The Ultimate Travel Guide for Granada, Spain
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Nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains lies Granada - the most perfect city in the world. It’s a captivating blend of Moorish history, vibrant culture, and stunning natural beauty. Whether you’re drawn by the intricate splendor of the Alhambra, the maze-like charm of the Albaicín, or the tapas culture that can only be found in this Spanish city, this Andalusian gem has something for every traveler. This is the ultimate travel guide for Granada, Spain - I hope it convinces you to study there, or even just visit!
My credentials? I studied abroad in Granada and lived there for 5 months, so hopefully this doesn’t disspoint.
To help you out, here’s a little map of everything listed in this article! You can use this to plan your days out based on proximity and convenience. Thankfully, most of the best things to do in Granada center around a small area of the city, so while you’ll get your steps in (this is a STEEP city y’all) - there isn’t ~too~ much ground to cover.
Where to stay in Granada:
You can’t really go wrong with neighborhoods when choosing a place to stay in Granada. There are so many incredible types of accommodations to choose from! Whether you’re looking for luxury options with views of the alhambra or the cheapest budget hostel possible, I’ve got you covered.
Luxury:
Palacio Gran Via - Just steps away from the famous Granada Cathedral, this luxury hotel has it all! Rooftop terrace, Arab inspired Hammam pools, and incredible service. I never stayed here, but I frequented their coffee shop and pretended like I belonged. It would be a dream to stay here!
Alhambra Palace - Hotel Alhambra Palace, while not centrally located, MORE than makes up for it with its spectacular views of the Alhambra and the stunning interiors. I have simply never been somewhere more gorgeous than this hotel - I dare you to click this link, browse through their photos, and tell me I’m wrong. Again, I can’t speak for an overnight, but I can confirm that they have the most perfect espresso martinis that you can enjoy from the terrace.
Mid Range:
Áurea Catedral - Again, very centrally located, right by the cathedral in the main square, nestled between the Alhambra and the views of the Albaicin. It includes a free breakfast, and the building itself is beautiful. This is such a good budget stay, considering you’re right in the main square!
Casa Bombo - This one is located up in the Albaicin, which, while that makes it not centrally located, gives you those incredible Alhambra views that being in the city center simply won’t afford you. You can even book a room with a balcony view of the fortress for much less than you would spend at the Alhambra Palace.
Budget:
Smart Suites Albaicin - If you’re looking for a super-budget stay without being in a hostel, Smart Suites Albaicin is the place to be! While simple, it’s in an excellent location, and gets the job done.
Eco Hostel - located a 5 minute walk from city center, this hostel is the place to be if you’re either solo traveling in Granada or looking for a way to see the city for cheap! Dorms start at 20 bucks, and you can even get a private room for just over $100. The hostel itself is super cute, and even has a kitchen if you’re looking to safe money that way.
The ultimate travel guide for Granada, Spain:
1. The Alhambra and los miradores
Of course, the best thing to do in Granada is to see the Alhambra! This is what Granada is known for, and cannot be missed. I highly recommend booking a guided tour of the ancient fortress; the history is truly remarkable and adds so much context and weight to your visit as opposed to wandering around aimlessly. I booked this tour, and it was incredible! The guides are so passionate about the Alhambra and truly added so much to our experience.
Additionally, los miradores are simply the best places to see the Alhambra from far away. After all, while the Alhambra is beautiful on the inside, the view of it from the opposite side of the city is truly breathtaking. The best Miradores are Mirador San Nicolas and one that unfortunately doesn’t have a name, but you’ll probably pass on the way up! Use the photo above as your reference. Go for the sunset but get there early to snag a seat on the wall.
2. The Albaicín
The Jewish quarter of the city is one of the most beautiful places in Granada to wander through. The whitewashed buildings and flowers blooming everywhere are so dreamy. There are lots of steps, so consider yourself warned! This is where the majority of the miradores (viewpoints that look out onto the Alhambra) are located, and if you ever get lost, head up and to the right - this will lead you to mirador San Nicolas, and you can get your bearing from there.
