Granada is the last bastion of the Moors.
In Granada, you will find three world cultural heritage sites, Moroccan bazaars and tea rooms, Spanish tapas and flamenco shows. Granada offers an interesting mix of cultures and due to its location at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, it is a good starting point for hiking and biking or, in winter, skiing in Spain's largest ski area.
- Travel period: 3 days
- Best time to travel: May & September/October
- Main dish: 10 €
Arrival
The airport Aeropuerto de Málaga is the most important airport of Andalusia and is connected by many airlines, including budget airlines. Granada is only 130 kilometres away and can be easily reached by rental car via the A-45 / A-92.
Hotel
Granada offers some central luxury hotels and around the city centre many budget middle class hotels. A night in a double room in the luxurious Alhambra Palace* is available from 200 euros. We recommend the Leonardo Hotel Granada*, a 4-star hotel with a good breakfast buffet and only a 10-minute walk from the cathedral.
Places of interest
In the summer months the weather in Granada can become unbearably hot, in winter there is usually snow. We recommend the months of May, September and October as a pleasant time to travel.
The most important sights in Granada are the Alhambra with the Alcazaba and the Nazarite palaces and the Generalife, the summer palace of the caliphs with the paradise-like gardens. Both highlights are part of the world cultural heritage and are not only highlights of Arab architecture but also the last residence of the Nazarite kings in Spain. It is best to visit the gardens of the Generalife in the early morning. Then there are not so many visitors and you can enjoy the artistic water games, the colourful flowers and the quietness. Moreover, you get a first impression of the arquitecture of a Nasrid palace and a view to the massive dimensions of the Alhambra.
You should plan three hours for your visit. Thereby, for the viewing of the Nasrid palaces, the time on your ticket has to be exactly observed. Otherwise you can move freely on the grounds. As the queue at the box office is often very long and the number of tickets is limited, it is best to buy your ticket two months in advance.
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The historic Albaicín quarter is also a World Heritage Site. Here you will feel like in a Moroccan medina. Small authentic cafés offer tea and Arabic delicacies and the shops offer traditional handicrafts such as woven and embroidered scarves, leather goods, fancy jewellery, stained glass lamps and oriental tea services. For the walk from steep stairs and narrow streets high up to the San Nicolás Church we recommend comfortable shoes, but it is worth the effort. The view from the church square to the Alhambra is fantastic, especially at sunset.
The lively Plaza de Bib-Rambla is one of the oldest squares in Granada. Before we start our tour through the old town we treat ourselves to a traditional Chocolate con churros. The cathedral was built on the site of the former great mosque. It has an impressive interior with valuable paintings and many beautiful chapels. The magnificent Capilla Real is a royal burial place. It was added to the cathedral and can only be visited with a separate ticket.
The shopping area borders to the shopping zone. On the streets of Recogidas, Mesones, Alhóndiga and Puentezuelas you can do some extensive shopping in the shops of international fashion labels and regional designers.
The mountain Sacromonte was a place of pilgrimage in the 16th century. Later, gitanos and Flemish artists lived here in cave dwellings. On the Camino del Sacromonte you will find traditional shops and restaurants. The tapas culture is very strong in Granada and is most fun when you share the small dishes in a group. Some restaurants offer cave flamenco , followed by a guided tour of Sacromonte (reservation required!). Sacromonte is about three kilometres away from the old town. There is a bus from Plaza Nueva.
Our book tip
For your trip through Andalusia we recommend the travel guide: From Málaga through Andalusia Hier geht’s zum Buch!
