Granada

While Granada itself is a beautiful city, the Alhambra is the real crown jewel. Stroll through the gardens and palace itself when the entire palace is veiled in gold from the late afternoon sun, soaking in the pristinely kept quarters that showcase a true rendition of East meets West.

The Alhambra - outside of the Taj Mahal - is truly the most beautiful historical architecture I have seen. Note the arched doorways, intricately carved Arabic calligraphy and symmetrical courtyards where you will feel like you have almost stepped into Morocco, but not quite.

Important to note: Ensure that you book your tickets to visit the Alhambra well in advance of your trip. The government has limited the number of guests allowed to visit the Alhambra. If tickets are sold out the day(s) of your visit to Granada, a limited number of standby tickets are available per day but you will need to wake up at sunrise to wait in line to buy them (no joke) and that doesn’t guarantee you will secure one!