Scared of getting lost? Book a sunset walking tour, they’ll take you to all the very best hidden gems within the Albaicin as well as drop you off at the iconic Mirador San Nicolas just in time to catch the sun dropping below the Alhambra.
3. Sacramonte and a flamenco show
Sacramonte is the part of Granada where the Romani people living in Spain dug caves out to live in. Nowadays, many of them make their living by performing Flamenco! A quintessential Spanish experience you MUST have while in Spain. I couldn’t write the ultimate travel guide for Granada, Spain, without including a Flamenco show - and the fact that in Granada you can attend one in a cave dug into a cliffside makes it even better.
I know a Flamenco show might not sound like the most entertaining way to spend an evening - but TRUST ME. - I was blown out of the water. It is truly incredible. The show was so entertaining, the dancers were so skilled, and while shows like that typically are lower on my list of travel priorities, it was one of my favorite things I did during my time in Granada. Book the exact show I watched here!
If you continue to hike higher into Sacramonte, (To mirador San Miguel Alto), be careful however, as the majority of paths that lead higher go directly in front of these people’s caves and can sometimes feel like you are trespassing on their property. I’m glad I went with a few people as opposed to by myself. Hiking high into Sacramonte will give you the best views of the city and a workout for sure. There’s a big old set of stairs that will take you up and up!
4. Day trip to Sierra Nevada
This is the best place to go skiing in Granada! I, however, am not much of a skier nor am I a snowboarder, so I just went with my friends and hiked a little bit! The mountain town is literally so precious. If you are planning on hiking, I would recommend either snowshoes or spiky things, as it was extremely icy and my group and I were NOT equipped for how hard this hike was going to be. I made it in heeled boots only by the grace of God. Definitely pack a lunch. Bus tickets are around 10 euros!
5. Monasterio St. Geronimo
Not gonna lie, this didn’t seem like anything much upon first entry. Well, walking up to the monastery is absolutely beautiful, but on the inside, I felt let down, that is, until I walked into the church. Then it opened up into a GORGEOUS rococo style church that seemed to come straight out of Vienna. The colors were incredible, and my jaw instantly dropped. I was flabbergasted, and that should be enough for you to want to pay a visit to this particular monastery.
6. La Catedral de Granada and the church
I know that if you’re traveling through Europe you might be sick of dark, dingy cathedrals that all seem to look the same. If thats the case, never fear, Granada has come to the rescue. The inside is a bright, pristine white, and it is truly beautiful. The church is right next to it and also worth a stop. Maybe you’ll get lucky and get to hear the organ player!
7. Carmen de los mártires
These are garden grounds up near the Alhambra. I actually only came in the winter, and I wish I had gone when I was there in the summer. It is so beautiful (and free) and a perfect activity for spending a nice day outside. It has beautiful views of the city and some especially friendly peacocks! Visiting these gardens were one of my favorite things to do in Granada - a perfect pit stop after touring the Alhambra before heading back down into the city.
8. Parque de las ciencias
Now I wouldn’t quite recommend this if you’re visiting Granada for vacation, but if you’re studying abroad and running out of things to do, this is a super cool science museum just outside of the city. They have incredible exhibits on the human body, nature, music, physics, etc. They have a bio dome full of sea-life, monkeys, birds, and lemurs. It is well worth a trip one weekend, and will take up a whole afternoon! They also have a LOVELY grand piano smack in the middle if any of you are worried about getting rusty while you’re abroad:)
Tapas
This section on Tapas is definitely the best part of this Granada Travel Guide, I can tell you that much. (Please keep in mind - I was in Granada in 2019 - so I don’t know how many cafes/restaurants have closed or are no longer in the same place, etc.)
The best thing to do in Granada is to get tapas, as it’s the only place in Spain that regularly gives you free appetizers with every drink you get. I’m so excited for you; here are the best places to get your tapas fix in. But FIRST: a quick lesson on what drink to get.
