Photos cant capture the experience of sitting on the wall at the viewpoint next to the Church of San Nicolas, gazing out over the city. Youll have to climb a steep hill to reach it (Granada is one of the most vertical cities Ive ever been in; locals tend to give directions in terms of five minutes further uphill) but the view is well worth it. Located in the Moorish quarter of the city, El Albayzin, youll pass tourists haggling loudly and ineffectively with stall keepers in the local markets, tavernas serving up Alhambra beer (which may be essential rest-stops, if youre making the climb in the heat of Spanish Summer) and dozens of local Hookah Lounges, each with its own flavours of shisha. The photo is a poor substitute for reality, and theres a lot it cant convey; the sound of the locals playing Spanish guitars, the sight of giggling girls dancing flamenco in the square, the excited gabble of Spanish, Arabic and English from the tourists in the plaza and the smell of freshly cooked tapas wafting over from the adjacent bar. Its simultaneously extremely busy and incredibly peaceful but if you fancy total solitude to contemplate the view, wander into the silent gardens of the nearby mosque to watch the sun set behind the Alhambra.