Visiting Granada Spain — The Complete Guide Including How to Book Alhambra Tickets

“Granada is so moving that it stimulates and melts all of the senses.” — Henri Matisse

We have been to Granada more times than we can accurately count. We visited first on our 10-day Andalusia road trip — arriving from Córdoba, parking below the Alhambra and walking up through the forest path in the afternoon light — and something happened that afternoon that made us come back. Granada is not like the other cities of Andalusia. Seville has more grandeur. Córdoba has the Mezquita. But Granada has something those cities lack — a Moorish soul that never fully left, still present in the maze of Albaicín alleyways, in the tea houses of Calle Calderería Nueva, in the sound of flamenco drifting from a cave in the Sacromonte on a Friday night.

We have returned many times. We intend to return again. This is our complete guide to the city we love most in Spain.

A Brief History of Granada

Granada’s past reads like a political thriller. In 711 AD, the Moors invaded the Iberian Peninsula and established one of the richest and most culturally sophisticated civilisations in medieval Europe. Granada became its jewel — home to philosophers, poets, scientists and architects who built the Alhambra Palace as the crowning achievement of Islamic Spain while the rest of Europe was mired in the Dark Ages.

In 1492 — the same year Columbus sailed for the Americas — the Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella conquered Granada, expelled the Jews and converted or expelled the Muslims. The Moorish culture that had shaped the city for 700 years was dismantled piece by piece. The mosques became churches. The Carmen houses became Christian palaces. But the Moorish soul of Granada proved impossible to fully erase — it lives on in the street plan of the Albaicín, in the arabesque details carved into doorways, in the hammam baths and tea houses that have returned to the streets where they once flourished.

Granada declined in the 17th century and was largely forgotten by European travellers until the Romantic movement rediscovered it in the 19th century. Washington Irving’s Tales of the Alhambra — written while he was living inside the palace in 1829 — introduced Granada to the English-speaking world and drew the first wave of modern tourism. The city has not been quiet since.

Getting to Granada

By air: Granada Airport (GRX) is located 15km west of the city centre. Several European carriers fly direct from major European hubs — check current routes as these change seasonally.

Check routes and airfares here

By train from Madrid: The Talgo high-speed train takes approximately 3.5–4 hours from Madrid Atocha. Book through Omio. The Granada train station is a 20-minute walk or a short taxi ride from the city centre.

By bus: ALSA buses connect Granada to Málaga (1.5 hours), Seville (3 hours), Córdoba (2.5 hours) and Madrid (5 hours). Comfortable, reliable and often cheaper than the train. Book buses here

By car: Granada sits at the junction of the A-92 and A-44 motorways. We drove our Andalusia road trip into Granada from Córdoba — a beautiful 2.5-hour drive through olive groves and red earth hills. Park outside the historic centre — the Alhambra car park is excellent for visiting the monument and walking into the city from there. Need to rent a car – check here for the latest cars and rates

Suggested Itinerary — How to Structure Your Time

Two days:

Day 1 morning — the Alhambra (allow a full morning, minimum 3–4 hours).

Day 1 afternoon — the Albaicín neighbourhood and Mirador de San Nicolás for sunset views of the Alhambra.

Day 1 evening — tapas at Bodegas Castañeda.

Day 2 morning — the Cathedral and Royal Chapel.

Day 2 afternoon — Calle Calderería Nueva, the Silk Market (Alcaicería) and Mercado San Agustín.

Day 2 evening — flamenco show in the Sacromonte caves.

Three days: Add the Sierra Nevada day trip or the Alpujarras mountain villages on Day 3 — some of the finest and least visited scenery in southern Spain.

Read our complete Andalusia road trip guide for how Granada fits into a wider southern Spain itinerary, including Seville, Córdoba and the White Villages.

The Alhambra — Everything You Need to Know in 2026

The Alhambra is Spain’s most visited tourist attraction with approximately 3 million visitors annually. It is also one of the finest architectural achievements in human history — a palace-fortress built by the Moorish Nasrid dynasty between 1238 and 1358, sitting on a forested plateau above Granada with the snow-capped Sierra Nevada as its backdrop. The name derives from the Arabic Al-Ḥamrāʼ — “the red one” — a reference to the iron-rich clay that gives its walls their warm reddish hue in the afternoon sun.

