Granada is the place where the Moorish and Christian cultures meet among the mountains and the greenery. When you think about Granada, you think about the Alhambra and the beautiful scenery.
When to go: the best time to visit Granada is during the spring and autumn. Be aware that Granada is higher up than the rest of the cities in Andalusia and during the night it can get a bit chilly, so pack a jacket. As you can imagine during the months of July and august Granada can get very hot so it is better to avoid these months.
General advice: the itinerary that I propose is quite packed in this case so instead of a weekend escape, this can also be a 3 day trip. If you are doing a road trip around Andalusia, Granada should definitely be one of the stops on your trip.
Where to stay: I would recommend staying at the “centro” neighbourhood nearby the cathedral and surrounding area. Even though “Albaicin” and “Sacromonte” are very nice and authentic neighbourhoods, the centro is better located to explore around and it is on the best areas to go for tapas and dinner.
“Calm Suites Molino Corteza del Carmen” and “Precioso Ático en pleno centro de Granada” that you can find in booking.com are good options very well located. If you prefer a hotel, “Áurea Catedral by Eurostars Hotel Company” is a great option as well.
Day 1: Alhambra de Granada
The most important thing to do is to visit the Alhambra. A couple of practical tips before you visit: The tickets have to be bought well in advance as this is one of the most famous attractions in Spain. I would recommend buying the ticket “Alhambra General” that costs 14 EUR and includes the Nasrid Palaces access. You can also visit the Alhambra by night but I would only recommend this if you have been at the Alhambra before or if you want to do it twice! For the Nasrid palaces you have to book a specific time for the visit and I would recommend to go first thing in the morning if possible. We went in the afternoon and there were so many people unfortunately… it will take you around 3 hours to see the whole complex and you can start in the Nasrid Palaces and after visit the Alcazaba and Generalife.
Now a bit of history about the Alhambra… The Alhambra is a palace and fortress complex and one of the best-preserved palaces of the historic Islamic world that also contains notable examples of Spanish Renaissance architecture.
The complex construction began in 1238 by Muhammad I Ibn al-Ahmar. Later Nasrid rulers continuously modified the site. The most significant construction campaigns took place in the 14th century during the reigns of Yusuf I and Muhammad V. After the conclusion of the Christian Reconquista in 1492, the site became the Royal Court of Fernando and Isabel and the palaces were partially altered.
During the Nasrid era, the Alhambra was a self-contained city separate from the rest of Granada below. It contained most of the amenities of a Muslim city such as a Friday mosque, hammams, roads, houses, artisan workshops, a tannery, and a sophisticated water supply system. As a royal city and citadel, it contained at least six major palaces, with views over the Albaicín quarter. At the Alhambra's western tip is the Alcazaba fortress. Multiple smaller towers and fortified gates are also located along the Alhambra's walls. Outside the Alhambra walls and located nearby to the east is the Generalife, a former Nasrid country estate and summer palace accompanied by historic orchards and modern landscaped gardens.
After finishing this exhausting morning you can go to have some tapas for lunch at “Chikito”.
In the afternoon, you can have a walk around the Sacromonte. The Sacromonte is famous for its caves that are also houses. These were the houses where the gypsies of Granada used to live, however many of them are closed nowadays but you can still visit some of them and have a walk alongside the beautiful view points that can be founds in this area. The views of the Alhambra from here are incredible and the area is less crowded than the Albaicin, the view point “Mirador de la Vereda de Enmedio” is probably my favourite. You can have some tapas here at “Casa Juanillo” or have a drink while enjoying the view at “Camborio”.
For dinner you can go to “El Carmen de las Tomasas”, with incredible views of the Alhambra lit up at night. They offer some tapas and small snacks but also fish and meats.
Day 2: Albaicin and Hamman
Albaicin is one of the most touristic and popular neighbourhoods in Granada. It is famous for its narrow steep streets full of beautiful white houses with incredible views over the Alhambra. The most famous spot in the area is the “Mirador de San Nicolas”, which has incredible panoramic views making it a very popular spot. If you want to do a technical stop for some tapas in the Albaycin, I recommend going to “Restaurante andaluz - Casa Torcuato”.
Before lunch, you can also visit The Royal Chapel of Granada, which is the burial place of the Catholic Monarchs. The construction of the Chapel was ordered by the Catholic Monarchs in 1504.
At lunch time, on your second day, you should do one of the more typical things that you can do in Granada…. Basically go for tapas to different places! On the route of tapas bars, I would go to: Bodegas Castañeda, Los Manueles, Los Diamantes and Casa de Vinos La Brujidera (the latter is by far my favourite one).
In the afternoon, to finish your trip on a high note I would recommend going to “Hamman Al Andalus”. You can book different treatments and enjoy the different Arab baths. Top tip: with the Alhambra ticket you can get a discount at the Hamman.
If you want to see a flamenco performance the place to go is “Esshavira Club”, you can get tickets at the door. The Flamenco places that you will find in Sacromonte are much more touristic but “Cueva de la Rocio” and “Templo del Flamenco” still have charm so can be an option as well.
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