Granada is a beautiful city in the Andalusia region of Spain. No visit to Andalusia is complete without visiting the amazing Alhambra in Granada. Here’s how to spend a day in Granada, Spain.
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How to get to Granada?
Granada is situated in the Andalusia region of Southern Spain. There are a variety of transport options available to spend a day in Granada, Spain. It has its own airport, making it easily accessible from many European cities. Granada is also not too far from Seville, making it easy to visit as part of a tour around Andalusia. You can drive to Granada from Seville in about 2.5 – 3 hours. Or the train takes a similar amount of time. Check out train times here.
Visiting Granada as part of a week in Andalusia
It can be great to spend a day in Granada, Spain as part of a tour of the Andalusia region. I’d recommend spending a week in Andalusia to visit some of the best places in the area. Start off your week with a few days in Seville, and then spend a day in Cordoba, and a day exploring the white villages and mountains of Andalusia. Finish your week with a couple of nights in Granada.
Things to do in Granada
You can see the main sights in Granada in a day, but it’s best to start early to make the most of some of the sights with fewer crowds. Try to arrive the night before, so you can be up early to make the most of your day. If you’re looking for a travel guide for Granada, my favourite is the Lonely Planet guide to Andalucia (affiliate).
The Alhambra
My favourite thing to do in Granada is to visit the famous Alhambra. Book tickets in advance here, and I’d recommend visiting early in the morning so you can enjoy the serenity before it gets too busy. The Alhambra is a UNESCO world heritage site. It’s a medieval palace, originally constructed as a fortress in the 9th century and then rebuilt and converted into an Islamic royal palace in the 13th -14th century.
The size is amazing, but the highlight for me were the enchanting gardens and Islamic/Moorish decoration of the many rooms.
A highlight for me was this area, and the views into the distance from the palace. I also really loved the gardens, including the orange trees.
The decoration of the buildings was so intricate, and I loved seeing the Arabic calligraphy and the geometric patterns that are iconic of Islamic decoration.
Plan to spend around 4 hours at the Alhambra. If your visit started early, you can easily fill the whole morning here.
The streets and markets of Granada
After visiting the Alhambra, continue your day in Granada, Spain by exploring the cute streets and colourful shops and markets. You can definitely feel the Moorish influence as you walk through Granada’s streets, and at times it can feel like you’re in North Africa.
Take your time to wander through the streets, browse the shops, and stop for lunch at one of the many tapas bars.
Views of the Alhambra
Finish your day in Granada, Spain by visiting the best viewpoint of the Alhambra. The best viewpoint is Mirador de San Nicolas, off the street called Callejon Atarazana. Visit in the evening for a gorgeous lighting for photos, and if it’s a clear day you’ll be able to see the Sierra Nevada mountains behind the vast palace. It really is a magical place.
Enjoy spending a day in Granada, Spain! Check out the rest of my blogs on Andalusia so you can explore more of this region. Make sure you visit Seville, Cordoba, and the white villages and mountains. Or if you’re looking to explore other areas of Spain, check out my guide to Barcelona and the Montserrat monastery in the mountains. And if you’re looking for a travel guide for Andalucia, check out the Lonely Planet guide (affiliate).
The details of Alhambra are beautiful! Would love to get around more of Spain – only been to Barcelona and Montserrat so far.
My first trip to Spain was to Barcelona and Montserrat as well. I loved those places but I think the Andalucia region is my favourite!
Absolutely stunning photos – definitely want to add Granada to my Spain bucket list!
Thank you, there are so many beautiful places to take photos!
i have been dreaming of visiting southern spain & exploring the Alhambra specifically! i hope to make it there as soon as it’s safe, and i’ll definitely spend a day in granada.
It’s a beautiful area, I hope you’re able to visit soon!