What to See in Granada in 2 or 3 Days

Granada is a wonderful city to explore on foot, and from the Sacromonte almost everything is within walking distance: the Albayzín is about 10 minutes away, the Cathedral about 20 and the Alhambra about 25. With three days you can see it at a relaxed pace; with two, by merging the second and third, you’ll still take in the essentials. This is the plan we suggest to our guests.

Day 1: the Alhambra and the Generalife

Spend the first day at the Alhambra. Plan the day around your entry time for the Nasrid Palaces, which is printed on your ticket, and round off the visit with the Alcazaba, the Palace of Charles V and the Generalife gardens. Allow a good half day.

• Buy your tickets in advance, especially in spring, summer and on bank holidays. We explain everything in Alhambra tickets.
• Walk up the Cuesta del Rey Chico from the Paseo de los Tristes, or take the Alhambra and Albayzín minibuses from Plaza Nueva.
• In the afternoon, rest on the house terrace, with the Alhambra you’ve just visited right opposite.

At nightfall, head down to the centre for tapas: it’s the best way to have dinner in Granada.

Day 2: the Albayzín and the Sacromonte

The second day is for the neighbourhoods around the house.

• Carrera del Darro and Paseo de los Tristes. Start beside the river Darro, with the Alhambra above. The Carrera del Darro runs from the Paseo de los Tristes to Plaza Nueva past stone bridges, stately houses and churches.
• El Bañuelo. On the same Carrera del Darro is one of the best-preserved Arab baths in Spain, with its horseshoe arches and star-shaped skylights.
• The Albayzín. Climb its slopes and alleyways up to the Mirador de San Nicolás and Plaza Larga. It’s the old Moorish quarter, with cármenes (houses with walled gardens) and cisterns. Our favourite views are in Albayzín viewpoints.
• The Sacromonte. In the afternoon, head back towards the house through the cave quarter: the Sacromonte Caves Museum, the Vereda de Enmedio and, if you still have the energy, the Abbey. In the evening, a flamenco zambra in a cave. It’s all in our Sacromonte guide.

Save the sunset for a viewpoint: that’s when the Alhambra turns red.

Day 3: the centre and the Realejo

• The Cathedral and the Royal Chapel. The Cathedral is one of the great Renaissance buildings in Spain. Right next to it is the Royal Chapel, where the Catholic Monarchs are buried.
• The Alcaicería. The old silk market, now a maze of narrow lanes with craft shops, next to Plaza de Bib-Rambla.
• The Corral del Carbón. Across Calle Reyes Católicos, a 14th-century alhóndiga from the Nasrid period, where merchants stored their goods and stayed the night.
• The Realejo. The old Jewish quarter, with street art murals, the Campo del Príncipe and a great tapas atmosphere in the evening.

There are more monuments and museums in our points of interest.

If you only have two days

Do day 1 as it is and, on the second, combine the Cathedral, the Royal Chapel and the Alcaicería in the morning with the Carrera del Darro and the Bañuelo, leaving the afternoon for the Albayzín and the Sacromonte, with sunset at San Nicolás.

If you’re staying longer

With an extra day, get out of the city: Sierra Nevada, the Alpujarra or the Costa Tropical are an hour or less away. There are more ideas in day trips from Granada.

Tips

• Comfortable shoes, always. The Albayzín and the Sacromonte are all slopes and cobbles.
• Take the bus when you’re tired. The C34 stops 40 metres from the house and drops you at Plaza Nueva and in the centre. More information in Granada city buses.
• Adapt to local hours. People have lunch and dinner later than in other countries, and many shops close in the early afternoon. It’s all in our Granada travel guide.