The Alcaicería (Granada)
The Alcaicería is a typical Muslim neighbourhood located near the Cathedral of Granada. Over time, it became one of the most interesting tourist attractions in the city, as it offers a vision of Granada under the Nasrid reign.
The urban layout of this popular neighbourhood is characterized by long, narrow streets along which, in the past, a series of homes were lined up and the souk, the traditional Muslim market, where spices and silk were sold.
The name Alcaicería comes from Roman times, when Emperor Justinian gave the Arabs the right to trade silk in the bazaars. In gratitude, the Arabs baptized these basars as al-Kaysar-ia, that is, “the place of Caesar.”
Throughout the old Alcaicería, inns were established where merchants offered their trades and services, all under the protection of the Citadel. There, tinctures, spices and all kinds of exotic products from the Near East were typically bought.
Today, the Alcaicería is not only an important tourist destination in Granada but also an authentic commercial epicentre where tourists and visitors can purchase an immense array of products, including crafts, fine fabrics and beautiful souvenirs.
The urban layout of this popular neighbourhood is characterized by long, narrow streets along which, in the past, a series of homes were lined up and the souk, the traditional Muslim market, where spices and silk were sold.
The name Alcaicería comes from Roman times, when Emperor Justinian gave the Arabs the right to trade silk in the bazaars. In gratitude, the Arabs baptized these basars as al-Kaysar-ia, that is, “the place of Caesar.”
Throughout the old Alcaicería, inns were established where merchants offered their trades and services, all under the protection of the Citadel. There, tinctures, spices and all kinds of exotic products from the Near East were typically bought.
Today, the Alcaicería is not only an important tourist destination in Granada but also an authentic commercial epicentre where tourists and visitors can purchase an immense array of products, including crafts, fine fabrics and beautiful souvenirs.
Location
What to see in Granada
