Granada

Granada is a city in Granada Province in the Andalucia region of Spain. Rich in history and culture, Granada is a very worthwhile city in Spain for a tourist.

In addition to a rich multicultural history, the Alhambra and other monuments, a student-driven nightlife, and skiing and trekking in the nearby Sierra Nevada, Granada offers a break from the summer heat of other Andalusian cities such as Córdoba or Seville. Spring and Fall are also both excellent times to visit. With much more cultural interest than other cities like Malaga, Granada is never overcrowded (although you should still book tickets to the Alhambra at least 1-2 weeks in advance).

History
Granada has been continuously inhabited by humans for at least 2500 years, originating as an Ibero-Celtic settlement prior to the establishment of a Greek colony in the area. Under Ancient Roman rule Granada developed as an economic center of Roman Hispania, with the construction of aqueducts, roads, and other infrastructure. With the fall of the Roman Empire the city was ruled by the Visigoths before being reconquered by the Byzantine Empire, all the time being maintained as a strategic military and economic center for the region.

The Moorish conquest of 711 CE brought Islamic rule to the Iberian Peninsula and Granada was quickly established as a center of Al-Andalus, the Muslim name for the region. New agricultural practices were introduced as the old Roman infrastructure was put to use for irrigation, leading to a major expansion of the city as it grew from the river valley up to the hills now occupied by the Alhambra and the Albayzín, with a major Jewish settlement, the Realejo, existing within the town. Following the fall of Córdoba in 1236 to the Christian Reconquista, the city became the center of the Emirate of Granada, and for the next 250 years Granada stood as the heart of a powerful and self-sufficient kingdom with the construction of the royal palace and fortress, the Alhambra.

Skirmishes continued between the Emirate of Granada and the Crown of Castile, and in the late 15th century the Christian Reconquista set its sights on Granada. Following a military campaign led by King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile, which included a siege of the walled town, King Boabdil of Granada was ultimately forced to surrender the town in 1492, bringing an end to Moorish rule in the Iberian peninsula and marking the end of the Reconquista.

The fall of Granada came at a crucial moment for Christian Spain, as it was that same year that Christopher Columbus made his first voyage to the Americas, bringing back reports of the wealth and resources that could be gained there. Flushed with the success of the Reconquista, Spaniards conquered much of the Americas and brought great wealth to the new Spanish Empire. In the case of Granada, the Christians soon forced the existing Jewish and Muslim residents to convert and began making significant changes to the appearance of the city in an attempt to hide its Muslim character, including replacing the city's primary mosque with the massive cathedral and constructing a large Christian palace in the heart of the Alhambra. Persecution against the Muslims and Jews took its toll, and over time the city began to suffer economically as these populations abandoned their homes in the area.

Granada remained a largely medieval-style city well into the 19th century, going through many economic slumps and seeing much of its architectural heritage destroyed. However, the last half of the 19th century saw Granada incorporated into the national rail network and the first stirrings of tourism thanks to reports of sites like the Alhambra to a global audience. However, the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s sunk Granada's economy, and it persisted largely as a bureaucratic and university town until the late 20th century, when the city underwent a massive period of modernization and development which brought new business and visitors to the city. Today you can still see this modernization in the reconstruction of old buildings in the city center and expansion of the town along the edges of the city.

Climate
Granada has a fairly mild climate; hot summers and short but cold winters with a mild amount of precipitation. The area has a very dry climate, so summers will get hot but not too uncomfortable due to the lack of humidity. From about November to April you will need a jacket and warm clothing, as it does get quite cold. Rain is most common in the fall and early winter months and rain spells lasting several days can occur during this time of the year, but the rest of the year you're likely to see little else but sunshine. Snow is not unheard of in Granada but it is very rare - if you want snow you have to go up into the Sierra Nevada mountains, which remain snow-capped for the whole winter.

Tourist information

 * Granada Tourism website

By plane
The journey into Granada can be made by taxi (about €28) or bus (€3). The airport bus is run by Alsa and has two routes into Granada, each running 11 times per day. The bus to Palacio de Congresos (the local convention center, south of the city center) takes 1 hour. It makes several stops throughout the city centre including Gran Via de Colon (opposite the cathedral); you can catch it back from stop 1a on Gran Via de Colon (next to local bus stop Gran Via 1). The other route is faster, taking you to the bus station in the city's north. Both buses leave roughly on the hour but will generally be hitched up to a plane arrival.

