Things to do · Granada · Spain
20 best things to do in Granada
20 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Daderot, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
The essential sights in Granada are Alhambra and the Nasrid Palaces, Generalife and Mirador de San Nicolás. Of the 20 picks below, 8 are free, 7 work on a rainy day and 4 suit children. Allow about 3 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Alhambra and the Nasrid Palaces
- Free sights
- 8
- Good on a rainy day
- Palace of Charles V
- Time to see the highlights
- 3 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alhambra and the Nasrid Palaces | Alhambra hill | 3–4 hours | Mid-priced |
| Generalife | Alhambra hill | 1–1.5 hours | Mid-priced |
| Mirador de San Nicolás | Albaicín | 45 minutes | Free |
| Albaicín | Albaicín | Half a day | Free |
| Flamenco in a Sacromonte cave | Sacromonte | 1–1.5 hours | Mid-priced |
| Palace of Charles V | Alhambra hill | 1 hour | Free |
| Sacromonte and the Caves Museum | Sacromonte | 2 hours | Low cost |
| Granada Cathedral | Centro | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Royal Chapel of Granada | Centro | 45 minutes | Low cost |
| Alcaicería | Centro | 30–45 minutes | Free |
| Carrera del Darro and Paseo de los Tristes | Albaicín | 1 hour | Free |
| El Bañuelo | Albaicín | 20–30 minutes | Low cost |
| Corral del Carbón | Centro | 15–20 minutes | Free |
| Monastery of San Jerónimo | Centro | 45 minutes | Low cost |
| Monastery of La Cartuja | Cartuja | 45 minutes | Low cost |
| Parque de las Ciencias | Zaidín | 3–4 hours | Mid-priced |
| Huerta de San Vicente | Parque García Lorca | 45 minutes | Low cost |
| Carmen de los Mártires | Alhambra hill | 1 hour | Free |
| Realejo street art | Realejo | 1 hour | Free |
| Arab baths experience | Albaicín | 1.5–2 hours | Expensive |
The 20 best things to do
Palace · Alhambra hill
1.Alhambra and the Nasrid Palaces
The red-walled citadel on the Sabika hill holds the Nasrid Palaces, built mainly in the 14th century, with carved stucco, tiled walls and muqarnas ceilings around the Court of the Myrtles and the Court of the Lions with its fountain of twelve stone lions. The Alcazaba fortress at the western tip has the Torre de la Vela, with views over the city and the Sierra Nevada.
Enter the Nasrid Palaces at your exact time slot; see the Alcazaba before and the Generalife after, and allow at least three hours in total.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Tickets with a fixed Nasrid Palaces time slot sell out weeks ahead in spring and autumn; buy only from the official Alhambra ticket website and bring the ID named on the ticket.
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Views
- Photo spot
- Kids
Garden · Alhambra hill
2.Generalife
The Nasrid rulers' summer palace sits above the Alhambra among terraced gardens of cypress hedges, roses and pools. Its Patio de la Acequia, a long water channel lined with fountains and flowers, is one of the most photographed gardens in Spain, and the Water Stairway runs with water down its handrails.
Visit after the Nasrid Palaces to end in the gardens; late afternoon light is softest.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Included in the main Alhambra ticket; garden-only tickets also exist but sell out in peak season.
- Iconic
- Nature
- Couples
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
Viewpoint · Albaicín
3.Mirador de San Nicolás
The terrace in front of the church of San Nicolás gives the classic view of the Alhambra's walls and towers with the snowy Sierra Nevada behind. At sunset it fills with travellers, flamenco guitarists and street sellers, and the garden of the Great Mosque next door has a similar, quieter view.
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
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Neighbourhood · Albaicín
4.Albaicín
Granada's old Moorish quarter, listed by UNESCO with the Alhambra, keeps its medieval street plan of narrow lanes, stairways and small squares such as Plaza Larga. Churches such as San Salvador were built on the sites of mosques, and walled cármenes hide gardens behind high white walls.
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
Experience · Sacromonte
5.Flamenco in a Sacromonte cave
Granada's Roma community developed the zambra, a flamenco style performed in the cave houses of Sacromonte. Small cave venues host evening shows with guitar, singing and dancing just a few metres from the audience, and some restaurants in the Albaicín offer shows with dinner.
Choose a show in a genuine cave venue for the intimacy, and book a seat at the front.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Book a day or two ahead in high season; many venues include transport from the centre.
- After dark
- Couples
- Iconic
Palace · Alhambra hill
6.Palace of Charles V
Inside the Alhambra precinct, the Holy Roman Emperor built this square Renaissance palace with a striking circular courtyard in the 16th century. It houses the Museum of the Alhambra, with Nasrid art and objects, and the Museum of Fine Arts.
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
Neighbourhood · Sacromonte
7.Sacromonte and the Caves Museum
The cave houses of Sacromonte are carved into the hillside above the Darro valley, many whitewashed and fronted by prickly pears. The Museo Cuevas del Sacromonte presents traditional cave homes, crafts and the area's natural environment, with views of the Alhambra opposite.
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
8.Granada Cathedral
Begun in the 1520s on the site of the city's main mosque, the cathedral is one of the great Renaissance churches of Spain, with a bright white interior, a gilded main chapel and a baroque façade designed by the Granada-born artist Alonso Cano.
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
1.Royal Chapel of Granada
The Catholic Monarchs, Isabella and Ferdinand, who took Granada in 1492, are buried here in a crypt below their marble tombs, alongside their daughter Joanna and her husband Philip. The sacristy displays Isabella's crown and sceptre and her collection of Flemish and Italian paintings.
