The Alhambra needs its own hill to be understood

The Alhambra sits on the Sabika hill at 740 meters, and the view across to it from the Albaicín neighborhood's Mirador de San Nicolás is one of the most recognized viewpoints in Spain. The mirador faces south-southeast toward the Alhambra, with the Sierra Nevada (3,479 meters at Mulhacén) visible behind it on clear days. At sunset, the low western sun catches the ochre walls from the left — the warm light on the towers and ramparts is the reason photographers come. The Generalife gardens adjacent to the Alhambra have pools and hedged walkways that catch morning light from the east. The Albaicín itself, the Moorish quarter across the Darro river, has whitewashed walls and narrow streets that photograph well in any light. The Paseo de los Tristes below the Alhambra walls faces north.