9 Best Things to Do in Granada

The Alhambra is a well-preserved Moorish palace with a fascinating history dating back to the Nasrid Dynasty. Glimpses of Granada’s Moorish past can still be seen here, especially in the intricately decorated Comares Palace and Mexuar (reception hall). Nearby is the Generalife Gardens, comprising several landscapes with beautiful flowers, fountains, and pools, as well as a Water Staircase, which has water flowing through its parapets. Admission starts from €9 and guided tours are available at additional costs. 

Plaza del Principe is a large square within the old Jewish quarter of Granada. It’s where you can find an array of dining options in the form of tapas bars, cafes, bistros, and tablaos (flamenco bars). The streets are relatively flat, which makes it easy to explore on foot or bicycle. Some of the city’s most important landmarks include the 16th-century Casa de los Tiros fortress, Iglesia de Santo Domingo church, and Iglesia De San Cecilio church.

The Rodríguez-Acosta Foundation is a museum dedicated to 19th-century painter José María Rodríguez-Acosta. Founded in 1941, the museum occupies a large Art Deco building surrounded with beautiful gardens, courtyards, ponds, and sculptures. You can only visit Rodríguez-Acosta Foundation through a guided tour, which costs about €5. A local guide takes you through its many courtyards and terraces, 5 floors of exhibition halls, and underground galleries, one of which houses the private collection of historian Manuel Gomez-Moreno Martinez. 

The Alcaicería Market runs along the pedestrian-friendly streets starting from Plaza Bib-Rambla to the Granada Cathedral. Once a renowned silk market in Granada, this open-air marketplace is filled with colourful stalls selling mostly Arabic textiles, clothing, handicrafts, and accessories. Here, you can find a variety of ethnic clothes, textiles and leather bags. You may catch a whiff of herbal teas and Moroccan spices, especially when you’re browsing stalls near Plaza Bib-Rambla.

Granada Cathedral is a Spanish Renaissance church in the centre of town. Built in 1523, it’s one of the largest cathedrals in the world. One of its most picturesque features is the main altar, which has a large dome fitted with sculptures and paintings of religious figures, and towering Baroque columns painted in white and gold. The royal chapel houses the remains of Spanish royalty, including Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon. The Sacristy Museum is also located in the chapel, where you can check out exhibits of Queen Isabella’s library, royal artefacts, and classical paintings.

Granada's Science Park has become the most visited museum in Andalusia since its opening in 1995. This large space, covering 7 hectares, is just a few minutes' walk from Granada's old centre and is the perfect place to spend hours and hours with your family. Why? Because it's a museum in which you can touch practically everything (it was Andalusia's first interactive science museum) and because there are activities and exhibitions for all ages. Among the permanent exhibitions, special mention should go to those dedicated to the Earth's biodiversity and the human body. Don't miss the butterfly farm and the planetarium. Your children will never want to leave!

Huerta de San Vicente, located 1.5 km southwest of Plaza del Principe, was the summer residence of renowned poet Federico García Lorca. Today, it’s a museum displaying many of his personal belongings, photographs, drawings, manuscripts, and a few paintings by Salvador Dali. You should save some time to stroll through the gardens surrounding the museum. The winding walkways and beautiful flowers are a great place to relax. Admission costs about €3, which includes a 45-minute tour of Huerta de San Vicente.

Hammams are traditional spas where you can relax with a steam bath and massage after a day of sightseeing in Granada. Also known as Turkish bathhouses, treatments typically involve bathing in pools of varying temperatures, followed with a full- body massage using aromatherapy oils. One of the best hammams in the city is Hammam Al Andalus, which is a 10-minute walk from The Alhambra. It’s set within a 13th-century Moroccan bathhouse and has 7 bathing pools decked out in Arabic mosaics, arched doorway, and motifs. Book ahead if you’re planning a visit on weekends. 

Granada, with its thriving gypsy community, is one of the best cities in Spain to watch traditional flamenco dances. Many bars and restaurants in Granada’s touristy spots host flamenco shows, but for an authentic experience, many locals recommend visiting the cave tablaos (flamenco bars) within the Sacromonte district. A 2-hour-long show typically costs €25, but expect to pay more for meals and drinks. The neighbourhood also offers plenty of sightseeing spots, thanks to its many cave homes and hillside walkways overlooking The Alhambra, River Darro, and Valparaiso Valley.