Welcome to Granada, a picturesque Andalucian city where history comes to life at its best. Impressive last Moorish stronghold in Spain, ravishing mix of cultures that intertwine perfectly with each other, winding cobbled streets of the old town, hypnotizing Flamenco shows, striking views… Granada has it all and even more. And all of that makes this city one of the most visited destinations in Spain, even for a day trip! Vamos, let us show you great things to do in Granada, Spain in one day.
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Granada, Spain FAQ
Granada is one of the biggest cities in Andalusia, in southern Spain. The city sits at an altitude of 738m a.s.l at the foothills of the picturesque Sierra Nevada mountains. It’s the capital city of the Province of Granada.
Granada is best known for its Alhambra, one of the best-preserved Islamic fortresses in Europe. It is also famous for its Arabic and gypsy quarters, flamenco shows, traditional hammams, and charming old town.
Many adore Granada, and some don’t particularly like it. So yes, Granada is worth visiting even just to form your own opinion. There are many attractions and things to do in Granada and chances are high that everybody will find something interesting for himself.
One day in Granada is enough to see all the main city landmarks and get a good feel of what the city is all about. But it’s definitely not enough to see all that the city has to offer. So if you want to experience Granada better, at a slower pace, and also go beyond the touristy things we recommend spending at last 3 days there.
Granada gets very hot in the summer months, temperatures can easily go above 40°C which definitely doesn’t guarantee pleasant sightseeing. So the best time to visit Granada is spring (March-May) and Autumn (September-October) when the average temperatures are lower.
Things to do in Granada, Spain in one day
Granada Alhambra
Alhambra is Granada’s main landmark, and for many the main reason to visit the city. What’s more, it’s one of the most visited attractions in Spain! It sits atop a high hill proudly overlooking Granada and beautifully blending into the landscape with the Sierra Nevada mountains in the background. Alhambra was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. Visiting this impressive monument is a must-have thing to do in Granada.
Alhambra is a palace and fortress complex that was built in the 13th century by the Moorish Nasrid Dynasty after the fall of Cordoba in 1236. It was the center of their power for the final years of their control over Andalusia. After the Reconquista and surrender of the Emirate of Granada in 1492 to Spanish rulers, Alhambra became the Royal Court for catholic monarchs, Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand II.
Nowadays, Granada Alhambra is a well-preserved complex that consists of 3 parts: Alcazaba, Nasdir Palaces, and Generalife. It’s a perfect place to dive into the ancient Islamic world.
Book now: Alhambra Small Group Tour with Local Guide & Admission
Alcazaba
Alcazaba is a military fortress dating back to the 13th century, built on the site of a former fortress from the 11th century. It’s the oldest part of the Alhambra complex which was the centrepiece of a fortification system. Standing on a high hill, it offered great panoramic views over the surroundings, very useful for protection against invaders. Nowadays, you can wander around the ramparts, explore towers, take a look at the foundations of ancient buildings, and admire fantastic views over Granada City and Sierra Nevada mountains and the city.
Nasrid Palaces
Nasrid Palaces is a royal palace complex, which is a real masterpiece of Islamic architecture where you’ll experience true splendor in its greatest form. It lies at the heart of Alhambra and consists of three main parts: Palace of the Lions, Comares Palace, and Mexuar. While in Nasrid Palaces, take your time to admire geometric designs, carvings, inscriptions, courtyards, patios, marble statues, fountains, pillars, and so much more… There are plenty of intricate details to discover – be sure to add this fascinating place on your list of things to do in Granada!
Generalife
Generalife is a beautiful, lush, and well-maintained garden complex with a palace, which is a former summer residence of the Nasrid rulers. Just walk around and enjoy colorful flowers, perfectly trimmed hedges, fountains, and of course stunning views over Granada City. It’s a true pleasure to walk around that area of Alhambra.
There is an entrance fee to visit Alhambra, and you can choose among a few types of tickets. General ticket allowing you to visit the entire complex costs €19.09 for adults, and €12.73 for kids aged 12-15; younger children can enter for free (August 2024). Remember to buy your tickets online earlier.
