Things to Do in Granada

The Albaicin (also spelled Albayzin or Albaycin) is Granada's old Muslim quarter, and its steep twisting streets still have a medieval feel. With its white buildings and deep-gardened mansions spilling down the hill, the Albaicin is beautiful in itself, but what makes it particularly stunning is its views of the Alhambra. (The views of the Albaicin from the Alhambra enhance that experience as well!) There's a viewing point by the church of St. Nicolas that offers particularly good Alhambra vistas.

The Albaicin was heritage-listed in 1984. Its name may have derived from settlers fleeing the Christian invasion of the town Baeza, or it may derive from an Arabic phrase meaning 'quarter of the falconers.' Despite the Christian conquest of the city in 1492, it survived as a Muslim quarter for some decades, and you can still see the remains of Islamic bathhouses, mansions and fountains.

As Granada’s oldest city square, Plaza Nueva has long been at the center of local life and its strategic location at the foot of the Alhambra palace means many tourists will pass through on their way to the city’s top attraction. Laid out in the early Christian era, the square was built over the Darro River and once served as an arena for sporting tournaments and bullfights, as well as public executions.

Today, the bustling plaza is best known for its abundance of stylish bars and tapas restaurants, coming alive in the evening hours when both locals and tourists congregate on the lamp-lit terraces. There’s more to Plaza Nueva than its nightlife though and the elegant square is also home to a number of striking landmarks, including the 16th-century Royal Chancellery and Mudejar-style Church of Santa Ana, both the work of Renaissance architect Diego de Siloé, and the House of Pisa, which now houses the Juan de Dios Museum.

The Palace of Charles V is a carefully designed statement of triumph and prestige. By building a royal residence in the heart of a conquered Muslim citadel, Charles honored his grandparents, the Catholic Monarchs, and celebrated the victory of Christianity over Islam.

The palace is in the Roman style, with a circular building set in a square. It was begun in 1526. Work on it was abandoned for 15 years during Granada's Moorish uprising, and abandoned again in 1637, leaving the palace unfinished and roofless. Finally, in 1923, a plan was designed to rescue and complete it.

Marbella: the very name is enough to conjure an expensively scented whiff of the rich and famous who have flocked here since the 1960s and 70s. Sean Connery used to come here to play golf; Joan Collins lived here too. The cream of the stars may have moved on, but there's still plenty of money in Marbella - hence the prices.

The city still has a hearty whack of chic, despite the inevitable ugly over-developments and overcrowded beaches. And if you want to know why everyone started coming here in the first place, you have only to wander along to the old part of town, with its whitewashed houses, palm trees, jasmine and geraniums. 

A maze of narrow streets running between Plaza Nueva and Plaza Bib-Rambla in the historic Arabic quarter of Granada, the Alcaicería was once a lively Arab bazaar and the center of the city’s Muslim silk exchange. Sadly, the original gated bazaar was almost entirely destroyed by a fire back in 1843 and today the restored shops occupy a much smaller space, dotted around Calle Alcaiceria, in the shadows of the Cathedral of Granada.

Despite it’s pared down size, the Alcaicería is still one of Granada’s most atmospheric areas, with a plethora of traditional craft and souvenir stores crammed with ceramics, silver jewelry, and alpaca knitwear, and stalls hawking an array of exotic spices, silks and incense. Wandering around the markets is an experience in itself, but with vendors happy to barter for goods, it’s also a great place to pick up some bargains. Look out for local specialties like fajalauza (hand painted ceramics), granadino farolas (stained-glass lamps) and taracea items (traditional wooden goods).

The biggest draw of Granada’s UNESCO-listed Albaycin quarter is the hilltop Mirador de San Nicolás, a small raised plaza that lies in front of the San Nicolás Church. This is the city’s most renowned lookout point, from where the magnificent panoramic views span the city center, the distant Sierra Nevada Mountains, the Rio Darro canyon and, most famously, the grand Alhambra palace.

The small public square is a lively place to be at all times of the day, with a handful of craftsmen setting up shop along the paving stones and a roster of street musicians and flamenco dancers on hand to entertain visitors. The most atmospheric time to arrive is at dusk, when crowds of locals and tourists turn out to watch the sunset over the palace grounds, before adjourning to the restaurants and teashops of nearby Elvira Street.

Situated side by side, the Cathedral and the Royal Chapel (Capilla Real) together make an impressive monument to the power of Christian monarchs. The cathedral was begun in the early 16th century, and even though it didn’t achieve its full intended glory (it lacks, for instance, two immense planned towers), it’s still an impressive feat of Gothic-Renaissance magnificence. There are paintings by Ribera and El Greco and, in the main chapel, carvings of Ferdinand and Isabel kneeling in prayer. 

The Royal Chapel is built in the Isabelline style, a flamboyant version of Gothic, and was finished in 1517. Ferdinand and Isabel, who commissioned the chapel as their mausoleum, died before its completion, so their remains had to be housed elsewhere for a time before moving to the chapel. They rest there today beneath their marble monuments, along with several of their relatives.

Sacromonte is traditionally Granada's Gitano quarter, and these days, it is the epicenter of the city's flamenco scene. Spilling down the sides of its hill (the 'sacred mountain' of the same name; the district is actually named after the Sacromonte Abbey), the area has been extensively commercialized, but still has plenty of magic. At dusk, with the lights twinkling and the Alhambra views, it's hard to resist.

Built on a hill overlooking Granada and set against a backdrop of the Sierra Nevada, the Alhambra is a sprawling complex of intricately decorated palaces, pristine gardens, and a once-mighty fortress. This UNESCO World Heritage site was constructed during the Nasrid Dynasty and later partially destroyed and rebuilt by King Charles V. With its mix of Renaissance and Moorish architecture, the Alhambra Palace is the most sought-after attraction for visitors to Granada, sitting high on most must-see lists for Andalucia and Spain as a whole.

A hallmark of Granada's Moorish tradition is its use of water "“ fountains, pools, trickling streams, and of course the Baños Árabes (Arabic baths). Although it might not reach quite the glorious heights of the Sultan's own bath (Blind musicians! Dancing girls!), Granada's Aljibe de San Miguel Arab Baths (San Miguel Hammam) is still a great way to relax after a tough day on the tapas.

A soothing color scheme in yellow and blue, the waft of essential oils, chunky adobe pillars and seven pools with different temperatures will put you in a heavenly state of calm. If any stress lingers, choose some scented oils and treat yourself to an optional massage.

Also known as the Plaza de las Flores (Square of Flowers), the pedestrianized Bib Rambla is an elegant and ancient square at the epicenter of Granada’s bustling and late-night street scene Central to the plaza is a 17th-century marble fountain featuring Neptune supported by four giants, and to the northeast, the bell tower of Granada’s imposing Spanish Renaissance cathedral peers over townhouse façades decorated with wrought-iron balconies and arcaded doorways.

The church of the Monasterio de la Cartuja is where Spanish late-Baroque hits its lavish heights. It was begun in the 16th century and building continued for another three centuries; it was never completed.

The Carthusian monks that lived in the Monasterio de la Cartuja lived a humble life. They practiced silence, ate simple vegetarian fare and spent their time praying, studying, working and making rosary beads from rose petals (you can still buy these from the souvenir shop). But their low-key lifestyle must have been made up for by the wild profusion of their surroundings.