Carmen de los Martires is a beautiful secluded garden with a mansion and Nasrid orchards, a short distance from the Alhambra.
The name ‘Carmen’ is actually used for a type of house native to Granada, which normally consists of an orchard, green space annex and garden. They are many of these in Granada, some smaller and others, like Carmen de los Martires, a lot more impressive.
The gardens were almost easy to overlook if you’re visiting Alhambra and don’t check the map properly, as it sits just south of the complex.
By an order of a Catholic Queen, the first church was supposed to be built here to commemorate the Christian martyrs who suffered during the Arab domination in the country. The church was later extended into a convent with several buildings, until the 19th century when it was sold and converted into a palace-style building.
The entrance is through a large gate at the end of the long Paseo road, and as you walk through you can admire a beautiful blend of English and French-style gardens, with stunning panoramic views of the city.
The main mansion building was closed, but you can visit the gorgeous traditional courtyard with a small pond and say hello to the resident peacocks that are guarding the mansion.
We ended up stalking one from a distance for a good 30 minutes to get a photo of his colourful display. As a local influencer, he was super shy and would always turn his back to you when you were trying to get a photo.
Enjoy the photo tour and below I popped some practical information to plan your visit.
How to get there: take the Alhambra bus C30, C35 and C32 and get off at the stop with the same name. By car – enter through Paseo de los Martires, there is parking available nearby.
Opening times: WINTER (16 Oct – 31 March) opens Mon – Fri 10am to 2pm and 4pm to 6pm, weekend visits 10am to 6pm. SUMMER (16 Apr – 15 Oct) opens Mon – Fri 10am to 2pm and 6pm to 8pm, weekend visits 10am to 8pm.
How long to plan for visit? If you want to take a leisure walk through the gardens and take a moment to admire the views, you will need max 1 hour to see the whole place.
What do to after? If you head down the road passing the main traffic junction, you will get to a lovely restaurant called Restaurante Mirrador Carmen San Miguel. It has some of the best views of Granada a spectacular food!
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