ABOUT: VPG-DVD-198 - GRANADA Since the 7th century B.C., Iberians, Romans and West Goths settled in Granada but it was during Arab rule that the city first gained prominence. Sixty thousand Muslims once lived in the old Moorish city complex on the hill above the ancient district of Albaicin.1 Granada has a truly unique and captivating atmosphere, one that has inspired poets, musicians and countless travellers from all over the world. A lively and contemporary university city and at the same time the guardian of an historic past that draws in a multitude of tourists keen to experience its special charm. In the narrow valleys between the Alhambra and Albaicin Hills the gentle River Darro makes its age-old journey toward the city centre and the houses along the riverside have been restored to a high standard with typical wooden balconies, decorated façades and barred windows. The Banos Arabes are ancient Arab baths that date back to the 11th century. The mighty La Alcazaba Fortress rises up from the top of a hill and is separated from the rest of the Alhambra by huge walls. The city extends to the plains below and in the background are the snow-covered mountain peaks of the Sierra Nevada. The huge Torre De La Vela Watchtower is the highest point of the complex and was the first building of the Nasrides Dynasty. The Alhambra served as a military headquarters, administrative centre and royal residence until the expulsion of the Moors by Christian militia. The interior of the Alhambra is like a hidden treasure that lies expectantly beyond plain red walls, waiting to be discovered. The most famous of the courtyards is the Lion Yard of which the well and ornate arcades took several years to complete. The fiery south of Spain is a fantasy world situated between Europe and Africa. A land of passion and ancient culture: Granada is its shining pearl set amid the evocative landscape of Andalusia.