View of the Alhambra in Granada, Spain.

After spending several hours on the grounds of the Alhambra, site of the last Moorish palace in Spain, you would think I could have called it a day. I was in the mid-13th century fort, the sultan’s gardens and the museum in Charles V’s Palace. I stood in the Palacios Nazaries room where Queen Isabel told Christopher Columbus he could set sail in 1492.

Still, I wanted to see what the Alhambra looked like at sunset from the San Nicolás Viewpoint, reportedly one of former President Bill Clinton’s favorite spots.

Savoring such views, getting to them and the surrounding atmosphere have made a huge impact on my travel experiences. I like to stroll through neighborhoods and really see how people live, not just the tourist sites. I favor grocery stores, parks and markets over endless souvenir shops. I like to look over listings in the windows of real estate offices.

To get to San Nicolás Viewpoint after visiting the Alhambra, we took a roundabout walk on winding streets in Granada’s Moorish district, passing homes and neighborhood businesses. The little park was a bit of a party, with street performers providing entertainment and dreadlocked women selling jewelry. The view of the Alhambra alone certainly was worthwhile, but I recall the climb and ambiance, too.

Climbing often seems to be a requirement for getting a good view. In Salzburg, it wasn’t enough for me to get up to the Hohensalzburg Fortress for a look around. I trudged up another hill to the Museum der Moderne Mönchsberg to see the view recommended by a tour guide. Sure, I could have used the funicular to get to the fortress and an elevator to the modern museum. But then I would have missed many sites and views – and the anticipation. This is the picture of the fortress and Old Town below that I snapped near the modern museum:

Salzburg, Austria

Once again, the view was definitely worth the extra effort. And a beer garden, tapas bar or other welcoming establishment always seems to be waiting at the bottom of the hill.