Federico García Lorca in Granada

Federico García Lorca (1898-1936) is Granada’s most universal writer, and Granada runs through almost everything he wrote: the vega, the Alhambra, water, the Gitanos and flamenco song. Following in his footsteps is a different way to get to know the city and its surroundings, from the villages of the vega where he spent his childhood to the neighbourhoods that inspired some of his best-known lines.

The Huerta de San Vicente

The Huerta de San Vicente was the García Lorca family’s summer house, at the time surrounded by orchards on the edge of the city. Today it stands inside the García Lorca park, close to the centre, and is a house museum that keeps the family’s furniture, belongings and papers. He wrote part of his work here, and spent his last days here before being arrested in the summer of 1936.

Fuente Vaqueros, his birthplace

Lorca was born on 5 June 1898 in Fuente Vaqueros, a village in the vega about 20 km from Granada. His birthplace is now the Federico García Lorca House Museum, which recreates the atmosphere of his childhood and displays photographs, drawings and mementos of the poet.

Valderrubio

Very close to Fuente Vaqueros is Valderrubio, where the family had another house and spent long periods. The village and its people inspired part of his theatre, and it is often linked to The House of Bernarda Alba. The family house can also be visited as a museum.

The Federico García Lorca Centre

Right in the centre, in Plaza de la Romanilla, next to the Cathedral, is the Federico García Lorca Centre. It hosts exhibitions, theatre, readings and events about the poet and contemporary culture, and houses the archive of the Federico García Lorca Foundation.

Víznar and Alfacar

In August 1936, at the start of the Spanish Civil War, Lorca was murdered on the road between Víznar and Alfacar, a few kilometres north of Granada. His remains have never been found. There is a park in the area dedicated to his memory and that of the other victims, a simple, quiet place that many visitors walk through respectfully.

Lorca, the Gitanos and the Sacromonte

The Andalusian Gitano (Roma) world is at the heart of the Romancero gitano (Gypsy Ballads, 1928), one of the most widely read books of poetry in Spanish. Lorca knew the Sacromonte well, with its caves, its zambras and its songs, and that world, somewhere between the real and the mythical, finds its way into many of his poems. Walking around the neighbourhood, with the Alhambra opposite, helps you understand where some of those images come from. There’s more in our guide to the Sacromonte.

Lorca, Falla and music

Lorca was also a musician: he played the piano and collected folk songs. Together with the composer Manuel de Falla, who lived in Granada, he championed the 1922 Cante Jondo Competition, held in the Plaza de los Aljibes in the Alhambra to defend the oldest and purest form of flamenco song. That meeting of the Alhambra and music lives on in the International Festival of Music and Dance, which every summer brings concerts and flamenco to its palaces and gardens. You’ll find it in our guide to Granada festivals.

Planning your visit

• Book before you go. The Huerta de San Vicente and the house museums in Fuente Vaqueros and Valderrubio run guided visits in small groups. Check opening times, prices and bookings on their official websites or the Granada Tourism website.
• Combine the villages. Fuente Vaqueros and Valderrubio are very close to each other and easy to see in a morning. There are more ideas in day trips from Granada.
• Getting there. The Huerta de San Vicente and the Lorca Centre are reachable by public transport from the centre. For the villages, a car is easiest: see our guide to car hire in Granada.
• Read before you come. A few poems from the Gypsy Ballads or the Poem of the Cante Jondo are the best luggage for this route.