The small historical city of Granada lies tucked in a crook of the snow-capped Sierra Nevada, with the River Darro flowing through its centre, in southern Spain’s Andalucia region. The world-renowned and extraordinarily well-preserved Moorish Alhambra, with its mysterious, reddish-gold, fortressed palaces and exotic gardens, presides over the city. On an adjacent hill, the Albaicin quarter consists of a warren of narrow, cobbled alleyways strewn with whitewashed houses, tiny hidden squares adorned with orange trees and fountains, traditional bars serving free tapas, and a growing number of gourmet restaurants. The third hill, Sacromonte, once a Gypsy enclave, is packed with fascinating cave dwellings hosting nightly flamenco dance performances. The city centre has a more elegant, contemporary feel with its upmarket boutiques, art nouveau flower stalls and large decorative fountains.