to Sevilla from Granada with Trainline which was convenient and easy to use. We travelled in the first class car which was comfortable but I think the second class would have been the better option. The first car was the furthest from the station, there was no food/drink included and no priority was given when boarding. We did enjoy travelling 277km/h and the trains were on time. We travelled through the olive tree plantations where 50% of Spain’s olive oil is produced.
We arrived amid the spring festival week-Feria de Abril- so there were people dressed in period costumes everywhere. Our hotel was modern and conveniently located. We had an excellent Italian dinner at Da Pino
Our Viator booking tour with Ishmael was very interesting. He provided an excellent view of the Muslim perspective throughout history and had a vast amount of knowledge of the cathedral and the royal palace called Alcazar. The pigments on the wall in the palace are made of minerals. For example, the green is from jade, blue is turquoise! We climbed up the tower, which was constructed in the 11th century and has withstood multiple earthquakes. The cathedral was built on the mosque site, so the flying buttress of the cathedral and the Islamic tower area are connected. We climbed the internal 35 ramps made of brick, all the way up to the bell tower!
The Cathedral is impressive and painted white inside. The largest altar in the world was completed after 85 years and the gold is remarkable. It took 7 master carvers to complete it.
The intricate design details were pointed out to us and all have special meaning. This is why we take tours because the place doesn’t mean anything without the story behind it. Ishmael was enthusiastic and witty in what he chose to describe. He did an excellent job of managing all of us through the crowds. Again, since these places are recognized by UNESCO the places are crowded with tourists. Our skip-the-line tour helped immensely in getting through the security checks and I recommend booking as early in the day as possible.
We quenched our thirst after the tour at a tapas bar near the cathedral. 
We ended the day with a stop at a laundromat to refresh our clothes. The machines were new and took a credit card so no change was required! By doing laundry, we were able to pack less. We had two backpacks and a suitcase. Next time, we will try to get it down to 2 backpacks.
Our next adventure was a bus trip to Faro, Portugal. We booked our bus tickets online with FlixBus.