We stayed in Granada during our 2-week Andalusia road trip in March 2024. We spent two full days here (three nights). While we felt this was enough time to see the city, you could arguably stay an extra day if you wanted to explore more outside of the city center. We will include a list of extra things to do at the end of the post that we didn’t get to see/do due to our short stay, as well as day trip options if you’re using Granada as a base for exploring the area.
There is a map of all our suggestions at the end of this post. If you want to check out where we ate during our 2 days, our gluten free in Andalusia guide is here.
In this guide you will find:
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When is the best time to visit Granada?
We travelled to Granada in the middle of March and had great weather. It was quite cool at night, but we had a beautiful and sunny first day with temperatures of about 22 degrees Celsius. We did however have a bit of a haze on the second day, which almost trapped the heat in and left us with a scorching 30 degrees Celsius. We have friends who have travelled there in February and October with wonderful weather. Most travel websites will say to visit in May – June, or September – October for great weather. These months are considered high tourist season, and you can expect crowds.
November through March are considered the coldest months for Granada, though rain is still rare. Temperatures can range from 4 to 16 degrees Celsius.
Summer in Granada can be sweltering. Thing temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius. Locals also take their vacations during this time, so many places could be shut for holidays. However, there are tons of events and activities, and this is a great time to beat crowds since the city will be relatively empty. But bring your sunscreen and water bottle!
Where to stay?
We stayed Hotel Andalucia Center, which wasn’t right in the city center, but we booked it due to its private parkade. Parking came with the room rate, but the parking spots were small. We did not book the breakfast add-on as it was quite expensive. They also have a rooftop pool and sitting area! It was a bit of a walk into the city center, so if you’re hoping to be more “in the stuff”, you might want to look more into the city center for accommodations.
For a full guide on the neighbourhoods of Granada and which ones suit different types of travellers, check out this site.
Explore Granada hotel availability below:
Neighbourhoods to Explore
1. El Centro
The Centre is a slightly newer neighbourhood of Granada, which includes the cathedral (which we did not visit) and the bazaar. Here you’ll also find one of Granada’s prettiest streets – Carrera del Darro! Walking tours are available if you prefer someone to guide you.
2. Alabacin
Considered the most charming neighbourhood in the city, Albacin is bohemian and full of character. It is a cute area to wander through, and there is a mirador with fabulous views of the city. Fair warning that this is a very hilly area, so be prepared to climb! If you’re not keen on walking the area, you can arrange e-bike tours through Alabcin and Sacramonte.
3. Realejo
Realejo is the old Jewish Quarter of Granada and is much flatter than some of the other neighbourhoods in the city. Realjo is below the Alhambra, so it is a convenient neighbourhood to explore before or after your Alhambra visit. There is lots of street art in the area, and some more expensive restaurants.
4. Sacromonte
We did not get a chance to explore this neighbourhood at length, and rather just passed through on our way back into the city center from a viewpoint. Sacromonte is known for cave houses and flamenco dancing! Fabulous views of the city from here, as it is high up on the hill. You can get a combined e-bike tour with Alabacin.
Things to Do in Granada
1. Alhambra
A must see in Granada, here you’ll find the Nasrid Palaces and Generalife gardens, among other buildings. It took us about 3.5 hours to do the whole site. The entire site is absolutely gorgeous. You can buy tickets for just the Alhambra site without the Palaces, but it truly would be a shame to skip them. The gardens were beautiful even in March, but we can only image how stunning they would be in peak blooming seaons. It was so hard to narrow down pictures, as the whole site was just breathtaking!
You’ll need to buy tickets in advance with a time slot for the Nasrid Palaces, and you have a 30 minute window to enter from your assigned time. We suggest booking early to try to beat the tour groups, or take a tour if that’s your preference.
2. Plaza Isabel La Catolica
A main plaza with a statue in the middle. We used this as a landmark to explore the surrounding streets.
3. Mirador de San Nicolas
In the Albacin neighbourhood, this is considered one of the best viewpoints of the city. You can see the Alhambra and over the Albacin neighbourhood towards the city center. You can get here by bus, or by hiking up the hill.
4. Saint Michael Viewpoint
Near the Albacin neighbourhood, this is the highest viewpoint in Granada with panoramic views of the Alhambra.
5. Paseo de los Tristes
A square that connects with the main road (Carrera del Darro) at the base of the Alhambra. It is full of shops and cafes.
6. Carrera del Darro
Beautiful mains treet along the river and below the Alhambra. Lots of cute shops (also lots of very touristy ones), and lots of cute spots to stop for food.
7. Plaza Nueva de Granada
The oldest square in the city, you’ll be surrounded by beautiful buildings. A great spot to grab a coffee or ice cream and people watch!
8. Frances Garden
Up on the hill near the Alhambra, this garden is free to enter! Here you can also find the Fuente de la Ola and the Mirador del Carmen de los Martires.
9. Alcaiceria
An Arabic-style bazaar with trinkets and souvenirs. Can be quite crowded, and many shops seem to be selling the same stuff.
10. Plaza de Bib Rambla
Vibrant square in the center of Granada. It is near the bazaar and cathedral and surrounded by restaurants with bustling patios.
11. Nevada Shopping
A massive modern shopping mall with Spanish and International chain stores. We visited during a hot day as it was air conditioned and a great spot to wait out the afternoon heat.
Extra Things to Do (that we didn’t get to)
- Royal Chapel of Granada
- Real Monasterio de San Jeronimo
- Hammam Al Andalus (Arab baths)
- Casa del Chapiz
- Attend a Flamenco show
- Parque de las Ciencias (Science museum)
- Do a tapas and wine tour
MAP of Things to Do in Granada
HOW TO USE THE MAP: Click on the Wanderlog logo in the bottom right corner to open the full-size map up in a new tab. There, you can choose to just look at one type of activity at a time or see all the activities on the map at once (click the 3 squares in the top right to choose). You can also export the map to Google Maps, share the map with others, or save the map.
Possible Day Trips from Granada
We did not take any day trips from Granada, as we were exploring Andalusia for 2 weeks by car. We visited Cordoba, Frigiliana, Antequerra, and Nerja, but not the other places on this list. Many of these are super slow by train, but a reasonable distance for a day trip by car. As such, for most of these places, you’d likely need to rent a car.
- Jaen, the olive oil capital of the world (1hr drive or by bus)
- Nerja, for beach and caves (1hr drive)
- Frigiliana, for white homes and cobblestone streets (1hr 10min drive)
- Antequera, for a UNESCO heritage site and hiking (1hr 15min drive)
- Sierra Nevada, for nature and mountain adventure (50min drive and 45min train)
- Malaga, for a coastal city experience (1hr 30min drive or 1hr 45min train)
- Almeria, for beaches (just under 2hrs drive)
- El Caminito del Rey, for a hike along gorges and boardwalks (just under 2hrs drive)
- Cordoba, for the Mosque-Cathedral and patios (just over 2hrs drive)
There are not a ton of organized tours from Granada, (most are to Granada). However, there are a few, such as to Sierra Nevada and to El Caminito del Rey.
Helpful Planning Tips
I rely on these tools when planning my trips:
- Get Your Guide – skip-the-line or timed entry tickets to attractions such as the Alhambra, Hammam baths, or a Flamenco show
- Airalo eSIM – get Spanish data instantly on arrival, without roaming charges
- Stay22 – compare hotels across Granada at a glance
- Wanderlog – keep track of your trip details, organize your itinerary, and map out your stops