Useful tips for visiting Granada Alhambra:
- Book your tickets in advance online, best a few weeks earlier
- Don’t be late for your booked time for Nasrid Palaces
- Reserve at least 3 hours for your visit
- Don’t forget your ID or passport – you’ll need it in several places
- Tickets have QR codes, and you don’t need to print them – just use your phone
- Arrive early in the morning to avoid huge crowds
- There paid parking lots in the area where you can leave your car
Book now: Alhambra & Nasrid Palaces Private/Small Group Tour
Explore local attractions
Granada viewpoints
One of the best things to do in Granada is to visit some of its viewpoints that offer stunning views over Alhambra, the city, and its surroundings. There are plenty to choose from if you want to see the Granada from every angle. Here are the most popular ones.
Mirador de San Nicolas
Mirador de San Nicolas (eng. San Nicolas Viewpoint) is the most popular viewpoint in Granada, located in the Albaicin neighborhood, right next to the 16th-century church with the same name. It offers great views over Alhambra with Sierra Nevada mountains in the background, as well as the city. Mirador de San Nicolas is usually super crowded and quite loud.
Travel tip. Just a few steps from San Nicolas viewpoint you’ll find the Mosque of Granada (es. Mezquita Mayor de Granada) with a small garden and amazing views over Alhambra.
Mirador de San Cristobal
Mirador de San Cristobal (eng. San Cristobal viewpoint) is located close to Mirador de San Nicolas, next to the church of the same name. It offers nice views over the city and the Sierra Nevada mountains.
Mirador de San Miguel Alto
Mirador de San Miguel Alto (eng. Saint Michael Viewpoint) is one of the highest Granada viewpoints and to reach it you’ll need to hike a bit. Viewpoint offers good views over the city and Alhambra, and it’s much quieter and less crowded than the ones mentioned above.
Granada Old Town streets
The Old Town of Granada is full of charming streets and squares waiting for you to discover them. Don’t miss visiting the main shopping area, lively Plaza de Bib-Rambla, and adjoining streets. It’s a place full of shops, cafes, restaurants, bars, and street performers.
The next places you can’t miss are located right beneath the Albaicin neighborhood on the banks of the Darro River – Plaza Nueva square and Carrera del Darro street. This is the oldest square and street in Granada, where you’ll find a few ancient stone bridges and many Renaissance buildings. In the past, on Carrera del Darro funeral processions used to take place which indicates why its name can be translated to “the street of the sad ones”.
Discover: Accommodation options in Granada
If you’re on a hunt for unique souvenirs head to Alcaiceria Market which once was home to the Moorish silk market. Among its narrow and colorful streets, you’ll feel like at a street market in Turkey or Morocco. In many shops, you’ll find things like painted ceramics, jewelry, colorful clothes, stained glass lamps, carpets, and so many more to choose from. For a similar experience, you can also head to Calle Calderia Nueva, which is known as the little Marrakech of Granada.
Book now: Granada Tapas and Wine Small Group Tour
Albaicin neighborhood
Another great thing to do in Granada during your day trip is to visit the Albaicin neighborhood, also known as Albayzin. It’s the former Moorish quarter located on the hill facing the Alhambra. Albaicin is one of the most authentic and captivating areas in Granada. What’s interesting, this area largely retained its medieval street plan which dates back to the Nasrid period (13th-15th centuries)! Albaicin neighborhood was declared a World Heritage Site in 1994.
Take a nice stroll among narrow cobblestone streets full of charming whitewashed houses, do some shopping in one of the small craft shops, take a sip of coffee in a restaurant, and of course admire views over Granada from one of many viewpoints. It’s a real pleasure to get lost among Albaicin streets. But remember that Albaicin is located on a steep hill and you’ll have to get a little tired to get there!