By bus
Regular Movelia and ALSA buses run from Seville, Málaga, Madrid and Cordoba as well as a few direct services to the port of Algeciras. Malaga is well serviced by buses and is a good place to transfer if a direct service is not available. The modern and organized is located about 5 km (3 miles) from the city centre. It takes about 15 minutes by bus (line 33) to reach the city center, or reasonably cheap taxis are also available.

By train
Three RENFE trains run each day on the picturesque line to Algeciras via pretty Antequera and Ronda. Granada is also on a stop on a line between Almeria and Seville, with four trains daily. There are also two daily trains to Madrid via Cordoba, one or two daily to Barcelona via Linares-Baeza and Valencia, and one to Linares-Baeza. For Malaga, take the Algeciras train to Bobadilla and change to a Malaga-bound train there.

The is well served by local bus service: just walk out the front door and continue straight down the street to the main avenue (Avenida de la Constitucion) and turn right - within a block you'll come across a bus stop that will take you to the city center.

Get around
Most places of interest are with walking distance of central Granada. Plaza Isabel La Catolica is just a block west of Plaza Nueva and marks the intersection of Gran Via de Colon (the main drag heading north) and Calle Reyes Catolicos (the main drag heading southwest to Puerta Real, where it splits into Calle Recogidas and Acera Del Darro, heading west and south respectively). The cathedral and royal chapel are just to the northwest of this square. The Alhambra and Albayzin (the Arabic quarter) are on opposite hills on the east side of town with Carrera del Darro and a small river separating them.

On foot
Walking in Granada is definitely the best way to experience the city (especially the older parts), but it can also be confusing at times. Streets are frequently short, winding, narrow, and some put you in very close proximity to auto traffic, to say nothing of the multitudes of scooters that dart down narrow alleyways and around cars and buses. Larger streets have sidewalks separating pedestrian traffic from vehicles, while alleyways have short iron posts along the side to make a small informal sidewalk. With a decent map you can find your way around, but many streets are so short they won't be named on a map. Still, if you keep some of the local landmarks in mind (church towers and hills are frequently good ones) you can maintain a general sense of direction - which is often all you need to find your way around. Additionally, Granada has several hilly areas (most notably the Albayzin and the entrances to the Alhambra) with many stairways and steep streets, and climbing them can be strenuous - buses can take you to the major tourist sights if the climb is too much. Mind your step in the residential areas! Granada has a serious problem with dog excrement, and while the street sweepers do an effective job they won't save you every time (however this is much less of an issue in the heavily touristy areas).

By bus
The local buses cover nearly all sights of interest and run quite frequently. Most city buses travel through the heart of town along Gran Vía (stopping in front of the cathedral). The small red and white minibuses with "Alhambra Bus" printed on the side are the best way to explore Granada, the Albaicín and to get to the Alhambra: route C30 connects the city center to the Alhambra, with the C31 traveling up to Albayzin and the C34 to the Sacromonte. The buses cost €1.40 per trip, but you can also buy a multi-trip card for €5, €10, or €20 (€0.83-€0.87 per trip). Timetables for the individual routes are not available, but major bus stops along the main boulevards will have screens telling you when the next bus arrives. If you're at a smaller stop, you can find out when the next bus is coming by sending a text using the SMS system — directions are printed with images on each bus stop sign, which are easy to follow even if you don't know much Spanish.

By car
Driving in Granada is a nightmare best avoided at all costs. The central district is a mess of narrow, one-way streets and is restricted to buses, taxies, scooters, and tourists with hotel reservations, enforced by a system of traffic cameras that will capture a photo of the license plate and fine violators. Hotels will often recommend not driving in, but if you're insistent you can contact the hotel in advance with your license plate number and they will give you directions to their hotel or a parking garage which you must follow exactly or risk a fine. Outside the historic center streets are wider and travelling by car isn't nearly as much of a hassle, but there are few tourist sights in these areas.

