The Mirador de San Nicolás is Granada's most famous viewpoint, a terrace in the upper Albaicín that looks directly across the Darro valley to the Alhambra, with the Sierra Nevada as a backdrop. The view is one of the great urban panoramas in Europe — the Nasrid palace complex glows against the snow-capped mountains in a way that makes every photograph look composited.
The terrace is inevitably crowded, particularly at sunset, when the light on the palace walls turns amber. Come early in the morning for fewer people and more dramatic shadows, or accept the evening crowds as part of the experience. Pickpockets operate here — keep valuables secured.