Book now: Albaicín and Sacromonte Guided Sunset Walking Tour
Granada Cathedral
Granada Cathedral (es. Catedral de Granada) was built in the 16-17th centuries, on the grounds of a former mosque. It was ordered to be built by King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella after regaining power over the region but unfortunately, neither of them saw it finished as the construction took… 181 years! Due to that fact, you can spot an architectural mix of Renaissance, Baroque, and Gothic styles. Nowadays, Granada Cathedral is the second largest cathedral in Spain.
Entrance to Granada Cathedral costs €6 for a normal ticket, €4.5 for a reduced one, and is free for children under 12 years old (August 2024). You can buy tickets online or in the Cathedral’s ticket office. For current prices and opening hours visit ticketsgranadacristiana.com website.
Royal Chapel of Granada
Royal Chapel of Granada (es. Capilla Real de Granada) is a mausoleum for Catholic royalty, located right next to the cathedral. It was built between 1505-1517 by the order of Queen Isabella. Inside, you’ll find a crypt, the tombs of a few Catholic monarchs (like King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella, or their successors Joanna of Castile and Philip I), as well as a museum.
Entrance to the Royal Chapel costs €6 for a normal ticket, €4.5 for a reduced one, and is free for children under 12 years old (August 2024). You can buy tickets online or in the Royal Chapel’s ticket office. You can also choose to buy a combined ticket. For current prices and opening hours visit ticketsgranadacristiana.com website.
Discover: Accommodation options in Granada
Sacromonte neighborhood
Sacromonte is another of Granada’s traditional neighborhoods located on Valparaiso Hill, very close to the Albaicin and Alhambra. It’s a former gypsy quarter most famous for the troglodytes’ houses which have been converted into flamenco caves hosting dramatic flamenco dance shows. From Sacromonte you can also get a good look over Alhambra.
If you want to learn more about the Sacromonte neighborhood and see recreated cave homes you can visit Museo Cuevas del Sacromonte. The entrance costs €5 (August 2024). You can buy tickets online or in the museum’s ticket office. For current prices and opening hours visit sacromontegranada.com website.
Travel tip. If you want to see cave houses in which thousands of people still live, be sure to take a trip to Guadix, located only about 50km from Granada.
Book now: Granada's Hidden Treasures: Albayzin and Sacromonte Walking Tour
More things to do in Granada, Spain in one day
Here are some more interesting things to do in Granada, Spain you can do during your day trip. Feel free to modify the itinerary so that you can make the best of your time in the city, doing things that really interest you.
El Banuelo – Ancient Arab baths
El Banuelo are the oldest and best-preserved ancient Arab baths in Spain, dating back to the 11th century. Baths were the place where people were going to wash themselves, socialize, and do business. Unfortunately, after recapturing Granada most of them were destroyed as they were perceived by the Christians as places of debauchery, brothels. El Banuelo survived only because it was set in a private house.
El Banuelo is located on Carrera del Darro. Entrance costs €27.3 when bought with a “Dobla de Oro” Alhambra ticket, or €5 at the ticket office (August 2024). For current prices and opening hours visit tickets.alhambra-patronato.es website.
Book now: 1.5-hour Session at Traditional Hammam Al Ándalus
Flamenco show
If you’re looking for a cool thing to do in Granada in the evening you can’t miss seeing the flamenco show. Most of the shows take place in the caves in the Sacromonte neighborhood and are usually preceded by traditional dinner. Some of the best-rated places are Cueva la Rocio, Jardines de Zoraya, and Cuevas Los Tarantos. Most of the places need booking in advance.
Book now: Flamenco Show in a Cave Restaurant in Granada
How to get to Granada, Spain?
Granada is located about 170km from Almeria, 130km from Malaga, 55km from Guadix, and 250km from Seville. The most convenient way to get to Granada is by car, bus, or train.
Where to park in Granada?
If you’re traveling by car you can choose from many parking lots in the city. We left our car for a whole day in the Alhambra parking lot, which is located right next to the Alhambra and about 30min to the city center on foot.
Airports near Granada
The closest airport to Granada is located in Granada itself, about 20km from the city center. The next ones are located in Malaga (135km away) and Almeria (160km away). All airports offer bus or train connections with Granada. To learn more about connections that might interest you visit rome2rio.com website.
