The Darro River runs between the hills of Granada’s Albaicín neighbourhood and the towering Alhambra complex. Along the banks there is a very scenic street known as the Carrera del Darro (Road of Gold in the original Latin).
The stone-walled Carrera runs along the left bank of the river. It’s lined with small shops, restaurants, and historic buildings. Stone bridges cross the river at several points.
On the right bank there is more greenery (well, it would be greener in the summer) leading up the enormous hills to the Alhambra, which always looms above.
We came across the remains of La Puerta de los Tableros (Bridge of the Boards) which dates to the Middle Ages, around the 11th Century. What remains today is the start of a great horseshoe arch.
This arch was used by the military to secure the river from invaders: you can still see the holes in the stone where metals bars were inserted to go across the river, blocking boats from passing but allowing the water to flow. There’s also a walled-up door near the base which allowed access to the river.
There’s a fair amount of graffiti around Granada.
Guiri is a semi-derogatory Spanish slang for a stereotypical sunburned drunken tourist from colder climes.
Further along, the narrow road widens into a plaza where there is a nice fountain and various cafes taking advantage of their scenic location.
Near the end of the Carrera the polished paved squares peter out into a dirt parking lot, where an old house is visible through a wild thicket of trees and bushes.
