Around the Adriatic Sea 2026: Trieste – Dubrovnik
All photos: Balkan photos, city photos. The photos of the cycle route are listed in reverse chronological order. Those of the cities are listed chronologically.
After my winter stay in O Sel Ling my first stop was Granada. A rather large and very touristy city, so that took some getting used to after the peace and quiet of the Alpujarra mountains. I allowed myself three days to visit the city at leisure.
Friday 24 Feb: First, I had to look for a new pair of zip-off trousers because my old one had literally 'ripped off my butt'. Not easy, as it is not yet the season for zip-off trousers. Decatlon had very cheap trousers, but that is not my favourite shop because their competition is unfair to decent outdoor shops that sell high-quality gear. Fortunately, I found at Deportes Sherpa Granada trousers of my size with the same pocket layout as my old ones. Besides, it is 'made in Spain' and not in China. I'm happy to pay a few euros more for that.
After that necessary purchase, I felt completely listless, but being close to the cathedral, I stepped inside. There are always plenty of chairs or benches in churches to take a rest. This 16th-century Renaissance-style giant is dedicated to reincarnation. It was built in the early 16th century, shortly after the Catholic royal couple Isabel de Castilla and Fernando de Áragon had recaptured Granada from the Moors in 1492. Like so many other Spanish churches, it was built on top of the former main mosque. The cathedral took 200 years to build, which explains the presence of Baroque style elements. Again, lots of gilded splendour that doesn't really appeal to me.
Saturday, 25 Feb: Today I felt a bit more rested and went to the Arab Quarter Barrio De Albaicín, Granada's oldest district (11th century).
I climbed through the picturesque narrow streets to the San Nicolas viewpoint, next to the church of the same name. It is always teeming with people who come there to take photos (or selfies) of the Alhambra, which is on the other bank of the Darro Valley lies.
The Iglesia de san Nicolás is the first sober and contemporary church I have come across so far in Spain. A relief, after all the glitz and gold. I stayed there for quite some time enjoying the (relative) silence.
In the afternoon, I walked to the Museo De Las Cuevas Del Sacromonte, which tells the story of the cave dwellings dug into the limestone hillside in the 16th century by outcasts of the city: the expelled Muslims and Jews, gypsies who were forced to up and settle their nomadic lifestyle and, according to a legend, black slaves of wealthy runaway Arabs. All different ethnicities with their own traditions and culture. Flamenco would thrive in that melting pot.
In 1963, Granada was hit by a cloudburst that affected parts of Sacromonte washed away. The authorities forced the cave dwellers to leave their caves never to return.
The museum has restored 11 caves to their original state: a characteristic house, a kitchen, stables and caves with traditional crafts such as a smithy, a basketry, a ceramics workshop and a weaving shop. A cave tells the history of Flamenco at Sacromonte.
A very nice museum, as well as the still-inhabited picturesque district Sacromonte Along which I descended again to the centre of Granada.
Sunday 26 Feb: visit to the Alhambra with the Generalife or 'summer palace', the fortress Alcazaba, the Palacio Carlos Quinto (closed Sunday from 3pm) and the beautiful Moorish Nazarid palace, for which I managed to get a last-minute ticket on Friday for Sunday, just an hour before closing time. I did not take an audio guide but let the pictures speak for themselves.
All photos: Balkan photos, city photos. The photos of the cycle route are listed in reverse chronological order. Those of the cities are listed chronologically.
In Venice, I visited the Biennale at the Arsenale, the Giardini and various venues around the city. I also took the opportunity to see the Pinault collection at Punta della Dogana and a compelling exhibition by Michael Armitage at Palazzo Grassi.