For great car rental deals visit Rentalcars website.
To Granada by train
Granada has a train station so you can get there easily by train from cities like Malaga, Almeria, or Seville. You can check out a map of available connections on acprail.com. For example, a journey from Almeria will last about 2h40min (€15-21), and 1h20min from Malaga (€14-20).
For great train ticket deals visit Trainline website.
To Granada by bus
From many places, you can also reach Granada by bus. For example, a trip from Malaga will take about 1h45min (€10-15), 1h from Guadix (€5-8), and 2h from Almeria (€12-18). Most routes are operated by the ALSA bus service, so you can also check available connections on the ALSA website.
Camping Granada Spain
If you’re traveling by camper you’ll be happy to know that there are quite a lot of campings in and near Granada. Places like Camper Park Beas de Granada, Camping Granada, or Camping Las Lomas might interest you.
Granada with an organized tour
If you don’t want to put too much effort into planning, you can always take advantage of the guided tours and let someone else take care of all the details. For a wide selection and well-reviewed tour options visit GetYourGuide or Viator website.
Explore local attractions
Things to do in Granada, Spain in one day – Summing Up
So here you have it, great things to do in Granada, Spain in one day. Quite a lot to choose from, right? We hope you’ll find our guide useful and you’ll have a really nice time in the city, choosing the best attraction for yourself. Enjoy!
Our video from Granada
Our opinion about Granada
For us, a visit to Granada was a day trip from Almeria, where we were staying for a few weeks. We visited in early April and started exploring early in the morning, about 8:30 AM. Without too much rush we managed to see most of the spots we had on our list in about 8 hours. Remember, the earlier you start the more time you’ll have to see the attractions with fewer crowds.
Overall, we didn’t particularly enjoy Granada. Why? Mostly because we hate crowds and loud and busy cities. And Granada had all of that and it was quite overwhelming for us. If a visit in the low season looked like that then we don’t even want to know how it looks in the high season! Besides that, Granada is quite a nice place but we think that places in the area like Guadix, Almeria, or Cabo de Gata Natural Park are more interesting.
But should you skip Granada? NO! We won’t tell you that – go and discover the city yourself and form your opinion. After all, it’s not without the reason that Granada is one of the most popular travel destinations in Spain.
Book now: Flamenco Show in Albaycin - Jardines de Zoraya
Restaurants, accommodations, and map
Check out various recommended places below.
Where to eat in Granada?
Here are your best, high-rated options in Granada:
Where to sleep in Granada?
Palacete 1620 Premium Suites/Only adults
Palacete 1620 is a luxurious and exclusive adult-only boutique hotel located in Granada. The hotel offers premium suites that are elegantly designed and furnished, providing a sophisticated and comfortable stay for guests. With its prime location in the heart of Granada, guests can easily explore the city's attractions.
Hotel Boutique Puerta de las Granadas
Hotel Boutique Puerta de las Granadas is a charming boutique hotel nestled in the heart of Granada. The hotel combines modern comfort with traditional Andalusian architecture, offering guests a unique and cozy stay. With its convenient location near the Alhambra and other major attractions, guests can easily explore the city's rich history and vibrant culture.
Vincci Albayzin Hotel
Vincci Albayzin Hotel is a stylish and contemporary hotel nestled in the historic Albayzín district of Granada. The hotel boasts elegant and spacious rooms with modern amenities and tasteful decor. It's set around a beautiful traditional Andalusian-style courtyard.
Accommodations photos source: booking.com
Great post! Your photos are wonderful. You’ve captured this place beautifully. I love the old town and the little quaint streets and the lanterns, so pretty! This definitely seems like somewhere to add to the travel bucket list!
This is such a great, extensive post! I’d love to go to Granada and I think seeing the Granada Alhambra would be absolutely amazing. I always love exploring old towns and little markets/craft stores when I visit somewhere new and taking a modern Arab bath sounds like such a cool experience! Thank you so much for sharing.