Travel Guide
Granada crafts
The Alhambra did not come from nowhere. Behind its tiles and carved ceilings stood generations of craftsmen — potters, woodworkers, weavers — and, remarkably, some of those crafts are still practised in Granada today, in the same quarters, by the same techniques, seven centuries later. For a traveller who wants to take home something genuinely of this place, the workshops and bazaars of Granada are a treasure, and an easy trip from Cortijo Bujio.
The most recognisable Granada craft is Fajalauza ceramics — glazed earthenware painted in blue and green on a white or grey ground, decorated with birds, pomegranates and flowing floral motifs whose roots reach straight back to Nasrid design. It takes its name from the Fajalauza gate in the Albaicín, the old potters' quarter, where workshops have turned out plates, jugs, bowls and tiles since the early 16th century — and where you can still buy them today. A Fajalauza bowl on your table at home is a direct descendant of the ceramics that decorated Al-Andalus. (See our guide to olive oil — a Fajalauza cruet is the perfect companion.)
The other great Granada craft is taracea — intricate marquetry, in which tiny pieces of contrasting woods, mother-of-pearl, bone and silver are inlaid into geometric star-patterns to decorate boxes, chessboards, tables and trays. The technique is Nasrid, the patterns echo the geometry of the Alhambra's own woodwork, and even the word gives away its origin: taracea comes from the Arabic tarsi', "inlay." Watching a craftsman assemble a mosaic of hair-thin slivers into a perfect eight-pointed star is to watch a thousand-year-old art still very much alive. A small taracea box is one of the finest souvenirs Granada offers.
As with any craft centre, quality varies from true handwork to cheap imports. Look for pieces made in local workshops; ask the seller where and how a piece was made; and remember that a genuine Fajalauza plate or taracea box, bought from the people who made it, carries a story no mass-produced souvenir can. These are objects with roots — the everyday art of Al-Andalus, still being made.
What is Fajalauza? Granada's traditional glazed pottery, painted in blue and green on white with birds and floral motifs of Nasrid inspiration, made in the Albaicín's potters' quarter since the 16th century.
What is taracea? Granada marquetry — geometric inlay of wood, mother-of-pearl, bone and silver into boxes, chessboards and tables, a Nasrid craft still practised today. The word comes from the Arabic for "inlay."
Where can I buy authentic Granada crafts? In the Albaicín (for Fajalauza) and the Alcaicería bazaar in the centre of Granada (for taracea, ceramics and textiles). Look for genuine local handwork.
How far is Granada from Cortijo Bujio? About 45 minutes — an easy trip, ideally combined with the Alhambra and the old city.
Cortijo Bujio is 45 minutes from the workshops of Granada. Read on about Granada & the Alhambra, the Alpujarras and flamenco & the Sacromonte.
Sources: Turismo de Granada (crafts); Granada City Tour and Hammam Al Ándalus on Fajalauza and taracea; Wikipedia, "Alcaicería of Granada".