Cheap parking in Granada can be found on parkvia.com. You get a €12 per night rate at Parking HH Maristas in the center of the city as well as unlimited entries to the garage. When you enter, take the ticket from the machine and present it along with the website receipt to the booth attendant.

See
If you intend on visiting many major tourist attractions within a short timeframe, the city's Granadacard may be a good investment. Valid for 24, 48 or 72 hours, it provides direct entry to the cathedral, Capilla Real, Alhambra & Generalife, Monastery of La Cartuja, Monastery of San Jerónimo, Parque de las Ciencias (Science Park) and provides a 25% discount for non-EU citizens who visit the Fine Arts and Archaeological Museum. It also includes 9 urban bus journeys (to the bus station, science park etc.) and 1 ride on the tourist bus (normally €6.80). The prices are €47 for 24h, €49 for 48h, and €57 for 72h.

Central Granada
Oriented around the intersection of Gran Via de Colon and Calle Reyes Catolicos, central Granada is the historic center and bustling heart of the city, with its many shops, restaurants, bars and attractions situated along narrow cobblestone and brick alleys or on the edge of one of the many serene plazas in the area. Walking through you're sure to take in the sights, smells and sounds of superb architecture, good food, and pleasant conversations among residents.







The Alhambra
The Alhambra: Part fortress (the Alcazaba), part palace (Palacios Nazaries), part garden (the Generalife) and part government city (the Medina), this medieval complex overlooking Granada is one of the top attractions in Spain, with many visitors coming to Granada expressly to see the Alhambra. The last Moorish stronghold in Europe, the Alhambra reflects the splendor of Moorish civilization in Andalusia and offers the visitor splendid ornamental architecture, spectacular and lush gardens, cascading and dripping water features, and breathtaking views of the city. This impressive fortress complex is deservedly listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Alhambra was a palace, citadel, fortress and the home of the Nasrid sultans, high government officials, servants of the court and elite soldiers from the 13th to the 14th century. Other notable buildings belonging to a different time period are also located within the Alhambra complex, most notably the Renaissance style Palace of Charles V, which houses the Alhambra Museum (with historical artifacts from the site) and the Fine Art Museum.

But in order to fully appreciate the unique architecture of the Alhambra set within the surrounding landscape, it is advisable to see the Alhambra for afar as well as up close: several locations in the Albaizín (most notably the San Nicolás Viewpoint) or Sacromonte, both covered below, allow you the opportunity to truly admire the Alhambra's spectacular location, lying just above the city of Granada.

The Alhambra is a vast complex, composed of many structures and gardens on its lush grounds, which alone are worth exploring; it is free to do so and they are open nearly all hours of the day. There are four primary attractions: the Alcazaba, the Palace of Charles V, the Palacios Nazaries and the Generalife.

Official web site at www.alhambra-patronato.es, where you can buy tickets online. Mar-Oct every day 8:30-22:00 plus F/Sa 22:00-23:30; Oct-Mar every day 8:30-18:00 plus F/Sa 20:00-21:30 (ticket office closes one hour before attraction, evening visits to Palacios Nazaries only). €14 combo ticket for Palacios Nazaries, Alcazaba and Generalife, €7 for just the Alcazaba and Generalife, €8 for an evening visit to the Palacios Nazaries, and €5 for an evening visit to the Generalife. Palace of Charles V free.

Reservations: It is strongly recommended that you book tickets to the Alhambra in advance, as the number of visitors allowed inside the Palacios Nazaries is limited and tickets tend to sell out. These can be booked online via the official website, by phone (+34 902 888 001), or in person at the main entrance to the Alhambra or at the Tienda de la Alhambra shop on Calle Reyes Católicos in the city centre. Note that the online and phone reservation services require a credit card (which you must bring with you to the Alhambra ticket office to pick up your tickets) and charge an extra 10% fee on top of the cost of admission. Online tickets are usually sold out many days or even months in advance, but every day more tickets are put on sale: that means you can get an online ticket by checking the website daily, the refresh happens at midnight. Several hundred tickets are reserved for sale on the day but these usually require arriving early and queuing for an hour or two. As of September 2023, it's been reported that no tickets are available to purchase on site when they are sold out on the official website. The "Granada Card" or "Doble de Oro General" can still be available after the regular tickets have sold out. Failing that, quite a lot of the grounds are accessible without a ticket. This general caution applies to cruise ship land tours (e.g., from Malaga); failure to book Alhambra tours early (before or during cruise) may mean no tours or buses are available.

