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A weekend in Granada
If you are planning a weekend in Granada, do not miss these tips.
You may think you’ll have enough time to explore the city, but the truth is that if you don’t plan well, the hours will fly by. For this reason, I have placed myself in your shoes and have prepared an itinerary for a weekend in Granada.
You don’t have to follow everything, it is simply a guide to help you discover the highlights of Granada.
First day of your weekend in Granada: Friday
Friday will probably be the transfer day from your home destination and your arrival will not be until late afternoon or even evening.
Your first stop: the Albaicín
In order to take advantage of this first contact, you can start by visiting the Albaicín neighbourhood.
The Albaicín is the oldest quarter of the city. It was named by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. It’s a museum open around the clock with a lot of history and charm.
One of the most attractive things to do in the district is to wander through its streets because surprisingly, the majority of them lead to incredible views of the city.
It has several amazing viewpoints that you can’t miss.
The most popular is the Mirador de San Nicolás. It is always crowded. One trick is to visit the adjacent Mosque and enjoy the view from its courtyard.
But don’t stop only with this viewpoint, visit others viewpoints of the Albaicín. In the link you have marked the location of each one.
In the evening: go out for tapas
The evening arrives and after a long day, now it’s time to eat something.
The most common thing to do in Granada is to go out for tapas. A typical bar in the area, where we locals go, is called Restaurante Casa Torcuato. The same owners have another establishment called, el Picoteo. In case you want to alternate or just choose the one closest to you.
After tasting the local cuisine with our Alhambra beer, a pleasant idea is to have a drink in the Huerto de Juan Ranas. The restaurant has spectacular views of the Alhambra.
It is an emblematic and romantic place to end the night.
Second day of your weekend in Granada: Saturday
A good breakfast is essential to start the day and get the necessary energy to enjoy a new day. If breakfast is not included in your accommodation, consider my two favourite options.
- Churros with chocolate at Gran Café la Plaza Bib-rambla. Their kitchen is open and you will see how they prepare their delicious churros.
- Vegan option at Wild Food Granada. They prepare tasty avocado toast.
Once we have enjoyed this energetic breakfast, we are ready to discover the magic city of the Alhambra.
Morning: Alhambra & Generalife
It is important that before coming to Granada, you have bought your tickets online.
Beware of offers. The tickets can only be purchased through the official website of the Patronato de la Alhambra via internet or directly at the ticket office on the day of the visit.
The Alhambra is usually surprising, not only because of its beauty and state of preservation but also because it is a complete medieval city.
Most people think they are just visiting a few palaces and then discover that it is a whole complex. My suggestion is to enjoy it, don’t run, go slowly through each of its areas and, if possible, book a private Alhambra tour.
Midday: lunch in Granada
Since we have already mentioned food, where are we going to have lunch? It depends on your preferences. These are two suggestions:
- Jardines Alberto Restaurant. It is where I usually have lunch when I have to work all day. The food is tasty, they have a menu every day, the staff’s treatment is exquisite and the prices are reasonable.
- Maybe you want to go for tapas on your own or with me on the Tapas and Culture tour.
Afternoon: optional activities
We have enjoyed our morning, now we have to organize the afternoon. The alternatives will be conditioned by the weather, the people who are traveling with you and your preferences.
If you are traveling with children, a visit to the Granada Science Park is a great family activity. It is an interactive museum where children can have fun and learn while they spend the afternoon doing activities.
You may prefer to go shopping in the city centre or relax in the hotel for a while. The most important is to enjoy your choice.
In the evening: Sacromonte
Granada has a neighbourhood known as Sacromonte where gypsy families live in caves and where the gypsy flamenco dance is performed every night.
Don’t miss the Gypsy Zamba Granadina experience. Let yourself be carried away by their passion. The offer is quite wide, if you need help with the booking, just write to me. The show includes a drink, with an optional shuttle service.
The shows usually start at 21:00 or 22:30 which will give you time to eat before or after the show.
For dinner you can go for tapas or have dinner reservations.
- f you want to go for tapas and not spend too much time going from one place to another, try the Mercado de San Agustín. It is in the city centre.
- Another choice is to book a dinner at Restaurante el Trillo. It has an open garden and the first floor has some tables with views of the Alhambra.
Third day of your weekend in Granada
We have left the Granada historic centre for this day. You have everything very close and without even noticing it, you will be visiting one place and another.
Follow the itinerary below through the historic centre of Granada:
- We begin with the most special place in the old Granada Medina: the Royal Chapel.
The Catholic Monarchs Isabel I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon are buried here. They are accompanied by his daughter Juana; the madwoman, Felipe; the beautiful and the prince Miguel. The Queen loved Granada so much that she decided to be entombed here.
- Continues with the Granada Cathedral. It is the first Renaissance cathedral in Spain.
- Then the Alcaicería. It is the original site where the ancient souk from the Granada Kingdom used to be. Today it still has its Andalusian charm.
- Next go to the Corral del Carbón. It was a merchant’s lodging from the fourth century that is still preserved in Granada.
- Finally, stop in front at the Columbus and Isabella the Catholic sculpture. It reminds us that the “Indies adventure”, the discovery of America, was signed in Granada.
There are still many places to visit in Granada, but it’s time to say goodbye and go home.
Next time, you’ll be able to explore other corners around the city and get out from the historic centre.
I hope all these tips will help guide you on your next weekend in Granada. If you need more information or if you want me to be your private guide in Granada, just contact me. I will be pleased to be your hostess.
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