Esta original novela entremezcla una serie de narraciones o cuentos con el libro de viajes y el diario. El protagonista e hilo conductor es el propio autor, Washington Irving, que tras su llegada a España inicia un recorrido por tierras andaluzas que le llevan a Granada. Allí queda extasiado por la majestuosidad de la Alhambra en cuyas habitaciones se hospedará. Durante su estancia conoce a varios personajes, entre los que hay que destacar al que se convierte en su criado, Mateo Jiménez, que le acompañarán y le darán noticia de esos cuentos y leyendas que giran en torno al monumento y su pasado árabe.
This original novel intersperses a series of stories or stories with the travel book and the newspaper. The protagonist and thread is the author himself, Washington Irving, who after his arrival in Spain begins a tour of Andalusian lands that take him to Granada. There he is entranced by the majesty of the Alhambra in whose rooms he will stay. During his stay he meets several characters, among which we must highlight the one who becomes his servant, Mateo Jiménez, who will accompany him and give him news of those tales and legends that revolve around the monument and his Arab past.