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
Market · Centro
2.Alcaicería
Next to the cathedral, this maze of narrow lanes was the Moorish silk market; rebuilt after a fire in the 19th century, it is now lined with shops selling lamps, ceramics, textiles and taracea inlaid woodwork.
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
3.Carrera del Darro and Paseo de los Tristes
A cobbled riverside street running from Plaza Nueva along the Darro river, crossed by small stone bridges and overlooked by the Alhambra's walls. It passes El Bañuelo and old mansions and ends at the Paseo de los Tristes, where terraces look up at the Alhambra's towers.
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 · Albaicín
4.El Bañuelo
On the Carrera del Darro, these 11th-century Arab baths are among the best preserved in Spain, with horseshoe arches on reused columns and star-shaped skylights in the vaulted ceilings that throw shafts of light across the rooms.
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
Historic site · Centro
5.Corral del Carbón
A 14th-century Nasrid caravanserai, where merchants stored goods and lodged, with a carved horseshoe gateway leading into a galleried courtyard. It is one of the oldest Moorish buildings in the city and free to step into.
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
Religious site · Centro
6.Monastery of San Jerónimo
A 16th-century monastery with two cloisters and a church whose walls and vaults are covered in painted and gilded decoration. It was built as the burial place of Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, the military leader known as the Great Captain, and is still home to a community of nuns.
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
7.Monastery of La Cartuja
North of the centre, this Carthusian monastery has one of the most extravagant baroque sacristies in Spain, an explosion of white stucco, coloured marble and inlaid wood. The cloister and refectory hold paintings of monastic life.
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
Museum · Zaidín
8.Parque de las Ciencias
A large interactive science museum with hands-on exhibits on the human body, physics and the environment, a planetarium, a tropical butterfly house and a birds of prey display, set in grounds with outdoor experiments and a viewing tower.
Plan most of a day with children, and check the planetarium and bird-show times on arrival.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
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Museum · Parque García Lorca
9.Huerta de San Vicente
The summer house of Federico García Lorca's family, where the poet wrote several of his best-known works, preserves his desk, piano and family furniture. It stands in a park named after him on the western edge of the centre and is visited by short guided tour.
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
Garden · Alhambra hill
10.Carmen de los Mártires
A 19th-century garden estate on the slope of the Alhambra hill above Realejo, with romantic terraces, ponds, statues and a small palace, plus views across the city and the Sierra Nevada. Entry is free and it is rarely crowded.
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
11.Realejo street art
The walls of Realejo, Granada's former Jewish quarter, carry large murals by the local artist known as El Niño de las Pinturas, often combining faces with lines of poetry. A self-guided walk through the lanes around Calle Santa Escolástica and Calle Molinos finds many of them.
Combine the murals with tapas in the bars around Campo del Príncipe.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Art
- Free
- Photo spot
Experience · Albaicín
12.Arab baths experience
Modern bathhouses near Plaza Nueva recreate the hammam tradition of al-Andalus with warm, hot and cold pools in candle-lit, tiled rooms, often with an optional massage. It is a relaxing way to spend a cool evening or rest after the Alhambra.
Book an evening session and bring swimwear; sessions are timed and capacity is limited.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Book ahead
- Reserve a time slot in advance, especially at weekends.
- Couples
- Rainy day
- After dark
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | Royal Chapel of Granada, Monastery of San Jerónimo, Monastery of La Cartuja and Parque de las Ciencias |
| History | Alhambra and the Nasrid Palaces, Palace of Charles V, Albaicín and Sacromonte and the Caves Museum |
| Views | Alhambra and the Nasrid Palaces, Mirador de San Nicolás and Sacromonte and the Caves Museum |
| Outdoors and nature | Generalife and Carmen de los Mártires |
| Food and markets | Alcaicería |
| After dark | Flamenco in a Sacromonte cave, Carrera del Darro and Paseo de los Tristes and Arab baths experience |
| With children | Alhambra and the Nasrid Palaces, Sacromonte and the Caves Museum, Parque de las Ciencias and Carmen de los Mártires |
| On a rainy day | Palace of Charles V, Granada Cathedral, Royal Chapel of Granada and Monastery of San Jerónimo |
What to book ahead
- Alhambra and the Nasrid Palaces: Tickets with a fixed Nasrid Palaces time slot sell out weeks ahead in spring and autumn; buy only from the official Alhambra ticket website and bring the ID named on the ticket.
- Generalife: Included in the main Alhambra ticket; garden-only tickets also exist but sell out in peak season.
- Flamenco in a Sacromonte cave: Book a day or two ahead in high season; many venues include transport from the centre.
- Arab baths experience: Reserve a time slot in advance, especially at weekends.
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Granada?
Alhambra and the Nasrid Palaces. The red-walled citadel on the Sabika hill holds the Nasrid Palaces, built mainly in the 14th century, with carved stucco, tiled walls and muqarnas ceilings around the Court of the Myrtles and the Court of the Lions with its fountain of twelve stone lions.
+What can you do for free in Granada?
Mirador de San Nicolás, Albaicín, Palace of Charles V, Alcaicería and Carrera del Darro and Paseo de los Tristes. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Granada when it rains?
Head indoors to Palace of Charles V, Granada Cathedral, Royal Chapel of Granada and Monastery of San Jerónimo.
+What is there to do in Granada at night?
Flamenco in a Sacromonte cave, Carrera del Darro and Paseo de los Tristes and Arab baths experience are best after dark.