Alhambra Ticket Information — Critical 2026 Update

Read this section before anything else. The Alhambra ticketing situation is the most important practical information in this entire guide — more important than anything else we can tell you about Granada. Thousands of travellers arrive in Granada every year, having not booked their tickets and discover the Alhambra is sold out. Do not be one of them.

Only 6,600 tickets are sold per day. They sell out weeks — and in peak season sometimes 90 days — in advance. The official booking window opens 3 months before your visit date.

2026 ticket prices:
General Entry (Alhambra complete, including Nasrid Palaces, Alcazaba and Generalife): €21 per adult (€22.27 when booked online, including booking fee). EU citizens over 65: discounted rate with a valid ID. Children under 12: free.
Night Visit ticket: €12–€15 per adult.
Gardens and Generalife only (without Nasrid Palaces): €7 per adult.
Guided tours through third-party operators: €49–€69 per person, including entry.

The Nasrid Palaces timed entry rule — the single most important thing to understand:
When you purchase your ticket, you must select a specific 30-minute time slot for entering the Nasrid Palaces. This time is printed on your ticket and is strictly enforced — if you arrive late, you will not be admitted to the Nasrid Palaces, even if you have a paid ticket. Allow at least 20–30 minutes from the main gate to the Nasrid Palaces entrance on your arrival — the complex is large, and the walk takes longer than first-time visitors expect.

How to buy tickets:
The only official ticketing portal is tickets.alhambra-patronato.es — operated by the Patronato de la Alhambra y Generalife. Many unofficial sites look convincing and charge inflated prices or sell invalid tickets. Book only through the official portal or through GetYourGuide for guided tours with entry included.

Tickets can also be collected on the day if not sold out — at the ticket office, vending machines or ATMs at the complex — up to 2 hours before your Nasrid Palaces entry time. In reality, do not rely on this. Book months ahead.

The Granada Card: Issued by the town hall, costs €40 and includes daytime Alhambra access plus 10 other Granada monuments. Worth considering if you plan to visit multiple sites over 2–3 days.

On the day — practical tips:
Arrive at the main gate at least 30 minutes before your Nasrid Palaces time slot. The walk from the main entrance to the Nasrid Palaces checkpoint is approximately 20 minutes. The Alcazaba (fortress) and Generalife (gardens) can be visited any time after entry — plan to visit these before or after your Nasrid Palaces slot.

Opening hours:
Summer (15 March to 14 October): 08:30–20:00 (Nasrid Palaces night visit 22:00–23:30).
Winter (15 October to 14 March): 08:30–18:00 (Nasrid Palaces night visit 20:00–21:30).
Closed: 25 December and 1 January.

What to See Inside the Alhambra

The Nasrid Palaces — the reason everyone comes

The Nasrid Palaces are the heart of the Alhambra and one of the supreme achievements of Islamic architecture anywhere in the world. Three interconnected palaces built across different centuries present a sequence of courtyards, fountains, arched galleries and carved stucco that grows more elaborate and more extraordinary as you move through them.

The Mexuar is the oldest section — the council chamber where the Sultan heard petitions and administered justice, converted to a chapel by the Christian monarchs in 1629. The walls retain their original azulejo tile base and carved stucco above — the first indication of what is coming.

The Comares Palace is built around the extraordinary Patio de los Arrayanes (Court of the Myrtles) — a long rectangular pool flanked by myrtle hedges reflecting the Torre de Comares at its northern end. The reflection of the tower in the still water is one of the most reproduced images in Spanish architecture, and it is, in person, genuinely arresting. The Comares Hall (Throne Room) above contains a spectacular cedar wood ceiling of interlocking geometric forms representing the seven Islamic heavens — 8,017 pieces of wood without a single nail.

The Palace of the Lions is the most famous section of the entire complex — built by Sultan Muhammad V between 1362 and 1391 around the Patio de los Leones (Court of the Lions). Twelve marble lions support a central fountain, around which 124 slender marble columns support a colonnade of extraordinary carved stucco arches. The muqarnas (stalactite) vaulting in the Hall of the Abencerrajes and the Hall of the Two Sisters is among the most complex and most beautiful architectural decoration ever created — thousands of individual carved plaster cells forming vaulted ceilings that seem to defy the laws of weight and gravity. Stand in the centre of either hall and look directly up. Take your time. This is one of the finest things a human being has ever made from stone and plaster.

