Granada was a must-see destination for me while I was living in Madrid. It was passed through the hands of many empires, each of which left its own mark. This makes the city and its architecture a beautiful mezcla of its history.
One of the most famous sites in Granada for tourists is the Alhambra. I would suggest that you book far in advance if you want to get into the main section of the Alhambra. On my first visit to Granada, my friend and I planned our trip about two days before leaving, which meant we couldn’t get tickets to enter. On my second trip, I made sure to book our tickets well in advance to see the renowned UNESCO Heritage Site.
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Granada Itinerary Summary
- Day 1: Arrive in the evening. I recommend booking the night tour of the Nasrid Palaces on the day of your arrival (at 10 pm) or for day 2. You can get dinner in the city before your tour.
- Day 2: Take a free walking tour of the city, explore the Cathedral, Royal Chapel, historic Arabic quarter (the AlbaicÃn), and visit some Andalusian monuments. Then climb the hill to San Miguel Alto for sunset.
- Day 3: Visit the Alhambra, shop for souvenirs, and grab lunch in the AlbaicÃn before leaving Granada.
- This itinerary is built to fit neatly into a larger tour around Spain. We travelled from Cordóba to Granada and headed to Málaga afterwards.
Keep reading for details where to stay, what to do, and where to eat in Granada. Save the map at the end of the guide to help you plan your trip.
Where to Stay in Granada
On my second visit to Granada, we stayed at Hotel Párraga 7 in the central area. The location was perfect, close to all the monuments and the bus stop for the Alhambra. It was a very nice boutique hotel, with an inner patio the stocked with tea and coffee. I’d highly recommend staying here.
My first trip to Granada was on a student budget, and we stayed at a hostel that is no longer operating.
Day 1: Arriving in Granada and the Nasrid Palaces
On my first trip to Granada, I came for the weekend with a friend and fellow student. We used BlaBlaCar, a carpool service that allows drivers to offer seats in their car while they make longer trips between cities. The drive from Madrid to Granada was about 4 hours due south. While it was an affordable way to travel between cities, I don’t think I would use this if I were travelling solo.
On my second trip to Granada, we booked a bus between Cordóba and Granada. The bus trip lasted 2 hours and 45 minutes, and we arrived in Granada at quarter to eight in the evening. We had 2 tickets booked to see the Alhambra, one was the Dobla de Oro at Night, which gave us access to the Nasrid Palaces in the Alhambra on the day of our arrival and entry into the Andalusian monuments in Granada the next day. Our second ticket gave us access to all the other areas of the Alhambra on our third day in Granada.
While this was not the most economical option, it was a great way to split up our time at all the different historic sites. Generally, however, I would recommend the Alhambra Experiences ticket, which allows a nighttime visit to the Nasrid Palaces followed by the other sites in the Alhambra the following day.
Day 2: Walking Tour of Granada, Andalusian Monuments, and an Unforgettable Sunset
On both of my trips to Granada, I took a free walking tour on the morning of my second day in the city. One of my favourite things about Granada was the walkability. Similar to many European cities, Granada’s city centre is designed around pedestrians, making travel by foot easier than by car.
On the first trip, our tour group met in Plaza Nueva around 10 am. We had a quick breakfast before the tour, then walked about 15 minutes to get there. On my second trip, we met at Plaza Isabel la Católica, grabbing our breakfast of pastries and good coffee at Malamiga bakery on Calle San Antón.
Free Walking Tour
Free walking tours are one of my favourite ways to see a new city. Our tour was incredibly thorough and lasted almost 4 hours! We saw many famous landmarks such as the Catedral de Granada, the historic square of the Corral de Carbón, the tiny winding streets of AlcaicerÃa, and ending with an outstanding view of the Alhambra.
Our tour guide was exceptionally knowledgeable and had many fun facts. She taught us about the rich history of Granada as it passed through the hands of different empires and kingdoms. I would definitely recommend taking one of these walking tours to see Granada and get to know the city better. These tours are a type of pay-what-you-can, so make sure to tip your guide!