Note that the Palacios Nazaries can only be accessed for a half-hour time window (shown on the ticket) within your visiting period. The rest of the Alhambra can be visited the full day without any time restrictions.

Getting there: From central Granada, the C3 bus offers a direct connection to the Alhambra from Plaza Isabel La Catolica. There are three stops for the Alhambra: Generalife (closest to the ticket office), Carlos V (closest to the Palace of Charles V) and Puerta de la Justica, the fare is €1.40. A taxi from the central district (head to the stand on Plaza Nueva) costs around €6. On foot, you can walk up to the Alhambra from Plaza Nueva (about a 30-minute hike) by taking Cuesta de Gomerez and heading straight; the ticket office is on the far side of the grounds, near the Generalife. If coming by car from outside the city, you can bypass the historic district by taking the Ronda Sur-Alhambra exit (A-395) from the highway and following the signs to the parking lot (€1.75/hour).


 * . The ruins of a massive fortress perched atop the crest of the hill overlooking the city, this is the oldest part of the Alhambra and offers some of the finest views of anywhere in the complex, with an expansive panorama from the top of the prominent tower that gives you a spectacular view of nearly the entire city and the Sierra Nevada mountains. Within the fort's walls are the ruins of a town which once held soldier's homes and baths, though today only the outline of these rooms remain.
 * (Palacio de Carlos V). A more recent addition to the Alhambra, this 16th century building was commissioned following the Reconquista by Charles V as a royal residence close to the Alhambra palace. The square two-level structure is done in Renaissance style with an impressive circular courtyard ringed by a colonnade within. The building is also home to two museums, the Museo de la Alhambra on the lower floor with a collection of artifacts and art from the Alhambra, and the Museo de Bellas Artes, a small fine art museum on the upper floor, as well as a couple of changing museum exhibits which regularly feature art with some connection to the Alhambra.


 * . The Nasrid royal palace and the primary (and thus most crowded) attraction of the Alhambra complex, the palace is an impressive, at times breathtakingly beautiful work of architecture. Visitors get to see spectacular archways and windows, carved wooden ceilings, intricate molded-plaster work and colourful ceramic tiles at nearly every turn as they meander between lovely rooms and lush courtyards. Everyone starts their tour in the Mexuar, a set of administrative rooms with a beautiful prayer room and a small square courtyard with the golden Façade of Comares, before emerging in the Court of the Myrtles, a rectangular courtyard with a long pool of water flanked on each side by a myrtle hedge (hence the name). At the end of the courtyard you can enter a room to view the twelve Lion Statues from the fountain in the Court of the Lions, which is undergoing renovation. Cross to the other end of the Court of the Myrtles to enter the Ship Room, with its spectacular carved wooden ceiling in the shape of an upside-down hull, and the Chamber of the Ambassadors, the palace's largest and perhaps most spectacular room, which once functioned as the throne room and features a star-studded wooden ceiling, intricately carved stucco walls and beautiful arched windows. From here you'll pass through a series of small rooms, including the Washington Irving Room, where Washington Irving wrote Tales of the Alhambra, as well as down an open-air hallway with an excellent view of an adjacent courtyard (the Court of Linda-Raja) and the Albayzín. Passing by the old bath house you'll enter the Hall of the Two Sisters, a spectacular domed room with an intricate stucco ceiling and lovely views of the Court of Linda-Raja. From here you can navigate around the edge of the Court of the Lions (under renovation) to the Hall of the Abencerrages, structurally similar to the Hall of the Two Sisters. At this point you can exit the palace, which will place you near the entrance to the Partal Gardens.