We stood in the Court of the Lions for a long time the first time we visited. We stood in it for a long time every subsequent visit as well. It does not diminish with familiarity.

The Alcazaba — the original fortress

The oldest section of the Alhambra is a military fortress built in the 9th century and expanded by the Nasrid dynasty. The Torre de la Vela (Watchtower) at the western end offers the finest elevated view of Granada from within the complex — the Albaicín directly below, the Cathedral visible in the city, the Sierra Nevada above. Climb it before or after your Nasrid Palaces slot.

The Generalife Gardens — the palace of leisure

The Generalife was the summer palace and leisure gardens of the Nasrid sultans — a series of garden terraces, water channels, fountains and pavilions on the hillside above the Alhambra. The Patio de la Acequia (Court of the Water Channel) — a long garden with a central channel of water fed by jets from both sides — is the most famous garden in Spain and the model that influenced garden design across Europe for centuries. Visit in the morning when the roses are at their best, and the light falls across the water channels from the east.

Should I Book a Guided Tour or Go Independently?

Both options are entirely valid — here is our honest assessment.

Independent visit — buy your ticket online at tickets.alhambra-patronato.es, download the official audio guide app, and arrive early and explore at your own pace. Gives you maximum flexibility to spend time where you want. Best for those who have read about the Alhambra in advance.

Guided tour — available through GetYourGuide. Typically €49–€69 per person including entry.

Benefits: skip-the-queue entry, a licensed guide who explains the historical and architectural significance of what you are seeing, and the ability to book when official tickets are sold out. We did the guided tour on our first visit, and it transformed our understanding — a good guide in the Nasrid Palaces makes the carved stucco come alive in a way that an audio guide cannot replicate.

Our recommendation: First-time visitors — book a guided tour. Return visitors — go independently.

The Albaicín — The Soul of Moorish Granada

You cannot leave Granada without spending time in the Albaicín — the ancient Moorish residential neighbourhood on the hill opposite the Alhambra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in its own right and the finest surviving Moorish urban quarter in Europe.

The Albaicín is a maze of narrow cobblestone alleyways climbing the hillside in a pattern that was deliberately designed to confuse — enemy soldiers who breached the walls would be lost within minutes. Walking through it without a map, following whichever lane looks most interesting, is the right approach.

A detail we love: When walking through the alleyways, notice the position of the doorways to each house — they never face each other directly. This was deliberate and reflects Muslim values of privacy: families should not be able to look directly into each other’s homes from their doorways. The same principle that designed these streets 700 years ago is visible in every alleyway today.

The Mirador de San Nicolás is the famous viewpoint at the top of the Albaicín — the platform outside the 16th-century church of San Nicolás that gives you the most photographed view of the Alhambra, with the Sierra Nevada behind it. At sunset, the Alhambra turns gold, and the snow-capped peaks behind it glow pink. Every evening, a small crowd gathers — locals and tourists together — and watches the light change on the palace. It is free. It is extraordinary. Go twice — at sunset and at dawn, when you will be almost alone.

Calle Calderería Nueva — the most beautiful street in the Albaicín, connecting the upper and lower sections and lined with Moroccan-style tea houses (teterías) and artisan shops selling ceramics, lanterns, leather goods and spices. Sit down in one of the tea houses for a glass of mint tea and a honey-soaked pastry. You are not far from Morocco here — geographically or culturally.

The Sacromonte — the neighbourhood of cave houses carved into the hillside east of the Albaicín, traditionally home to the Roma community and the birthplace of the Gitano style of flamenco. Friday night flamenco in one of the Sacromonte cave venues is one of the finest authentic cultural experiences available in Granada. Ask your hotel for their recommendation for the current best venue — the quality varies significantly, and local knowledge is essential.

Granada’s Cathedral and the Royal Chapel

The Cathedral of Granada began construction in 1523 on the site of the main mosque, the Catholic Monarchs’ statement of religious and political dominance in the newly conquered city. It is classified as one of the largest cathedrals in the world, though every Andalusian city makes the same claim. Its most notable feature is its architectural ambiguity — the ground floor is Gothic, the upper structure Renaissance, and the planned second tower was never completed due to a chronic shortage of funds that persisted for two centuries. Entry from Calle Gran Vía de Colón 5.

