• In the north, overlooking the river Darro, are the Nasrid Palaces and the residential area of the monarchs.
• To the south is the old Medina, which has disappeared. Today only archaeological remains remain, as it was dynamited by Napoleon's troops.
• To the east is the recreation area of the Nasrid monarchs with gardens and orchards known as the Generalife.
• And to the west we can see the imposing defensive towers that house the military zone or Alcazaba.

Alhambra in Arabic is "Al Hamra" (the Red), coming from the name "al Qal'at al-hamra" (Red Fortress). In its evolution, the Spanish intercalates between the M and the R a B, as in carpet, which in classical Arabic had the meaning of "redness", written as "humrah". That the name of the Alhambra comes from what we have just read is only one version, as there are other authors who say that in the Andalusian period the Alhambra was whitewashed and its colour was white. The name "red" comes from the fact that when it was built it was worked on at night, and seen at night, from a distance, due to the light of the torches, it looked red. Other authors argue that "Alhambra" is simply the feminine name of its founder, Abu Alahmar, which in Arabic means "the Red", because he had red hair.