Alcaiceria

A maze of narrow streets running between Plaza Nueva and Plaza Bib-Rambla in the historic Arabic quarter of Granada, the Alcaicería was once a lively Arab bazaar and the center of the city’s Muslim silk exchange. Sadly, the original gated bazaar was almost entirely destroyed by a fire back in 1843 and today the restored shops occupy a much smaller space, dotted around Calle Alcaiceria, in the shadows of the Cathedral of Granada.

Despite it’s pared down size, the Alcaicería is still one of Granada’s most atmospheric areas, with a plethora of traditional craft and souvenir stores crammed with ceramics, silver jewelry, and alpaca knitwear, and stalls hawking an array of exotic spices, silks and incense. Wandering around the markets is an experience in itself, but with vendors happy to barter for goods, it’s also a great place to pick up some bargains. Look out for local specialties like fajalauza (hand painted ceramics), granadino farolas (stained-glass lamps) and taracea items (traditional wooden goods).