Free things to do · Granada · Spain
8 free things to do in Granada
Granada without the ticket prices: sights, walks and views that cost nothing.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
You can fill at least 3 days in Granada without paying an entry fee: Mirador de San Nicolás, Albaicín, Palace of Charles V and Alcaicería are all free. A free-tapas crawl of three or four bars can replace a restaurant dinner for the price of the drinks.
Key facts
- Free sights in this guide
- 8
- Low-cost extras
- 7
- Cost level
- Affordable
- Lowest hotel prices
- January–February and November
Free sights and experiences
Viewpoint · Albaicín
1.Mirador de San Nicolás
For fewer crowds, try the Mirador de San Cristóbal higher up or the Mirador de la Vereda de Enmedio in Sacromonte.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Views
- Couples
- Photo spot
Neighbourhood · Albaicín
2.Albaicín
Walk up from Plaza Nueva via Calle Calderería Nueva and come down along the Carrera del Darro so the steepest part is uphill in the cooler morning.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Photo spot
- Architecture
Palace · Alhambra hill
3.Palace of Charles V
Stand in the centre of the circular courtyard and speak; the acoustics are remarkable.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Free
- Rainy day
Market · Centro
4.Alcaicería
Compare prices across several shops before buying, and look for genuine local ceramics and taracea rather than imported souvenirs.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Shopping
- Free
- History
Street · Albaicín
5.Carrera del Darro and Paseo de los Tristes
Come after dark for a drink on the Paseo de los Tristes, when the Alhambra walls are floodlit above you.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Couples
- Photo spot
- After dark
Historic site · Centro
6.Corral del Carbón
It is two minutes from the cathedral; slip in on your way between the Alcaicería and Calle Reyes Católicos.
- Time needed
- 15–20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
Garden · Alhambra hill
7.Carmen de los Mártires
Visit after the Alhambra on the way down to Realejo for tapas.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Off the beaten path
- Couples
- Kids
Street · Realejo
8.Realejo street art
Combine the murals with tapas in the bars around Campo del Príncipe.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Art
- Free
- Photo spot
Free sights by area
| Area | Free sights | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Albaicín | Mirador de San Nicolás, Albaicín and Carrera del Darro and Paseo de los Tristes | 45 minutes + Half a day + 1 hour |
| Alhambra hill | Palace of Charles V and Carmen de los Mártires | 1 hour + 1 hour |
| Centro | Alcaicería and Corral del Carbón | 30–45 minutes + 15–20 minutes |
| Realejo | Realejo street art | 1 hour |
Worth a small ticket
Neighbourhood · Sacromonte
Sacromonte and the Caves Museum
Walk up the Camino del Sacromonte from the Paseo de los Tristes and continue to the museum; it is hot and exposed at midday in summer.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Kids
- Views
- Off the beaten path
Religious site · Centro
Granada Cathedral
Visit with an audio guide and then walk next door to the Royal Chapel, which has a separate ticket.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
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Religious site · Centro
Royal Chapel of Granada
Look down into the crypt to see the simple lead coffins beneath the elaborate tombs.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
Historic site · Albaicín
El Bañuelo
Visit around midday when the sun shines through the star skylights.
- Time needed
- 20–30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
Religious site · Centro
Monastery of San Jerónimo
Combine it with the nearby university district and a tapas lunch around Plaza de la Trinidad.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Art
- Off the beaten path
- Rainy day
Religious site · Cartuja
Monastery of La Cartuja
Take a bus or taxi; it is about 30 minutes on foot from the centre through modern streets.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
- Rainy day
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Museum · Parque García Lorca
Huerta de San Vicente
Read a few Lorca poems beforehand; the house is small and the visit is short and personal.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Art
- Off the beaten path
More ways to save
- A free-tapas crawl of three or four bars can replace a restaurant dinner for the price of the drinks.
- The Mirador de San Nicolás, Carmen de los Mártires, the Corral del Carbón and the Palace of Charles V courtyard cost nothing.
- Buy Alhambra tickets only from the official site; resellers charge large mark-ups.
- Stay in Realejo or around Pedro Antonio de Alarcón for lower room prices within walking distance.
- Fly into Málaga if fares are much lower; a direct bus to Granada takes about two hours.
- Visit in winter, outside Christmas and ski weekends, for the lowest hotel rates.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Granada expensive to visit?
Granada is affordable for most visitors, but 8 of its best-known sights are free, which makes a tight budget workable.
+What is the best free thing to do in Granada?
Mirador de San Nicolás: For fewer crowds, try the Mirador de San Cristóbal higher up or the Mirador de la Vereda de Enmedio in Sacromonte.