 * . The lush and gorgeous gardens of the Nasrid kings, the expansive Generalife is the finest set of Moorish style gardens in Andalusia, positioned on a hill situated at the rear of the complex overlooking the Alhambra palace. Within you'll find beds of colorful flowers, more exquisite architecture, leaping fountains and cool shade. There are two entrances to the Generalife, one at the ticket booth on the east side of the complex and another next to the Palacios Nazaries which will take you through the, a collection of palace gardens with flowing water streams and a large pool of water which reflects a nearby portico. From the Partal you can follow the Promenade of The Towers, the remains of the main wall and its adjoining towers that separate the Alhambra palace grounds from the Generalife. As you cross a bridge over a small canyon you'll enter the Generalife proper, where you can follow a promenade past the amphitheater to the Lower Gardens, a collection of hedge rows with rectangular ponds at the center and colorful flower beds throughout. Past this is the , the white structure sitting atop the hill and the highlight of a visit to the gardens, for it is within that you will find spectacular views, lovely architecture, and the much-photographed Court of the Main Canal, with its crossing jets of water that arc over the rectangular pool. Nearby is the Soultana's Court, another picturesque courtyard with leaping fountains. Above the palace are the High Gardens, where you can find a gorgeous long pergola and the Water Stairway, which true to its name is a beautiful stairway with water flowing down its parapets. The gardens are huge, but the layout is simple as everything in the Generalife can be seen along a long, circular path.

These are the four primary attractions, but the grounds hold many secondary sights as well, some of them quite splendid in their own right and many off the beaten path. If entering the Alhambra on foot from Plaza Nueva, you'll travel up Cuesta de Gomerez through the, an ornamental archway which marks the entrance to the grounds. From here you can continue straight into the Bosque (forest), a delightfully lush and shady wooded area in the canyon beneath the palace complex with streams running along the footpaths, fountains and statues and, in the summertime, fragrant smells from the trees. If you take the rightmost path up the hill and make a right up the next path you find, you'll come across the, an outpost of the Alhambra on the very edge of the complex, with massive square towers perched on a hill over the neighborhood of Realejo. The towers themselves are locked up and mostly in ruins, but the views of Granada and the Alhambra are splendid. If you take the leftmost path from the Granada Gate you'll travel up to the (Puerta de Justica), an imposing Moorish-style archway and entry that served as the primary entrance to the palace complex in days of old.

Within the main palace complex, just above the Justice Gate is a lovely courtyard area, the (Plaza de los Aljibes) between the Alcazaba and the Palace of Charles V next to the Wine Gate (Puerta del Vino), another picturesque horseshoe-shaped archway which once protected the grounds. Continuing along the small road past the Palace of Charles V to the upper part of the palace complex, you'll come across a row of woodworking and souvenir shops, the prominent, the ruins of a village and the. Though most of the Parador is a restaurant and hotel, parts are still open to the public, including the lovely courtyard entryway and the ruins of a Franciscan monastery, which holds the lovely remains of a small chapel with a view into the hotel's lavish patio area.

Above the main palace complex, to the east of the Generalife, are a number of visitor facilities, namely a large parking lot. A short hike uphill from the parking lot is the, the ruins of a guard outpost directly above the Generalife Palace. While it requires an uphill hike and is isolated from the rest of the grounds, the Silla offers what may be the most spectacular view in all of Granada, giving you a rare opportunity to look down at the Alhambra palace, as well as a sweeping vista of the city, the valley and the surrounding mountains, with the added benefit of not being nearly as crowded as the San Nicolas Viewpoint in the Albayzín or requiring admission like the Alcazaba.

Albayzín
Situated on a hill above the center of town and across from the Alhambra, the Albayzín (also spelled Albaicín, Alayzín, and Albaycín) is an ancient Muslim neighborhood popular with visitors - and rightly so. Among its narrow, winding streets one will find beautiful white-washed old buildings, splendid Arabic shops and restaurants, scenic gardens, and marvelous views of Granada and the Alhambra. Today part of a UNESCO World Heritage site (along with the nearby neighborhood of Sacromonte and the Alhambra, covered below), Albayzín dates back to the fourteenth century and was built as a defensive town and thrived as one of the centers of Granada under Muslim rule.

