Spectacular house and garden overlooking the Alhambra

Description

Granada is a magical place and no neighborhood in Granada is more delightful than the Albaicin. Originally built in 1000 AD, the barrio is an intriguing maze of narrow cobblestone alleys and streets arrayed on the hill facing the Alhambra. Very few streets are wide enough to allow cars, so people move about on foot. This creates wonderful opportunities to meet neighbors and friends on the street, an unforgettable and treasured aspect of life in the Albaicin. Our house is a gem. Unlike most houses in the Albaicin, it has a lovely private garden with fruit trees (almond, orange, lemon, olive, pomegranate, persimmon, mandarin), a small alberca (shallow pool), fountains, and a beautiful patio with great views of the Alhambra. It is also larger than most houses, with two double bedrooms and and single bedroom in the main house, and two double bedrooms right off the garden each with its own half bath, and a shared shower. The garden rooms are ideal for guests; they are somewhat separate from the main house, allowing friends to come and go without disturbing you. The tiled front hall has french doors that open directly onto the garden. To the right as you enter house is the cozy wood paneled living room with a fireplace, a great place to gather with friends in winter. To the left of the front hall, through a beaded curtain in summer and a velvet curtain in winter, is the kitchen and dining room. The latter has its own french doors that give onto the garden. From the front hall, the stairs climb to the 2nd floor which has a master bedroom (with views toward the Alhambra), a single bedroom (perfect for a child) with views onto our little pedestrian-only street, and another double bedroom with very traditional Moorish stucco work and stained glass windows from the turn of the 20th century (or possibly earlier). The three rooms share a beautiful Moroccan-style bathroom with a shower and bathtub. Climbing up a narrow stair, you reach the 3rd floor study, with two desks, an extensive set of bookshelves and splendid views of the Alhambra. The study has french doors leading onto a small terrace with one of the best 360 degree views in the Albaicin. The terrace is a dreamy place to have drinks before dinner watching the swifts weaving through the sky, or after dinner, by the light of the Alhambra. The garden is literally and figuratively the center of the house. As noted above, there are two guest rooms off the garden, as well as a small laundry/utility room and a little garden shed. The alberca (or shallow pool) is another Moorish element to the house. It cools the patio, but also doubles as a delightful place to take a dip, no matter one's age. Little children absolutely adore it, but we adults use it too to cool off, both during the day or right before bed. The house is equipped with a state-of-the-art heat pump that efficiently warms and cools every room in the house. Most of the rooms have double-paned windows, so the house is extremely efficient compared to most other homes in the Albaicin. The house is located in the Bajo Albaicin, only five minutes from shops and taxis in the Centro and 12 minutes from Plaza Larga, the shopping center of the upper Albaicin. The house is equipped with high speed internet. Our long-time housekeeper, Gladys, is available to help you with laundry, cleaning, cooking and other tasks. We lived in the house full-time for four years and absolutely loved it. It has been a place of deep joy for us and our close friends, as we hope it will be for you.