Visiting Granada is one of the essentials to visit during a road trip in Andalusia. Along with Seville and Cordoba, Granada is the third city not to be missed in the region. A fascinating history as evidenced by its number one must-see: the Alhambra in Granada.
Granada is a lively, relatively large city with a unique past. We will discover, in this article, what to do in Granada, which are its essential places to visit but also where to eat and where to sleep in Granada.
Summary:
> Practical advice for visiting Granada
> What to do in Granada?
> Where to sleep in Granada?
> My opinion on Granada Looking for a Granada travel guide?
Like many, I often travel with a travel guide. If you are looking for a guide for your visit to Granada, let me recommend the "Cartoville" guide from Gallimard. These guides are perfect for directing you during a city trip.
Organized in neighborhoods with numerous maps, the “Cartoville” guides really stand out from their competitors by their practical and intuitive aspect. You will discover the essentials of each district, the places to eat, where to go out, etc. Buy this guide to Granada
Practical advice for visiting Granada
Before embarking on a visit to Granada, let's take a moment to prepare our trip to Andalusia.
Choose your flight to Granada
Let's start with the first leg of this trip to Granada by flying. The city of Granada is fortunate to have an international airport connected to the rest of Europe via numerous flights. From France you can reach Granada, by direct flight, from Paris, Bordeaux or Nantes. To find a flight at the best price, nothing could be simpler, go to the skyscanner.com comparator which will take care of finding you the best offer.
This accessibility will allow you to make Granada a point of departure, or arrival, of a road trip in Andalusia.
Rent a car in Granada
As said above, Granada can be the starting point for a road trip in Andalusia. You will be able to enjoy the beauties of this region by going, for example, to discover the city of Cordoba, Seville or Malaga.
It is therefore possible to rent a car in Granada. For this I recommend the RentalCars.com comparator which will give you the best options to rent a car cheaply in Granada.
Choose accommodation in Granada
Different types of accommodation are possible in Granada, hotels, youth hostels or charming accommodation. To find out more about where to sleep in Granada, visit our dedicated article.
Book your activities in Granada
Despite the many activities that it is possible to do in Granada, one in particular MUST be reserved in advance, the Alhambra.
Several solutions are available to you concerning the visit of the Alhambra, you can also find all the information on the visit of the Alhambra in our dedicated article.
You can find skip-the-line tickets and a guided tour of the Alhambra by clicking on this link or get a Granada Card including the visit of the Alhambra.
Some other visits may be worth booking such as the guided tour of Granada or a Flamenco show of which Granada is the birthplace.
Visit Granada: What to do in Granada?
What to do in Grande: the essentials of Granada- The Alhambra and Generalife
- Albayzin district
- Sacromonte
- Granada Cathedral
- Royal chapel
- science park
The Alhambra and Generalife
Let's start our list of Granada's must-sees with its most emblematic place, which has made the reputation of the city and which constantly attracts more and more tourists to the region: the Alhambra.
The history of this place is fascinating since it begins in 1238, at the beginning of the Nasrid era. Over the centuries, this fortress grew with the addition of many palaces and gardens. This transformation continues several centuries after the end of the Arab invasions, in the era of the Christian kings who, despite the construction of churches and monasteries, cannot erase the Arab identity and origin of the places.
The Alhambra is, today, a set made up of a fortress, the Alcazaba, numerous palaces, the most impressive being the Nasrid palaces as well as beautifully maintained gardens.
Not far from the Alhambra, but not part of the walls of the fortress, is the Generalife. Another beautiful set of palaces and gardens once used for the old days of monarchs.
Some tips for visiting the Alhambra in Granada
Visiting the Alhambra will truly be the main activity of your visit to Granada. Do not take the organization of your visit to the Alhambra lightly, otherwise there will be unpleasant surprises.
Indeed, the number of daily visitors is limited. This means that only 7 to 000 visitors can experience all of the palaces and gardens. It will absolutely be necessary to book your visit several weeks in advance in order to be sure to benefit from an entry.
