Most people searching for Paseo de los Tristes on maps end up confused – it simply doesn't appear. That's because this famous Granada street officially goes by Paseo del Padre Manjón, named after the founder of the Ave María Schools. But everyone calls it by its melancholy nickname, and there's a fascinating reason why.

The name translates to "Promenade of the Sad Ones," which sounds dramatic until you learn the story. Back in the 19th century, funeral processions heading to San José cemetery had to pass through this cobblestone avenue that runs alongside the Darro River. Many mourners would say their final goodbyes here rather than making the steep climb up Cuesta de los Chinos to the actual burial ground. The spot became synonymous with farewells, earning its sorrowful but poetic name.

What strikes you most when walking here is the setting. The promenade sits in the valley between two of Granada's most iconic hills – the Alhambra rises majestically on one side while the Albaicín neighborhood climbs the opposite slope. It's one of those places where you understand why people have fought over this city for centuries.

The street itself dates back to the early 17th century when the lords of Castril donated land for its construction. A gunpowder explosion in a nearby workshop had left the area as wasteland, so they decided to turn it into public space. During the Muslim period, this was the path to the Alcazaba, and you can still see remnants of that era in the fourteen bridges crossing the route, though most have been rebuilt over time.

Walking from Plaza Nueva toward Cuesta del Chapiz, you'll notice the Casa de Castril – a Renaissance palace with an intriguing blind balcony bearing the inscription "Esperándola del cielo" (Waiting for it from heaven). Local legends swirl around that cryptic phrase. There's also the abandoned building everyone calls "Hotel del Reuma" because of its notoriously damp conditions that plagued both hotel guests and later hospital patients.

The promenade ends near a striking sculpture of flamenco dancer Mario Maya, a tribute to the artist who made his career in Granada's cave venues. An audio guide can provide more details about these stories if you want to dive deeper into the history while strolling this atmospheric street.