granada spain
Granada is a city in southern Spain, located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It is known for its rich history and cultural heritage, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Granada was once the capital of the Emirate of Granada, which was the last Muslim kingdom in Spain. As a result, the city is home to many important examples of Islamic architecture, including the Alhambra, which is a magnificent palace and fortress complex. Visitors to Granada can explore the city’s beautiful streets and landmarks, as well as enjoy its vibrant culture and delicious food.
getting to granada
We woke early in Madrid and took Metro to station Atocha where we were to take train from Madrid to Granada. The train left at 7:30 am and was due to arrive at 10:54 am but it was a little late arriving around 11:15 am. The train ride from Madrid to Granada is typically 3.5 hours. We elected to walk from train to our hotel which was near the cathedral and the walk took about 20 minutes. You can take a local bus or use the metro otherwise. If you are staying around the cathedral you would get off at stop and then walk about 12 minutes. The metro does also stop at the bus station. If you arrive to Granada via bus the easiest way to get to the center is to take a local bus. If you take bus into town you will be about 3 km from the area of the cathedral. You can take bus 21 or bus 33 to the bus station which takes around 20 minutes and costs 1.4 euro. You pay the driver on the bus.
Getting around
Most tourists elect to walk but make sure to be wearing comfortable shoes with a little grip. There are lots of cobblestones and some slippery stones. The Alhambra is up hill and also if you want to go to some viewpoints for sunset expect to head up some slight hills.
There are taxis everywhere if you prefer. Apparently it costs about 7 euros to get taxi from town to the Alhambra.
Our arrival
We were able to check in early and got organized for our trip up to the Alhambra. We stayed at the Casa de la Catedral. It is was located right on the plaza of the Cathedral and we were lucky enough to snag a balcony room with a view of the Cathedral. The rooms were large with good wifi and clean. It had a mini kitchen, TV and comfortable bed. I would highly recommend it! We grabbed to go Shawarma lunch at the Taj Halal before heading up to the Alhambra!
What we did
Alhambra
The Alhambra is the highlight of Granada. You will be blown away. It makes sense it was up for contention for the new wonders of the world and is declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Expect to spend at least half a day here. You can’t bring big bags but they have lockers if needed and remember to bring your passports.
The walk up took around 20 minutes and is primarily uphill. We arrived around 1:30 PM. We walked around Palace of Charles V and tried to get into Nasrid Palace around 2 pm but they said to return at 3 pm. We explored Alcazaba for about an hour and returned to the line. After going through the Palace we went through the Gardens and headed to Generallife. The whole thing took around 4 hours. You could easily spend more time here.
MIRADOR FOR SUNSET
There are many places to watch the sunset and one of the favorites is San Nicolas which gives views of Alhambra. After completing the main Alhambra we left and headed to the San Nicolas Mirador for sunset. This walk was about 20 minutes. It is a little hilly. It is fairly busy with loads of people sitting on the walls. There are also two restaurants with views just below in case you want your own little tables. Musicians and some artisan vendors are in this little plaza at sunset as well. Other viewpoint options include San Miguel Alto and San Cristobal if you have more time in Granada.
What we ate
We were on a very tight schedule since we only allotted one day in Granada. Because of that, we ended up trying to cram in more of the attractions so found two places with grab and go food for both lunch and dinner. Granada is known for its variety of cuisine and has some really incredible restaurants. We grabbed to go lunch at the The Taj Halal which was perfect for a quick bite. For dinner we got take away pasta from Cacho&Pepe which had fresh made pasta and you could choose your type of pasta and type of sauce. These both were very affordable and quick options!
visting granada
Granada is one of the best cities in Spain and for good reason. The Alhambra is simply incredible. This city has so much to offer. It is worth spending several days here if your itinerary allows. Also the highlights can be seen within one day if you are on a tighter schedule like us. You will not regret it!