Refuelling with Moroccan Tea and Chocolate con Churros
After our tour, since it was around 2 pm, we decided to get a snack. We ended up at a Moroccan tea shop, which was serving cherry cheesecake and had a large selection of teas. There, we also planned our list of things to see in our remaining 24 hours in Granada.
After our break, we toured around the city by ourselves, returning to the AlcaicerÃa for some souvenir shopping, then wandering closer to the outskirts of the downtown area. We ate a second snack of chocolate con churros at Alhambra churreria in Bib-Rambla Plaza before our next tourist sight.
Next, we made our way to Cuarto Real de Santo Domingo. The small museum offers visitors a look at some of the Islamic architecture of the 1200s. It is similar to the details found in the Muslim areas of the Alhambra, but accessible to visit without planning for far in advance. It is also included in the Dobla de Oro ticket to the Alhambra.
After touring the small museum, we wandered the gardens for a while. We saw more stray cats, which were quite common in the city, and at the far end we found granadas! Pomegranates that is, which share the same name as the city in Spanish.
Watching the Sunset at San Miguel’s Church
On the way to the city, our fellow carpool passenger recommended we go to San Miguel’s church for sunset. So, following his advice we began our journey through the winding streets of the AlbaicÃn district (the old Arabic quarter) to get to the top of the hill where the church stood.
The area of the city was beautiful, with white walls and plants overhanging from gardens. We took our time walking up the sometimes steep streets, admiring small details as we went. When we reached the top, we had just enough time to find a place to sit when the spectacular sunset began. I have truly never seen anything quite as beautiful, and my pictures from this moment have remained some of my favourites that I have ever taken.
On my first trip to the city, we ate tapas for dinner, including gazpacho to try some Andalusian favourites. We walked home from the restaurant feeling safe, the inner city was still busy enough to not worry as two female travellers.
On my second trip to Granada we frequented two restaurants on our second day, TeterÃa – Restaurante Kasbah Granada for lunch where we got the vegetarian menú del dÃa, with hummus, falafel, rice, salad, and dessert, and the Restaurante Palacio Andaluz Almona for a dinner of Moroccan tajins.
Day 3: The Alhambra of Granada
The next morning, for our last day in Granada, we went to the Alhambra. We checked out of the hotel first and were able to store our bags in a locked room while we toured.
Visit the Alhambra for Free
On my first visit to Granada, we hiked up the hill to the Alambra. It was hot, but a pleasant walk. Though we did not have tickets to enter the palace area of the Alhambra, we could still tour the grounds and outer areas of the fortress, as well as the Palace of Carlos V, the Church of Santa MarÃa, and the Museo de las Bellas Artes (free for students).
We spent about 2 hours in and around the Alhambra area. We wandered down the opposite side of the hill we arrived on, through the Mirador del rey chico. From there, we crossed the Darro River and walked along the adjacent street, stepping into shops as we went, until it was time for lunch. After lunch, we walked to our meeting place to catch our ride back to Madrid.
Visiting the Alambra with Tickets
Getting to see the inside of the Alambra’s main sites: the Generalife, the Partal Palace, the Alcazaba, and the Nasrid Palaces, was absolutely worth paying admission for. These intricately decorated Islamic palaces hold so much artistry, culture, and history within their walls. As well, the maintenance of the gardens and trees is impressive to say the least.
Expect to spend 2 to 3 hours at the Alhambra, or more if you plan to visit the free museums as well. After our visit, we took the bus back down to the city centre and walked to the AlbaicÃn where we had lunch at Restaurante Palestina. This restaurant served the best falafel I’ve had in my entire life, and my fiancé enjoyed their chicken shawarma. This would be my most highly recommended restaurant to visit in Granada.
My Map of Granada
Use the star to save this map to your own Google account to use it to plan your itinerary. One of my favourite planning tips is to save all the points of interest and food spots I’d like to see, so that I can refer back to the map while I’m travelling. This helps me stay flexible while on the go, in case weather, unexpected closures, or unforeseen circumstances interrupt my plans.
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