Entering the Albayzín is simple enough - from Plaza Nueva it's just a matter of walking north (uphill), or proceeding east along the Rio Darro (to the Paseo de los Tristes, covered below) and turning north on any of the side streets. However, if coming from the cathedral or anywhere else in central Granada, the best entrance is via (near bus stop Gran Vía 1), a stepped cobblestone street lined with Arabic restaurants, tea shops, bakeries and shops selling imported goods from North Africa. However once inside the Albayzín you'll find the layout of the streets very confusing, with many steep sections and stairways - though this is indeed part of the charm of the neighborhood, always with a new path to explore or a hidden surprise waiting to be discovered. However, if the climb or the confusing layout sound like too much, you can also take the C1 minibus to the top of the hill from Plaza Nueva.



Below the Albayzin is Carrera del Darro, a narrow street winding from Plaza Nueva along the meandering Rio Darro. This is one of the most scenic walks in Granada, packed with pedestrians strolling the cobblestone way, who have to squeeze to the side every few minutes as a taxi or a minibus passes by. Old shops, apartments, and other buildings cluster up the hill in the Albayzin on one side, and across the Rio Darro along the other side is the steep hill upon which is the Alhambra. Along the street are beautifully preserved buildings, remains of Arab houses, stone bridges crossing the Rio Darro, and plenty of nice restaurants.



Sacromonte
Locals often consider the Albayzín a world away from the rest of Granada, but even the Arabic quarter can't hold a candle to the relative isolation and uniqueness of Sacromonte, a gypsy (Roma) district situated east of the Albazin, demarcated by the road Cuesta Chapiz. The neighborhood is noted for its many cave dwellings built within the sides of the hill poking out here and there between the scrubby bushes and cacti. The district is also famous for its flamenco shows popular with tourists and the amazing views of the Alhambra.

To get to the neighborhood, you can walk or take the C2 minibuses up Carrera del Darro to Paseo de los Tristes. From there walk up Cuesta Chapiz until you reach Peso de Harina (where you'll find a small plaza with a statue of a man with a strange hat, Chorrojumo, who was regarded as the king of the gypsies). From there walk along the Camino del Sacromonte.



North Granada
Stretching north of central Granada, the north side of town encompass a set of newer neighborhoods with wide boulevards, modern and grand classically-designed buildings and lovely urban parks. This section of town is defined to a great degree by the presence of the local university (Universidad de Granada), government buildings, and two of the main points of entry into Granada - the train station and the bus depot.



South Granada
Defined by its proximity to the Rio Genil, the main river through Granada, the south side of town is an interesting mix of old and new. To the east, on the foothills beneath the Alhambra, sits Realejo, once the Jewish district under Muslim Granada and now a sleepy neighborhood with many scenic villas and gardens among its narrow streets. To the west, closer to the center of town, lies bustling. Surrounding the intersection of Calle Reyes Catolicos, Calle Recogidas and Acera Del Darro, Puerta Real is the center of modern Granada, a district of grand classical and modern buildings and the city's primary shopping destination. South of the river is a modern section of town with many apartment highrises and office buildings.



Do

 * Football: Granada CF were relegated in 2024 and play soccer in Segunda División, the second tier. Their home ground Estadio Nuevo Los Cármenes (capacity 19,300) is 2 km south of city centre. Their women's team plays in Liga F (their top tier) at the training ground 5 km north of city centre.
 * Football: Granada CF were relegated in 2024 and play soccer in Segunda División, the second tier. Their home ground Estadio Nuevo Los Cármenes (capacity 19,300) is 2 km south of city centre. Their women's team plays in Liga F (their top tier) at the training ground 5 km north of city centre.
 * Football: Granada CF were relegated in 2024 and play soccer in Segunda División, the second tier. Their home ground Estadio Nuevo Los Cármenes (capacity 19,300) is 2 km south of city centre. Their women's team plays in Liga F (their top tier) at the training ground 5 km north of city centre.

Learn
For those wishing to make a real attempt at learning the language, there are plenty of Spanish language schools in Granada.

Buy
As in much of Spain, be aware of siesta; most shops close in the afternoons, which depending on the business can be anywhere from 13:00 to 17:00. The main exceptions to this are large department stores and chain stores. However, nearly everything is closed on Sundays.

