Granada · Spain
Carmen de los Mártires
A practical guide to the Carmen de los Mártires in Granada: the free garden next to the Alhambra, its split hours, how to find the entrance, what to see and how much time to give it.
It's the best free stop after the Alhambra, and almost nobody visits. Go on a weekday before 14:00 and give it at least half an hour.
The Carmen de los Mártires is a 19th-century romantic garden of about 7 hectares on the slope of the Alhambra hill, five minutes downhill from the monument’s exit. It has French parterres, an English garden, a pond with swans, free-roaming peacocks, an aqueduct that tradition attributes to Saint John of the Cross and views over Granada and the Sierra Nevada. Entry is free, and almost everyone leaving the Alhambra heads straight down to a taxi without knowing it exists.
Our experience
We arrived at 12:05 on Thursday, May 21, walking down from the Alhambra at the end of our three-hour tour. We put it there for two reasons: it was on the way downhill and, on weekdays, the garden closes at 14:00 until the evening. After the Alcazaba, the Nasrid Palaces and the Generalife, it was the place for a quiet break before lunch. Around 12:40 we took a taxi into the center to eat at La Riviera. The full day is in our Alhambra day.
A bit of history
In Muslim times this level ground was the Campo de Ahabul, used for tournaments and for storing materials for the Alhambra’s construction. Beneath it were dungeons carved into the rock for Christian prisoners; because of them, the Christians called it the Corral de los Cautivos (Captives’ Yard), and that’s where “de los Mártires” (of the Martyrs) comes from. Isabella the Catholic ordered a hermitage built, and in the late 16th century the Discalced Carmelites built a convent. Saint John of the Cross was its prior from 1582 to 1588 and wrote the first 31 stanzas of the Spiritual Canticle here.
With the confiscation of church property in 1842, the convent passed into private hands. Between 1858 and 1861 General Carlos Calderón built the house and the first gardens, and in 1862 he hosted Isabella II here. In 1891 the financier Humbert Meersmans bought it and gave it its present romantic look: the pond, the islets and the fake ruin. He wanted to sail the lake in a swan-shaped boat, like in Wagner’s Lohengrin. The property passed to the city in 1958, neighbors saved it from demolition in the 1970s, and the restored house reopened in 1986. It has been a protected heritage site since 1943.
What to see, in order
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The Esplanade Garden
At the top, next to the house: French-style parterres, a central fountain and the mansion's arcaded loggia.
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The cypress walk
Tunnels of cypress planted in the late 19th century, cool and full of filtered light.
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The romantic pond
The artificial lake with a small wooden bridge and an islet topped by a fake medieval ruin. The black swans are usually in the lower part.
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The peacocks
They roam free, and you'll hear them before you see them. Don't approach: they fan their tails when they feel safe.
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The arcade
Arches that frame the Vega and the Sierra Nevada, plus an angle on the Alhambra walls and the Generalife you can't get from any viewpoint.
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The aqueduct and Saint John's cedar
Remains of the aqueduct Saint John of the Cross helped build, and a Mexican cypress about 400 years old that tradition links to him.
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The southern terraces
A view across the Vega to the Sierra Nevada, which in late May still has snow on the peaks.
Tips we wish we’d known
Tips
- The entrance is poorly signed: it's a gate on the Paseo de los Mártires, below the Alhambra's main parking lot. Most people walk past and double back. If your GPS sends you through back streets, ignore it.
- In summer on weekdays it closes from 14:00 to 18:00, and there's no way in during that window.
- There's no café or kiosk inside. Bring water. Restrooms are at the entrance.
- There's no taxi stand at the gate. Walk up to the Alhambra parking lot or down to the Realejo.
Do
- Do the 30-minute loop: the house, the esplanade, the cypresses, the pond, the aqueduct and back through the rose garden.
- In May, stop by the rose garden, which is at its peak.
- Watch your wallet on the walk from the Alhambra exit, where pickpockets work the tour groups.
Don’t
- Don't take the rosemary sprig or sign petitions near the Alhambra exit.
- Don't pay for an "Alhambra plus Carmen" package: the garden is always free and you don't need a guide.
- Don't accept a flat fare from a "private driver" who shows up at the gate: it's usually double the meter.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Carmen de los Mártires cost?
Nothing. It's a free city garden.
What are the hours?
In summer, Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 18:00 to 20:00; weekends and holidays from 10:00 to 20:00. In winter the weekday afternoon slot is 16:00 to 18:00 and it closes at 18:00 on weekends. The exact dates of the season change vary by source.
Is it near the Alhambra?
Yes, on the same hill. It's about five minutes downhill from the exit along the Paseo de los Mártires.
Can you go inside the house?
Not on a regular visit. It only opens for city events or occasional guided visits. You can walk the gardens and the arcade.