Spain · Andalusia

Granada travel guide

The Alhambra, free tapas and snow-capped mountains behind it all

The Alhambra, Granada. Photo: Jebulon, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

2h 30mflight from London

GRXnearest main airport

26° in Julwarmest month

8° in Jancoolest month

Granada was the last Moorish kingdom in Spain, and it shows. The Alhambra, a palace-fortress of carved stucco and water gardens, sits on a hill above the city with the Sierra Nevada behind it.

Below it, the old Albaicín quarter tumbles down the opposite hill, and many bars still bring a free tapa with every drink.

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Top things to do in Granada

1
The Alhambra
The Nasrid Palaces, the Generalife gardens and the Alcazaba fortress. Tickets go on sale months ahead and sell out.
2
Mirador de San Nicolás
The classic sunset view of the Alhambra glowing red against the mountains.
3
The Albaicín
Steep whitewashed lanes, Moorish houses and tiny squares. Easy to get lost in, which is the point.
4
Sacromonte
Cave houses dug into the hillside, and flamenco shows inside them at night.
5
The cathedral and Royal Chapel
Where Ferdinand and Isabella, who completed the Reconquista, are buried.
6
Free tapas crawl
Order a drink, get a plate of food. Calle Navas and Calle Elvira are good places to start.

Tours and tickets in Granada

Where to stay in Granada

Centro
Flat, central and handy for buses up to the Alhambra.
Albaicín
Views of the Alhambra and lots of character, but steep, and taxis can't reach every lane.
Realejo
The old Jewish quarter, at the foot of the Alhambra hill, with good bars.

Find a hotel in Granada

Best time to visit Granada

Best value: Mar–May, Sep–Nov. March to May and September to November. Winters are cold at night; summers are hot but drier than Seville.

Best valueBusy and pricierQuietAverage temperature in Granada, °C, 2001–2025 (NASA POWER).

Getting there and around

About 2h 30m from London to GRX, and flights from most UK airports.

Small buses climb to the Alhambra and the Albaicín. Most UK flights go to Málaga, 1½ hours away by bus; Granada's own airport has a few routes.

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Day trips from Granada

Sierra Nevada
Skiing in winter and hiking in summer, under an hour's drive away.
Las Alpujarras
White villages on the southern slopes of the mountains, famous for ham and hiking.
Córdoba
The Mezquita, about 1½ hours away by high-speed train.

Good to know

Book Alhambra tickets on the official site as soon as your dates are set, and bring the passport you booked with.
Your Nasrid Palaces entry time is strict: miss it and you can't get in.
Wear proper shoes for the Albaicín: the cobbles are steep and polished.

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