Granada is one of the most fascinating and fun cities to explore on a sightseeing trip. Not only is it regarded as one of Spain’s most beautiful cities, but it also offers a wide range of activities to enjoy as a family, with friends, with your partner, or as a solo traveller. Granada is an intense experience because there are options to suit all tastes and pockets.
Granada has a cultural and historical side, with monuments that simply must be seen. But Granada also has a rural aspect, and lots of opportunities for active tourism. And around the city, there are opportunities for travellers who love skiing and the snow. Of course, you simply have to sample the local cuisine, and get a flavour of the city forever associated with the sublime, poetic world of Federico García Lorca. The city of the Alhambra awaits you, and so we begin with a few essential activities so you can prove you’ve been there.
- Visita guiada a la Alhambra
- Exploring the Albaicín and Sacromonte
- Granada at night
- The way to Huerta de San Vicente
- Excursion to Valderrubio
- Other leisure options available in hotels
A guided tour of the Alhambra
The Alhambra is one of the most popular complexes of historic monuments in the world. Its designation as a World Heritage Site is richly deserved. Its uniqueness and significance make it well worth a guided visit, so take the plunge and book a tour with an expert who can tell you the history and lots of facts about this spectacular Moorish palace complex, which has come to symbolise the city of Granada. There are several companies that offer guided tours of this remarkable monument with its many edifices, towers, palaces, courtyards, and gardens. With an expert guide, you’re sure to enjoy exploring the Alcazaba fortress, the Nasrid Palaces and the Generalife.
Exploring the Albaicín and Sacromonte
The Albaicín and Sacromonte are two Granada neighbourhoods that exude a special magic and charm. Every visitor really should wander around their secluded streets and squares. The Albaicín is possibly the area of Granada with the greatest historical interest, a place where visitors can see how the inhabitants of the city’s ‘cármenes’ (elegant houses with beautiful gardens) lived. Sacromonte is famed for the caves which remain steeped in the spirit of the neighbourhood’s gypsy families, and the zambra [gypsy dance] which is pure flamenco. You can wander around alone or book a guided tour.
Granada at night
There are places in Granada that really shine at night. That is why we recommend that you enjoy the city at night when the sun sets, and go for a stroll around the area of the Alhambra. Stop by the viewing points (the Mirador de San Nicolás or the Mirador de San Cristóbal), relax in the Paseo de los Tristes, drop into a zambra to enjoy some pure flamenco, or just drink in the atmosphere of the heart of the city under the stars. And en route, take a gastronomic break by making a stop along Granada’s tapas trail.
The way to Huerta de San Vicente
If there’s one name associated with Granada all over the world, it is that of Federico García Lorca. We suggest that from the centre of Granada you follow the route to Huerta de San Vicente, the family residence where the poet spent every summer from a young age. Here, Lorca wrote some of his most famous works. Today, the place that inspired the author of Yerma is a house-museum, and an essential visit.
Excursion to Valderrubio
If you would like to gain a deeper insight into the world of García Lorca, we suggest you book an excursion to Valderrubio. Here you will find the poet’s roots, among the lovely Granada countryside. You can find out how people in the country lived during Lorca’s teenage years, and see how rural life inspired famous works such as La casa de Bernada Alba [The House of Bernada Alba]. In Valderrubio, you can visit the house-museum dedicated to Lorca.
Other leisure options available in hotels
Are you looking for somewhere pleasant to stay on your visit to Granada? Somewhere that will give you memories to treasure? Below, we suggest some options that never disappoint. We can recommend the Barceló Carmen Granada and the Barceló Granada Congress, where the swimming pool affords stunning views over the city, with the Sierra Nevada in the background. This hotel also has two restaurants, a piano bar, an exclusive U-Wellness area, and a Fitness Centre. The Barceló Carmen Granada has a terrace offering the finest views of the city, a swimming pool, gourmet dinners and cocktails by moonlight, and a fantastic Fit-Experience Gym.
Two other options which you are sure to enjoy are the Hotel Occidental Granada, located just a stone’s throw from the Science Park and the Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones [Conference and Exhibition Centre], and the Hotel Allegro Granada, which stands close to the city’s historic quarter.