There are four different types of visits:
- Free visits
It is possible to access a small part of the set for free and without a ticket. Do not imagine discovering all the gardens or palaces, but you will still be able to walk along part of the old fortress and visit the palace of Charles V, the Alhambra museum and the museum of fine arts. Allow about 1 hour to visit these places. - Visit to the Alhambra
Alcazaba, El partal and Generalife. This paid visit, to be booked several weeks / months in advance, is much more complete than the previous one. It gives you access to almost all of the Alhambra. Only part missing, the Nasrid palaces. Once you have purchased your entry, you can stroll through the palaces and gardens. The parts whose access is restricted will be authorized to you but it will be possible to access them only once. Allow 3 hours for this visit. - Complete tour of the Alhambra
Enjoy a complete tour of the Palaces, Gardens, El Partal, Generalife as well as the Nasrid Palaces. You will be able to visit almost the entire site freely. It will still be necessary to respect the time of visit of the Nasrid palaces. Unlike the rest of the site, the palaces can be visited at fixed times. - Guided tour of the Alhambra
The various visits proposed below are free and therefore unguided. You can opt for these same tours but guided.
Purchasing tickets can be complicated. It is possible to go to the official website and look there for tickets for the desired date. Warning ! Sometimes you have to book your tickets several months in advance.
If you wish to visit the Alhambra accompanied by a guide then you can book your visit here.
Book your guided tour
Albayzin district
The Albayzin or Albaicìn, is a typical neighborhood in the center of Granada, built on a hill, it is the historic district of Granada. We find the old streets of the Arab city winding and narrow to protect themselves from enemies and the sun. The houses are all surrounded by lush gardens called “Carmenes”. It is also the ideal place to find souvenirs in an Arab market and to stop in a typical Arab or Spanish restaurant.
The district is home to many must-see places on a visit to Granada and offers a spectacular view of the Alhambra which overlooks it.
Let's start our visit of the district from the bottom of it, the part along the Rio Darro, the river separating the hill on which this district is located from the hill of the Alhambra.
The main street of this district, where you will find most of the activities and restaurants, is the Carrera del Darro which continues to the Paseo de los Tristes, a magnificent square where it is pleasant to rest for a few moments, admire the view and why not have a meal on the terrace.
The Church of San Gil and Santa Ana
So let's start our tour of the district with the first notable monument located along the Rio Darro, the Church of San Gil and Santa Ana. A church that you will not be able to miss as its style is astonishing. Built in the middle of the XNUMXth century, the Mudéjar style church has a unique architecture with a square brick turret decorated with azulejos and glazed tiles.
The Bañuelo
Our second “visit” stop in the neighborhood, El Bañuelo, the Arab baths. Visiting Granada requires understanding its history. The Arab baths are among the most beautiful testimonies of the city's history. Dating from the XNUMXth century, these baths are surprisingly well preserved. They consist of three parts, the hot bath, the warm bath and the cold bath.
These were built from Romans, Visigoths and Caliphal elements.
The archaeological museum
The Archaeological Museum is located a few hundred meters from the Arab baths. Unfortunately this one was closed for renovations during our visit to Granada.
The Gold Furnace House
Not far from the Arab baths is the Casa Horno de Oro. A residence built in the XNUMXth century around a small patio. You can visit the few rooms open to the public and in particular the Nasrid style arches as well as the Mudejar style ceilings. The entrance ticket is the same as that of the Arab baths.
Palace of the Cordova
Continue a few hundred meters after the Archaeological Museum, pass the Paseo de los tristes and you will approach the Palacio de los Córdova. Go through its front door and discover its park before admiring the palace itself. You will find building elements from Gothic architecture but also Mudejar like its ceilings. The building is now used by the town hall to store the municipal archives.
The house of Chapiz
Go up the Cuesta del Chapiz, the street on which the Palacio de los Córdova is located, and you will come across an imposing residence in the Hispano-Arabic style, the casa del Chápiz. This building belongs to the Chápiz family, a wealthy Morisco family. Even if this residence is used today as a school of Arabic studies, it is possible to visit its magnificent patio, its gardens with small alleys and its ponds of water lilies. From these gardens you can enjoy a magnificent view of the Alhambra.
Church of San Miguel Bajo
Now let's take a little altitude to head towards the heights of the Albaicín to meet the church of San Miguel Bajo. This church, like many in Andalusia, was originally a mosque. One can still easily imagine the minaret, today's campanile.
Monastery of Santa Isabel la Real
Next to the Church of San Miguel is the Monastery of Santa Isabel le Real, the first convent of nuns in the city of Granada. You will be able to contemplate the magnificent Gothic facade of its church as well as its Mudejar ceiling.