The area surrounding Puerta Real serves as the city's main shopping district. , Spain's department store chain, has a large store between Calle Acera del Darro and Calle Carrera de la Virgen just south of Puerta Real, while and the adjacent pedestrian streets between Puerta Real and the cathedral are home to a large number of fancy clothing and gift stores. If you're looking for postcards or other tourist wares, the Alcaiceria south of the cathedral (see above under See) is chock full of souvenir shops, although you can also find plenty of souvenir shops along Cuesta de Gomerez on the way up to the Alhambra from Plaza Nueva. If a mall is more your speed, the nearest one to central Granada is the, on Calle Neptuno next to the freeway (take Calle Recogidas west from Puerta Real).

Every third weekend of the month you will fine a handcraft market on Calle Chirimías.

Eat
Granada is notable as most of its bars will serve free tapas with each drink, which makes eating out in Granada inexpensive: a blessing for the local student population. Lunch is generally from 13:00 to 16:00 and dinner from around 20:00 till late (though even at 20:00 most tapas bars will be deserted, as locals eat dinner very late).

There are many popular restaurant areas where you are sure to find something good. Just about every plaza in the city has at least one outdoor restaurant. Calle Elvira and the adjacent streets north of Plaza Nueva have perhaps the largest concentration of tapas bars in the city. Plaza San Miguel Bajo is an area of outdoor fairly low priced restaurants in the Albayzín district and Calle Navas running south from the city hall in the center of the city is a pedestrian street lined with a wide variety of restaurants.

Drink
If you want to try a local wine ask for "un costa", the quality is extremely variable and it is more like sherry (but not fortified) than a table wine. Another option is "tinto de verano", or "summer wine", which is red wine and lemon Fanta. Delicious and refreshing.

The local beer is Cerveza Alhambra, an excellent lager from a local craft brewery which you can get just about anywhere in Granada. Alhambra Premium is the most common, but you can also get other varieties like Alhambra Especial and Alhambra Negra, which are darker with a slightly higher alcoholic content.

Most bars serve tapas for free, so there is no need to eat a huge meal before you go out

During summer many locals go to the coast and university students go home, leaving the nightlife quite dead.

Connect
Granada has 4G from all Spanish carriers. As of Sept 2021, 5G is starting to reach the city but is patchy.

Stay safe
Violent crime is not usually an issue. However, be very careful about your belongings: As in any city, there are many thieves & pickpockets in Granada (especially in tourist areas and around the cathedral). Sometimes thieves use distractions and work in teams. Police officers generally do not speak English. If you are robbed, they will probably direct you to the police station and find an interpreter. You will need a police report to claim the value of the items stolen for your travel insurance.

Beware of women, particularly around the cathedral (though you may find them in other tourist spots), who "offer" you sprigs of rosemary. They'll hold one out to you, but take it and they'll demand payment. If that's not bad enough, they consider coins bad luck so they won't accept anything less than €5. Though not really a threat, their persistence can be quite alarming. Avoid eye contact, firmly but politely say "No, gracias" and don't let them shove anything into your hands.

Go next

 * Cordoba is just a few hours' drive, train or bus ride to the northwest. If you've seen the Alhambra and want to see more architecture from the height of Muslim civilization in Spain, visit the Mezquita with its peppermint striped arches, wander the old streets of the Jewish quarter or visit the nearby Medina Azahara archeological site.
 * The Sierra Nevada Mountains lie to the south of Granada and offer skiing within thirty kilometers of town (accessible by bus from the main station) in the winter as well as good hiking or mountain biking in the summer.
 * Beyond the Sierra Nevada range, the Costa del Sol offers sun and sea just a couple of hours from Granada. The nearest beach towns to Granada are Salobreña, Almunecar and Nerja, each of which offer pleasant beaches without the massive crowds of much of the rest of the Costa del Sol. To the west sits Malaga, the largest city on the Costa del Sol and home to a handful of lovely cultural attractions as well as beaches.
 * Seville is a few hours west of Granada, possible as a long day trip but better as an overnight or weekend excursion, and home to many incredible cultural attractions, most notably the massive Cathedral and the Alcázar.