Carmen de los Mártires gardens

The Carmen sits on the same hill as the Alhambra, a few minutes' walk above the ticket office, and almost nobody who queues for the palace knows it is there. Behind its wall are seven hectares laid out in the 19th century in three styles at once: French parterres with box hedges and fountains, an English wooded part, and Nasrid-style pools and pavilions.

For a session it does what the Alhambra cannot — it is quiet, it is free, and you can stand where you like. The hedged rooms give privacy for a proposal, the palm avenue gives a long lead-in line, the lake with its black swans gives a reflection, and the peacocks wander through the frame on their own schedule.

Morning is the calmest and the shade is even under the trees. Late afternoon puts warm light across the upper terrace, where the ground drops away to the vega and Sierra Nevada; in winter the mountains behind carry snow and the whole background changes.

Entry is free and the gates keep municipal hours that change with the season — check them, because the garden also hosts civil weddings and part of it can be closed for an event. It is a steep walk up from the centre; a taxi to the Alhambra ticket office leaves five minutes on foot.