Dar al-Horra Palace
The Dar Al-Horra palace, also called the "House of the Lady", is none other than the former residence of Queen Aïcha, mother of Boadbil. This XNUMXth century palace can be visited every day of the week. You can contemplate its patios and galleries. The entrance ticket is common with the Arab baths and the casa de Horno de Oro.
Sacromonte
The Sacromonte is also built on a hill and is one of those emblematic places to visit in Granada. You reach it by moving away from the center, and the atmosphere is quite different. This is the gypsy quarter. The hill is made up of numerous caves, which are part of the city up to a first height beyond which they look more like squats dotted in the vegetation. This neighborhood is the benchmark for gypsy flamenco. Many restaurants offer performances. In high season, it is better to book before going, either directly with the restaurant or in a tourist agency in the city centre.
From these two hills, there are many places to admire the Alhambra, including the viewpoint of Saint Nicolas. The downside of these kind of places is that they are always full of tourists. On the other hand, on the outskirts of Saint Nicolas, you will find a few café terraces to enjoy an incredible panorama for an aperitif!
Sacromonte Caves Museum
A little further on the heights of the hill is the museo cuevas del Sacromonte. This museum depicts scenes from daily gypsy life in the region.
Sacromonte Abbey
Not far from the Cuevas del Sacromonte Museum is the Benedictine Abbey of Sacromonte. An abbey dating from the XNUMXth century where ancient relics of San Cecilio, the patron saint of Granada, were found.
The viewpoints of Granada
Due to their geographical positions, the two neighborhoods we have just mentioned, Abaicín and Sacromonte, offer breathtaking views of the Alhambra. Many points of view, named miradors allow to appreciate the view. The best known of these is undoubtedly the San Nicolas viewpoint. However, we can also mention that of the vereda de Enmedio, the mirador de Santa Isabel la Real, the mirador Ojo de Granada or the mirador de la Lona.
Granada Cathedral
The cathedral of Granada, located in the “Centro” district, is, along with those of Seville and Cordoba, one of the most impressive in Andalusia. The cathedral is part, with the Alhambra, of the places not to be missed during a visit to Granada.
Embedded between several buildings such as the royal chapel and surrounded by a narrow street, it is difficult to take the necessary step back to realize its dimensions. It is over 45 meters high. Nearly 200 years were needed to build this masterpiece, with a Gothic base, which however has many baroque elements but also in the Renaissance style.
The interior of this cathedral is undoubtedly the most spectacular with a light that is quite rare in this kind of place. The interior is mainly white in color which gives this impression of light. No less than five naves are found in this cathedral. You will also be surprised by these two impressive Iberian organs that are there.
The cathedral can be visited, it will cost you 4€ and you can benefit from an audio guide explaining the history of this masterpiece.
Royal chapel
The capilla Real, translate royal chapel is located right next to the cathedral of Granada. This chapel, built in the XNUMXth century, was intended to accommodate the tombs of many illustrious people from the region. This was the case for the tombs of the Catholic kings but also for the grandparents of Charles V, his parents and his first wife. Most of the tombs, with the exception of those of the Catholic kings and those of the parents of Charles V, Joan and Philip, were moved to the pantheon of the Escorial not far from Madrid.
A visit to this chapel is one of the things to do in Granada, both for its historical importance and for the richness of its interior.
science park
The Parque de la Ciencias or Granada Science Park is located in the southwest of the city, a few kilometers from the historic center. This park, created in 1995, is the most modern part of the city. On 70 square meters, you can discover the best the region has to offer in terms of scientific leisure. You will find, in this huge park, an interactive museum to explore the mysteries of science and learn about research. You can also enjoy its planetarium, its observatory or even its botanical gardens and its tropical vivarium. A part is also devoted to the human body. An activity to do in Granada if you are visiting the city with your family.
Don't miss the Science Park observation tower, a surprising view of the city.
My opinion on my visit to Granada
Granada is a surprising city that I really appreciated. Even if, honestly, Granada did not amaze me as much as Seville, it is nonetheless an essential part of a stay in Andalusia. Visiting Granada will have some little surprises in store for you, including a visit to its flagship site, the Alhambra. Even if this place has made the reputation of the city, some other places, monuments or districts are also worth a visit. Two to three days are enough, in my opinion, to visit Granada and discover its essentials.