Adjacent to the Cathedral is the Royal Chapel (Capilla Real) — built between 1505 and 1517 in Flemish Gothic style specifically to house the tombs of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, the monarchs who commissioned Columbus, expelled the Jews and completed the Reconquista. They chose Granada for their burial place deliberately, as the site of their greatest military and political achievement. In another tomb lie their daughter, Joanna of Castile (known to history as Joanna the Mad) and her husband Philip I of Castile. The iron screen separating the nave from the royal tombs is one of the finest pieces of Renaissance ironwork in Spain.

Entrance fee Cathedral: €5 per adult. Royal Chapel: €5 per adult (combined ticket available). Open Monday to Saturday 10:00–18:30, Sunday 15:00–18:00.

The Free Tapas Tradition — A Genuine Granada Distinction

Granada maintains one of the last surviving traditions of genuinely free tapas in Spain — when you order a drink at most bars in the city, a tapa arrives with it automatically at no extra charge, not a small bowl of olives. A proper tapa — a small plate of food that changes with each round and that in some bars is substantial enough to constitute a meal if you order enough drinks. This tradition is taken seriously by Granadinos, who choose their bars partly on the quality of the accompanying tapa. Budget travellers can eat extremely well in Granada for the price of a few glasses of wine or beer.

Bodegas Castañeda at Calle Almireceros 1-3 is the most famous tapas bar in Granada — the oldest in the city, frequented by locals and tourists alike, standing room only at lunchtime and early evening, with barrels of wine and ham legs hanging from the ceiling and the particular noise of a room full of people eating well. The tapa changes, but it is always generous. Go at 13:00 when it opens for lunch and find a position at the bar. Order Alhambra beer or local house wine. Accept whatever tapa arrives. Order another round.

Other Things to Do in Granada

Museo San Juan de Dios (House of Pisa) — a 15th-century nobleman’s home housing a museum dedicated to San Juan de Dios (St John of God), the Portuguese-born founder of the monastic order of the Brothers Hospitallers who died in Granada in 1550. The central courtyard and fountain are typical of the noble homes of the Albaicín neighbourhood. The church holds his remarkably well-preserved remains.

Address: Calle de Convalencencia 1.

Open Monday to Saturday 10:00–13:30.

Admission: €3.

The Carmens of Granada — a carmen is a private Moorish home with a walled garden, built by the Moors on the slopes of the Albaicín with views across to the Alhambra. The gardens contained vegetables, herbs and flowers — a small paradise within the city. Most are private homes today, but several are open as restaurants and cultural spaces.

Mercado San Agustín — a covered market covering three city blocks near the Cathedral, built on the site of an old Convent and converted to a market in the 1970s. Excellent for local vermouth, olives, olive oil and artisan bread at market prices. The local atmosphere is a genuine relief from the tourist-facing shops around the Cathedral.

The Silk Market (Alcaicería) — established in the 14th century as Granada’s Grand Bazaar, destroyed by fire in the 18th century and rebuilt in Neo-Moorish style. The original market was twice its current size with ten iron entrance gates for security. Today it sells tourist souvenirs rather than silk, but the architecture is attractive, and the market is worth ten minutes of your time.

The Hammam Arab Baths — traditional Moorish bathhouses have returned to Granada after five centuries. The most famous is the Hammam Al Ándalus at Santa Ana 16 — a beautifully restored Arab bath house with hot, warm and cold pools, steam rooms and massage treatments. Book in advance as it fills quickly. This is one of the finest ways to end an Alhambra day. Entry from approximately €35 per person.

Flamenco in Granada

Granada’s flamenco tradition is rooted in the Sacromonte — the cave neighbourhood where the Roma community developed the Gitano style of flamenco that is considered the most authentic and most passionate of all Spanish flamenco traditions. A flamenco show in a Sacromonte cave venue — watching performers at close range in a curved cave room with bare brick and candlelight — is completely different from a stage flamenco production in a theatre. We strongly recommend the Sacromonte cave experience over the formal venue options.

Ask your hotel for the current best Sacromonte venue — quality varies significantly year to year, and local knowledge is essential. Shows typically run approximately 60–75 minutes and cost €25–40 per person. Book in advance, particularly for Friday and Saturday nights.

