Granada, Spain

Visit Granada: Albaicin

The old Arab quarter of Granada is just east of the city center. If you have time to explore just one Granada neighborhood, then this is the place. With it’s Moorish character, numerous monuments of different eras, and marvelous views, it’s no wonder Albaicin is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Two of our favorite places to sit and enjoy an afternoon drink and free tapas are right here in the Albaicin. Las Cuevas, a restaurant and bar located on Plaza San Gregorio is where street performers introduced us to our new favorite rumba flamenco band, The Gypsy Kings, as we sat and enjoyed delicious mojitos. Another favorite place, located on Placeta (plateau) Cruz Verde, Café 4 Gatos dolls out huge plates of free tapas with every drink.

Visit Granada: Sacromonte

Located east of the city center, this intriguing hillside neighborhood is known as the gypsy quarter. Today you’ll find numerous caves hosting the city’s best gypsy flamenco shows. You can even rent a cave for the night! Check out these rentals available an Airbnb. Along with the many caves, this neighborhood is also home to the 17th-century Sacromonte Abbey.

Visit Granada: The Realejo

Located in central Granada at the foot of Alhambra, this old Jewish quarter is where you’ll find a maze of steep and narrow streets. This neighborhood is known for amazing street art, the stunning Granada Cathedral, and Campo del Principe, a large plaza packed with restaurants and bars.

Visit Granada: Alhambra

Meaning “The Red One”, this world-famous fortress and palace complex overlooks the city of Granada. This UNESCO World Heritage Site dates back to 889AD and is Spain’s most visited attraction. Built mostly during Moorish rule then taken over by Spanish Christians, this complex is an incredible mix of architecture from both cultures. Although tickets are not necessary to enter the complex, make sure to buy your them in advance to visit the inner quarters and Generalife royal gardens. Do not miss a visit to this mesmerizing jewel!

Visit Granada: Book a Tour!

Getting to Granada: FLY

If planned in advance, you can find reasonable direct domestic flights to Granada from Barcelona for just $39 or Palma de Mallorca for only $28, although there are very few international flights into Granada. **Starting July of 2017, Easyjet will start offering direct flights to Granada from London Gatwick!

Granada Flight Deals

Getting to Granada: BUS

Buses are not our favorite mode of travel.. The seats are generally cramped, the ride is bumpy, and departure/arrival times can be unpredictable. This said, bus travel is generally the least expensive. The route from Madrid Spain is the same travel time as by train, but at only $27, is just 1/3 the price.

Getting to Granada: TRAIN

Trains throughout Spain are a great option; you’ll avoid lines at the airport, enjoy beautiful scenery, and they can be very comfortable. If you plan on doing a lot of traveling through Spain make sure you look into the Spain Pass, only available to non-residents. Fares & Schedules

Taxi

Find the taxi stand just outside of Granada Airport and expect to pay about 17EUR for the 20 minute ride to the city center.

Bus

Look for Bus #0245, operated by Autocares Gonzalez, just outside the airport arrivals terminal. You can purchase tickets onboard for 2.90EUR, and the 45-minute ride ends at Plaza Rotary, next to Palacio de Congresos, in the Granada city center.

Metro

Although delays are expected, a new 26 station Metro is scheduled to open in July of 2017. Single tickets for the north-south line are estimated at 1.35EUR, although notably most of Granada’s main tourist attractions are not serviced

Bus

There are two bus lines that service Granada. Single tickets for each are 1.20Euro, but there are some notable differences between the two lines. Tickets can be purchased onboard the smaller, red bus line operated by Alhambra Bus, which connect the city center with the Alhambra, Albaicin, and Sacromonte. On the other hand, tickets should be purchased from bus stop vending machines or taboacco stores before hopping aboard the large blue LAC buses that service the rest of Granada.

Taxi/UBER

There are basically three taxi fare rates in Granada: weekdays(1.52EUR initial, .82EUR for each addl km, 4.04EUR minimum); nightime(1.92EUR initial, 1.04EUR for each addl km, 5.02EUR minimum); and nighttime special(2.39EUR initial, 1.29EUR for each addl km, 6.30EUR minimum). UBER is not currently operating in Granada.

Walk

Although some of the passageways can be steep, we highly recommend exploring the beautiful city of Granada by foot. Walkscore.com gives the Granada city center a score of 100, calling it a “Walker’s Paradise”.

Where To Stay in Granada: HOTELS

Granada offers a vast range of hotels to choose from. Options range from high-end hotels like Carmen de los Chapiteles or Urban Dream Granada Hotel for $450 a night to more reasonable hotels like Hotel Inglaterra or Saray Hotel for just $55 a night. When it comes to hotels, we recommend shopping Agoda.com, far and away the most competitive resource when searching for hotels in Granada.

Granada Hotel Deals

Where To Stay in Granada: HOSTELS

Granada has roughly 60 hostels to choose from, and they’re located in every district of the city. Prices generally range from $15-$20 a night for a dorm room, while a private room will cost slightly more at around $30-$40 per night. Hostelworld is our recommended resource when searching for hostels in Granada.

Granada Hostel Deals

Where To Stay in Granada: AIRBNB

We love Airbnb! From private rooms to entire homes, there are plenty of choices when visiting Granada. If you’re a first-timer with Airbnb, use this coupon and enjoy $35 off of your stay.

Granada travel tips: Tipping

The general rule of thumb for tipping in Spain is to just add 10%. This said tipping in bars is not expected. A common tip for restaurant servers or taxi drivers is 10%.

Granada travel tips: Money

Spain’s national currency is the Euro, and is currently exchanging at 0.85EUR to $1USD. Credit cards are widely accepted and ATM machines are readily available.

Granada travel tips: Insurance

Traveling through Granada is exciting and safe, but you never know when some good travel insurance could come in handy. World Nomads offers the best coverage in the business, is affordable, and is quick to act should something go wrong. For more info, check out our recent World Nomads blog post.

If planning to visit Granada, you might want to check out our Granada resource page.

Wanderlust Duo inspiration and advice for over 50 destinations!

Follow Wanderlust Duo on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!