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We also asked ourselves what to do in Granada, Andalusia, and we’ve put together a list of our top 10 must-sees in this beautiful city. You might think of the Alhambra, but there are many other parts of Granada that you shouldn’t miss. In this blog post, we give you all our tips and good addresses for visiting Granada.
Granada is a city worth taking the time to visit and feel its atmosphere. We recommend spending 3 days in Granada, 2 at the very least. Bear in mind that you’ll already need to allocate almost a whole day to visiting the Alhambra. Visiting Granada in 3 days will give you plenty of time to explore all its neighborhoods and try out a number of restaurants! We also advise you to park your car and get around as much as possible on foot, by public transport or by cab, as the city has many one-way streets and few parking spaces.
You need to know that the Alhambra of Granada is actually a palatial complex made up of three parts: the Nasrid Palaces, which are the heart of the Alhambra, where the kings of Granada resided, the Alcazaba and the Generalife gardens, the resting place of the kings of Granada. The word “Alhambra” means “fortress” or “red castle”, and you’ll quickly understand its meaning as you admire its monuments;
Our first tip about the Alhambra is to book your tickets as soon as possible! We’ll tell you more a little further down in our article, but keep this in mind if you’re planning to visit this place.
The Nasrid Palaces correspond to a group of three monuments, The Comares Palace, the Mexuar and the Palace of the Lions, which served as residences during the reign of Mohammed V. As the three sites were built at different times, you can easily see that their architecture is very different, some with Muslim influences and others with Christian. Usually, when you arrive at the Alhambra, the people at the entrance will give you a ticket with a specific time to go to the Nasrid Palaces, so don’t miss your slot, as it’s unique. This helps to regulate the number of entrances, so you can enjoy the place without too many people.
To make sure you don’t miss any of the important parts of the Nasrid Palaces, we recommend you follow a map on site and visit these different areas: the Court of the Myrtles, the Golden Court, the Court of Machuca, the Court of the Lions, the Hall of the Kings and the Mirador. We were impressed by the immensity of the premises and the precision of the sets;
Courtyard of Myrthes
Court of the Lions
These gardens were created as a resting place for Muslim kings, the name Generalife meaning “architect’s gardens”. This villa, with its gardens and fruit trees, offers a magnificent setting. You’ll soon have done the rounds, but take time out to admire the view of the Alhambra, and you’ll soon understand why this place was designed for calm and relaxation. Don’t miss the site’s two courtyards: Patio de la Sultana and Patio de la Acequia.
This part of the Alhambra really means “fortress”, in fact it’s the Alcazaba that you’ll notice first from a distance when you’re looking for the Alhambra at the top of its hill. It’s not our favorite part, but it’s the oldest and well worth a visit. You can climb to the top of the impressive Tour de la Vela, to admire the magnificent view over Granada. It was even used as a prison for a time.
As we told you earlier in our blog post, the Alhambra is a place often booked weeks, even months, in advance. If you don’t want to miss the chance to visit it, get your tickets as soon as you have your travel dates. Tickets are around €45 per person for a self-guided tour and audioguide, and between €85 and €100 for a guided group tour. We chose the self-guided option so that we could choose our own pace. To get to the Alhambra, you can come on foot for the more sporty among you, otherwise there are several dedicated parking lots on site.
Don’t hesitate to book your tickets in advance to visit Granada’s Alhambra.
Head for the district perched on one of Granada’s hills. After admiring it from the Alhambra, all we wanted to do was explore it! However, don’t make the same mistake we did: the district is not at all accessible by car, so it’s best to walk or take a cab to get there. The pretty white houses and their magnificent cypress trees make for an exotic setting, and even reminded us of our idea of Tuscany!
We advise you to head for the street called “Carrera del Darro” and the “Paseo de los Tristes” viewpoint, which offers a superb view of the Alhambra. Then let yourself be carried away by the district’s narrow streets!
The Mirador San Nicolas is a must-see in Granada, Andalusia! This large terrace offers an incredible view of the Alhambra. We went in the middle of the day, but at sunset the show must be magnificent.
Granada’s historic center is very lively, with plenty of beautiful cafe and restaurant terraces, boutiques and stalls. Start by admiring the Granada Cathedral, which you can visit for €6 per person, although we were content with its superb façade. This great 16th-century church was built by the Christians in their reconquest of the city, on the very spot where a mosque had previously stood.
This market street in the heart of Granada is sure to give you a change of scene! We found it a little touristy for our taste, but it’s worth the detour all the same. This large covered Bazaar was once the Silk Market. Today you’ll find mostly souvenir stores, but the atmosphere is very different from the rest of the city.
We booked this accommodation in the heart of Granada and loved it! Located right opposite the Cathedral, you can visit the whole city center on foot. The apartment has one bedroom, a comfortable living room with fully equipped kitchen and sofa bed, a bathroom and even a terrace. Ideal for your stay in Granada if you’re 2 or 4 people.
If you’re looking for a Granada hotel, we suggest you take a look at our selection of the city’s finest addresses. You should easily find what you’re looking for!
To find the best mode of transport to visit Granada, we recommend you always look on the OMIO comparator. This will give you an overview of all available modes of transport. You’ll be able to compare prices very easily;
If you’d like to rent a car during your trip to discover the area around Granada, we recommend looking on the RentalCars website. This will help you find the best prices and conditions for your rental.
If you have the time, we recommend taking advantage of being in Granada to discover Andalusia. You’ll have the opportunity to discover magnificent cities like Seville, Ronda, Cordoba or the route of the white villages of Andalusia. You can find our full itinerary on our dedicated article.
[andalusia]
In order to find the best hotels and benefit from the best conditions (security, cancellation…) we go almost exclusively through Booking.com for our trips. We recommend that you take a look at the available hotels before you leave. You can filter them according to their ratings. There are plenty of recent customer reviews, so there are no unpleasant surprises when you’re traveling!
We hope the tips and good addresses on our travel blog will help you figure out what to do in Granada, Spain!
You can also follow our daily adventures on Instagram 🙂
Clem & Alex
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