So many people associate Spain with Sangria, but in reality, Sangria exists for tourists and tourists alone. If you’re a local, you’ll get tinto de verano instead (translates to summer wine in English). Tinto is red wine, but what makes it into tinto de verano is the lemon seltzer they mix it with. The result is a super refreshing, cold, slightly fizzy, red wine with no gross mushy fruit floating around like gross backwash. It’s amazing. Okay NOW here’s the list of tapas bars you gotta go to.
1. El Delirio
the only place I’ll tell you to get anything other than tinto de verano is El Delirio. If you’re craving Mexican, this is the best place to go for jumbo margs and tapas that are the best I think I had in my entire time there. Maybe I was just in the mood for baby enchiladas or maybe they were sent straight from heaven. I don’t know, but you should go and then help me answer that question. (Get the mango flavored marg and split it with friends, it is the best).
2. La Fontana
This tapas bar is located on Paseo de Los Tristes, which is a street right by the small river that snakes through the city. Centrally located, super close to plaza nueva, and the ambience is to die for. Get tinto de verano but if youre being stubborn and still ordering sangria, get the white sangria. It’s delicious and way stronger. The tapas are pretty standard!
3. Los Diamantes
Best seafood tapas in town! There’s a few locations, so no matter where you are or where you're headed this is always a safe bet. It’s always crowded, so if you're looking to sit down, this is probably not the spot for you. Their tinto de verano and Alhambra beer are super cheap. The original Diamantes is located on Calle Nava, but this is the tourist tapa street so I’d actually steer clear.
4. La Bella y la Bestia
Bigger portions of tapas, and the tapas happen to be everything bagels and pasta salad. This really hit the spot a few months into living abroad! 10/10
5. La Buena Vida
I saved the best for last! La Buena Vida was my favorite place to get tapas in Granada. Tinto de Verano is pretty standard across the board, so its the tapas that make this the best place you can go, and the only one I ran across that you could choose your tapa, making this a great option for vegetarians. I always got the goat cheese tostada with caramelized onions and I died and went to heaven every. Single. Time. It was incredible and I miss it every day.
Getting a few drinks and getting full for essentially free? Girl math.
Cafes
It doesn’t happen all the time, but some days you need something to drink thats not alcohol. Here’s my favorite cafes to stop in to study and get coffee or drink a smoothie.
1. Cafe Mola
The most aesthetic cafe you’ll ever see. There are swings, neon sings, and the best beet toast you’ll ever have. Cafe Mola is perfect for studying! I love the artisan toasts, and never strayed from the mola latte, which was dulce de leche deliciousness, although you can get a selfie printed on a latte if thats more your speed.
2. Cafe 4 Gatos
The tostadas they give you here are the size of my head, and you can get them with artisan jams and jellies. It’s SO good, and I went on my birthday and the barista spiked my drink with baileys just for kicks and giggles. She said it was because we were both libras but maybe you should try your luck with that too:P
3. Rollo
If you're here for the views, this is the cafe for you! Directly in front of the Cathedral of Granada, you can have unrestricted views through the large glass windows (or eat outside and not have windows at all) while you enjoy your cafe bombón. This is also one of the only places that had an aperol spritz, which was my drink of choice. The tapas aren’t incredible, but the waiters are cute and the coffee and tostadas are amazing.
4. Noat and I need ____
These two are right next to CLM, and I need ___ has amazing smoothie bowls and crepes. Noat is perfect for gluten free, clean food and a quick cup of coffee before class! Mildly overpriced, but not as much as you’d pay for a coffee here in the US!
5. Potemkin
Even closer to the CLM, Potemkin was my go-to for a Nutella banana tostada for 2 euros. It was incredible, and extremely affordable. You won’t go a month studying in granada at the CLM without popping in to grab a bite in between classes.
6. CASITA DEL PAN
Freaking casita del pan. You’ll smell this bakery a mile away, there is NOTHING like it. You have to try the Piononos, I think Granada is known for them? If not then its Spain as a whole. My favorite pasty is the chocolate napolitana, and I tried to branch out, I did. But I always came back to the napolitanas. You won’t regret it!
