Granada Spain is one of those cities I feel like you could plan as a day trip in your Spain Itinerary or spend a few days moving at a slower pace. We chose to spend three days here and found it a leisure pace to explore the sites and have time relaxing at the pool. If you’re in a hurry though, one day will suffice as you will get to see the main attraction, the Alhambra!
An absolute must see is the Alhambra! This is essentially what Granada is known for. The Alhambra is a medieval fortress comprised of palaces, moorish throne rooms, cloistered courtyards and fountains. We opted to take a private guided tour to learn the history and stories behind each intricate detail. After the guided tour we circled back to most of the areas to spend more time exploring. If you’re looking for some sort of tour, I’d plan ahead, otherwise general admission tickets can be purchased a few days in advance. We used Not Just A Tourist for our private guided tour.
Take in the “miradores” or views of the Alhambra from San Nicholas, which is found on the hillside directly across. Yes, I said hillside, which means be prepared to climb the windy roads and staircases to the top. We went both during the day and night and if your schedule allows, I highly recommend a visit at sunset when the lights captures the fortress beautifully. Plan to arrive early to grab a seat on the wall!
If you’re planning to visit San Nicolas for los miradores, spend a little extra time exploring the Albaicin “Jewish Quarter” which is found on the same side as San Nicolas. This neighborhood is lined with beautiful white washed buildings and gardens and is still home to many locals.
Book a Flamenco show in the neighborhood of Sacramonte. Flamenco shows can be booked and seen in the majority of cities in Spain, however seeing one in Sactamonte means watching the show from a caves that used to be homes to the Gypsies. It truly is a very unique experience!
While this isn’t an activity specific to Granada itself, we recommend booking a hotel with a pool if you are planning to stay in the city for a few days. We visited Spain in June and didn’t know exactly how hot it was going to be. It’s common practice in Spain to eat later around 8 PM or 9 PM so having a hotel with a pool allowed us to take a break from the heat in the afternoon before getting ready for dinner. We stayed at Aurea Washington Irving which had a quiet pool and is located steps away from the Alhambra.
And the last item on my list that unfortunately we did not have time to do was visit the Sierra Nevada as a day trip. There are many companies that run full day and half day tours to the Sierra Nevada that have stops for viewing as well as hiking. If you’re looking to get out of the cities and enjoy nature a bit more, this would be a great way to do so!