Hot Air Balloon Rides In Granada
Hot Air Balloon Rides in Granada Granada was first settled by native tribes in the prehistoric period, and was known as Ilbyr. When the
Romans colonised southern Spain, they built their own city here and called it Illibris. The Arabs,
invading the peninsula in the 8th century, gave it its current name of Granada. It was the last Muslim
city to fall to the Christians in 1492, at the hands of Queen Isabel of Castile and her husband
Ferdinand of Aragon.
One of the most brilliant jewels of universal architecture is the Alhambra, a series of palaces and
gardens built under the Nazari Dynasty in the 14th C. This mighty compound of buildings - including the
summer palace called Generalife, with its fountains and gardens - stands at the foot of Spain's highest
mountain range, the Sierra Nevada, and overlooks the city below and the fertile plain of Granada.
At the centre of the Alhambra stands the massive Palace of Charles V, an outstanding example of Spanish
Renaissance architecture. Other major Christian monuments found in the city are the Cathedral, including
the Royal Chapel where Isabel and Ferdinand lie buried, the Monastery of La Cartuja and many churches
built by Moorish craftsmen after the Reconquest, in Granada's unique "mudejar" style.
The hill facing the Alhambra is the old Moorish casbah or "medina", called the Albaicin, a fascinating
labyrinth of narrow streets and whitewashed houses with secluded inner gardens, known as "carmenes". The
Plaza de San Nicolas, at the highest point of the Albaicin, is famous for its magnificent view of the
Moorish palace.
The Sacromonte hill, which overlooks the city from the North, is famous for its cave dwellings, once
the home of Granada's large gypsy community.
The name Granada is ancient and mysterious. It may mean "great castle", for the Roman fortress which
once stood on the Albaicin Hill. When the Moors came here, the town was largely inhabited by Jews,
for which they called it Garnat-al-Yahud - Granada of the Jews. The Jews are said to have been one
of the first peoples to settle in Spain, even before the Romans.
In the flight over Granada, we take off from the west of the city. In just seconds you can admire the
famous landmarks including Sacromonte hill, the historical Albaicin district, the cathedral, and of
course the Alhambra.
The price of a hot air balloon ride in Granada, Spain is 0€ per person.