Bars and Clubs
Fortunately for you, Granada is a university town jam-PACKED with bars and fun clubs. Unfortunately for you, i was a very loyal customer and only frequented a few places, so my list is nowhere near exhaustive. Here’s where I spend my weekends (and weeknights LOL)
1. Chupiteria69
Honestly slightly embarrassed at how frequently I went here... With every shot you take (and the shot menu is over 200), you get a ticket; it’s like a grown up chuck-ee-cheese. Save up your tickets to buy merch, such as keychains and sweatshirts! It’s generally jam packed with international students, and it’s definitely a backpacker-vibe bar as opposed to a local bar. (My favorite is shot is 23). It’s the best international bar in Granada.
Double shots on Tuesdays, as if you needed an excuse to go out on weekdays:)
2. Parabarap
If you’re more into doing as the locals do, head to Parabarap. The spanish music is always POPPING OFF, the hookah is cheap, and you can get a two liter mojito for 5 euros. Shots are 50 cents, and gin and tonics are 2 euros. Its incredible. It’s difficult to find, but when you do, you’ll never go to another bar. It’s behind hotel San Juan; the address online is wrong if I remember correctly. Look for glowing blue lights and you’ll know you’ve made it! (Ask if they have strawberry tequila, because it changed my life and I’m positive it will change yours too).
3. Wall Street
Although it a tight squeeze inside this small bar, the fun is in the “stock market” aspect. There’s multiple screens throughout the inside of the building with all the drinks they sell, and every 5 minutes the prices of each individual drink either drop or go through the roof! Whenever the Beefeater Pink dropped to 2 euros I’d snag three as quickly as possible (sometimes It was just a bad day on the stocks and i shelled out more than I would’ve liked, but thats the fun in it!) There’s not much dancing or music here, its more of a chill and meet people kinda bar, which is great for earlier in the night!
3. Pub Legend
Again with an extensive shot menu, Pub legend is so fun to pregame and dance. Don’t miss #1 on their menu, the legend shot (absinthe, tequila, and vodka). Shots are 1 euro once again. I was a regular there and never had a bad night! This is my favorite bar to go to if I’m feeling like dancing without going to a full blown club.
4. Mae West
THE club in town. It’s massive, always jammed packed, and just so fun. Wednesdays are ladies night, which means when you put your name on the list, you can get a free drink with entry before 1am. To get on the list, find their WhatsApp number online and just text them your name! Be super careful with your belongings though, I was one of multiple people I knew who got their phones stolen - womp womp. Beware of the huge flights of stairs outside, they're there to filter out the super drunk people, and they're not afraid to turn you away.
5. El Camborio
You’ll need a taxi to get to this one, as it’s up in the Albaicín. It has an incredible view of the Alhambra from the dance floor with floor to ceiling windows and an indoor as well as outdoor area that you can use depending on the weather. Definitely not as hype as Mae West, but still super fun.
^^this is not Camborio, just pretty filler pictures (hotel Alhambra palace where you can get the best espresso martinis ever
**** Bonus****
The best Shwarma place: Kebab Abdul. It’s the best drunk food that you can snag on your way back to your house. They stay open 24/7 and always come in clutch with fresh falafel that just hits the spot. It’s the McDonald’s of Spain. (Located on the street parallel to Camino de Ronda!)
Churros
If you're here for the ~TRUE~ Granada study abroad experience, then you’ll take one night and stay out until the churro shops open (usually around 6 or 6:30). I only did this once, and it was rough, not gonna lie. BUT, i can say that I did it and thats what matters.As far as I’m concerned, there are only two places in Granada to get Churros con chocolate: Cafe Alhambra, and Cafe Fútbol. Some love one, and some love the other, and its up to you to decide which is right for you! (It’s Cafe Alhambra, thats the only right answer, their chocolate is 10x better and frequents my dreams.)
