El Bañuelo

Most of us have enjoyed a relaxing moment in a hammam at some point, and if you haven’t, I highly recommend it!

I mention this because hammams, or Arab baths, originated among Muslim communities in North Africa and the Middle East. They’ve been a key part of Arab culture since around the 13th century, and they remain so today.

When the Moors developed the city of Granada, they brought their customs and traditions with them, including these famous Arab baths, which were built throughout the city.

The building to your right houses the oldest and best-preserved baths in all of Andalusia. Built in the 11th century, they’re even older than the Alhambra! Arab baths served two purposes: they were places for personal hygiene, but also for socialising. Locals would come once or twice a month to bathe, get a haircut, enjoy a massage, and purify themselves.

Today, this site, known as El Bañuelo, is open to visitors and is one of the few surviving Arab baths in Andalusia. Most others were destroyed by the Catholic Monarchs from the 16th century onward.

This one was spared because a residence had been built on top of it. This unexpected blessing allowed the structure to survive. Today, you can step inside and explore this fascinating space steeped in Muslim heritage, admired for both its architecture and its rich history.