"Dale limosna, mujer, que no hay en la vida nada como la pena de ser ciego en Granada."

"Give him alms, woman, as there is nothing in life like the pain of being a blind man in Granada." 

Francisco de Icaza. 

Of the three great cities in Moorish Spain - Sevilla, Córdoba and Granada - Granada is the smallest, the most beautiful, and almost certainly the most "authentic" of them all. 

Most first-time visitors to Granada head immediately to the Alhambra and the Moorish quarter of the Albayzín, both absolutely stunning UNESCO World Heritage sites. 

Spilling down a high hill located directly across the ravine from the Alhambra fortress complex, the Albayzín appears to be a typical whitewashed Andalusian village consisting of a maze of steep narrow cobblestone streets that would tax a mountain goat. This is the "barrio" of Granada that offers the best views of the Alhambra, and which tourists most frequent.

Tucked on a steep slope directly beneath the Alhambra, and running from the fortress grounds to downtown Granada, Realejo is the old Jewish quarter of the city. It is equally as beautiful as the Albayzín, and infinitely more tranquil and liveable than its more flamboyant neighbor up on the hill. 

This is the part of town that I like best, and where my wife, Elayne, and I have chosen to make our future home.

If you're planning your first trip to Granada, or if you intend to return, by all means you should add the Jewish quarter of Realejo to your list of things to see.