Studying abroad in Granada:
If you’re studying abroad in Granada, I wanted to add this little section to make your transition a little easier! Just a few quick notes about living situations and gyms and such:
Chances are, you're in Spain to study Spanish. Even if you're not, no worries! El Centro de Lenguas Modernas caters to all Spanish levels, from beginner to advanced. I was upper intermediate upon arrival, and after having six hours of class straight through in Spanish four days a week, graduated to advance. YAY. You have options to take classes in English as well, although I would recommend as much integration as possible.
La Universidad de Granada has nearly 80,000 students, which was TERRIFYING for me because I coming from a school of 5,000. It actually wasn’t a big deal, because unlike American Universities, they have different faculties spread across the city, so it really just seems like a normal school, but in a city where everyone is the same age. It’s the best.
Living/Where to stay
you’ll probably have the option of living in a residencia or in a host home. I had friends in each, but I recommend a host home 100%. My host mom was an amazing cook, my two host siblings, Julia and Nacho, were the lights of my life, and it helped my Spanish improve by a long shot. When in Spain, do as the spanish do! It will help you get on the European schedule and learn colloquial phrases, and maybe they’ll even invite you on little trips they take.
Living with a host family was a highlight of my experience, and I couldn’t recommend it more!
Staying active
Not gonna lie, I gained 20 pounds in Europe. I was literally not going to restrict myself when there were so many traditional dishes to experience everywhere I went. When i was in Amsterdam, i ate multiple stroppwaffles every day because I wanted to eat the freaking stroopwaffle. I don’t regret a single one (lol)
Lots of people rely on walking everywhere for their exercise, but I went ahead and bought a gym membership to supplement. Fitness is really important to me, and I wanted to be able to indulge without constantly feeling guilty or worried about the damage I was doing on my body. But also don’t get too hung up on it, you have your whole life to eat salads and wear yourself out, you’ll drop it EASY when you get back.
The gym is also an escape for me, and when I was in a foreign country it was a little piece of home and familiarity. If you’re going to Granada and are looking to join a gym, here are my recommendations:
1. Yo10
Yo10 was my saving grace. It was right on camino de ronda, the street I lived on, and the prices were reasonable, even for foreigners. For a lot of gyms, you need a spanish ID number, which knocked out a lot of gym options for me. Yo10 just needs a passport which is doable for everyone. They have classes and a pool, and a nice big weights and cardio sections. I believe the membership to the gym (not the pool) is 30 euros each month, but I bought a package of three months.
2. Vivagym
This was the first gym I tried to get a membership at, but it didn’t really work out. Maybe it was the language barrier, maybe it was my lack of Spanish ID. Anyways, its more expensive for foreigners and not as nice. Go to yo10 instead.
Travel
A big concern that before choosing Granada as the city I wanted to study in, was their connection to a train station. This ended up not being an issue! Traveling Europe by train starting in Spain is tricky anyways, as the peninsula is pretty far removed from the rest of the continent. I always traveled by plane, just not from the Granada airport. I always flew out of the Malaga Airport.
******UNDER-UTILIZED RESOURCE ALERT****** : BlaBlaCar. It’s an app, a little bit like Uber, but for longer distances. I was always able to find a blablacar to the airport for under 10 euros, and the drivers were always so kind. It was an excellent way to practice spanish as well!
Don’t let the fear of Europe being inaccessible if you study abroad in Spain, because it definitely is!!!
Conclusion
That concludes my ultimate travel guide for Granada, Spain! My time here was incredible, and I’m SO glad I studied in a smaller city in Spain. This city had the perfect dynamics for me, and I had the experience of a lifetime. I HIGHLY recommend Granada, and as so much more than just a two day stop to see the Alhambra. There are so many things to do in Granada, and I can’t wait to go back to visit my host family and see my favorite spots again.
I hope this helps you and if you have any questions please feel free to reach out! I’ve definitely left things out for the purpose of not having this post be a mile long, but if you need more recommendations let me know!
xxEmma
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Everything you need to know about traveling to and studying abroad in Granada, Spain! From things to do, where to stay, what tapas to eat, we’ve got you covered with the Ultimate Travel Guide for Granada