Day Trips from Granada

Sierra Nevada — 30 minutes from the city centre, the highest mountain range in continental Europe outside the Alps. Skiing in winter (November to April), hiking in summer. The road to the ski station (Borreguiles) is the highest paved road in Spain. A half-day trip combining the mountain views with a lunch at one of the mountain restaurants is one of the finest easy excursions from Granada.

The Alpujarras — the chain of white Berber-style villages cascading down the southern slopes of the Sierra Nevada toward the coast. Lanjarón, Orgiva, Trevélez (the highest village in continental Spain, famous for its air-cured ham) and Capileira are the most visited. Completely different in character from the cities of the plain — quieter, more traditional and genuinely beautiful. Allow a full day.

Córdoba — 2 hours by bus or car, home to the Mezquita — the Great Mosque-Cathedral that is the finest example of Moorish architecture in Spain and one of the most extraordinary buildings in Europe. We cover it in our Andalusia road trip guide.

Where to Stay in Granada

Luxury: Hotel Alhambra Palace at Arquitecto García de Paredes 1 — just outside the Alhambra’s ancient walls with spectacular views over the city. Moorish-inspired décor, beautifully appointed rooms and the most atmospheric location in Granada. Rooms from approximately €200–350 per night. Book your room here

Mid-range boutique: Granada Five Senses Rooms & Suites at Gran Vía 25 — 200m from the Cathedral with rooftop pool and panoramic city views. Stylish décor, excellent staff and a genuine rooftop experience that is hard to beat at the price. Rooms from approximately €100–180 per night. Reserve your accommodation here

Albaicín character: Smart Suites Albaicín at San José Alta 7 — five-minute walk from Plaza Nueva, excellent location for the Albaicín, with courtyard and kitchen facilities. For those who want to be immersed in the Moorish quarter rather than the city centre. From approximately €80–140 per night. Book your room here

City centre mid-range: Vincci Albayzin at Carrera del Genil 48 — traditional Andalusian courtyard, fitness centre, sauna, and 700m from the Cathedral. Location, location, location. Rooms from approximately €90–160 per night. Book accommodation here

What Does It Cost to Visit Granada? A 2026 Budget Guide

The Alhambra:
General Entry ticket (online): €22.27 per adult (approximately USD $24 / AUD $37).
Guided tour (including entry): €49–€69 per person.
Night visit: €12–€15 per adult.
Granada Card (Alhambra + 10 monuments, 2 days): €40 per person.
Gardens and Generalife only: €7 per adult.
Children under 12: free.

Other monuments:
Cathedral of Granada: €5 per adult.
Royal Chapel: €5 per adult (combined ticket available).
Museo San Juan de Dios (House of Pisa): €3 per adult.
Hammam Al Ándalus: from €35 per person.
Mirador de San Nicolás: free.
Sacromonte caves and Albaicín streets: free.

Food and drink:
Tapas with drink at a local bar: drinks from €2.50 — tapas free.
Full lunch at Bodegas Castañeda (drinks included): approximately €12–18 per person.
Sit-down dinner at a mid-range restaurant: €20–35 per person.
Local Alhambra beer: approximately €2.50–3.50 at a bar.

Flamenco show (Sacromonte cave): €25–40 per person.

Transport:
Bus from Málaga to Granada: approximately €14–18 each way.
Bus from Seville to Granada: approximately €22–28 each way.
Taxi from Granada Airport to city centre: approximately €25–35.
City bus within Granada: approximately €1.40 per journey.

Accommodation:
Budget hostel: €20–35 per person per night.
Mid-range boutique hotel: €80–180 per night.
Luxury: €200–350+ per night.

Overall daily budget:
Budget traveller (hostel, tapas at bars, walking): €40–60 per person per day (excluding Alhambra ticket).
Mid-range (boutique hotel, restaurant meals, one activity): €100–160 per person per day.
Luxury: €200+ per person per day.

The single biggest cost consideration: Book the Alhambra ticket before everything else — before flights, before hotels. The ticket is €22.27 online. It sells out 90 days in advance in peak season. You can book your flights for free and still not get into the Alhambra if you leave the ticket to the last minute. Book it first.

A Final Note on Granada

We have returned to Granada more times than any other city in Spain. Not because it is the most spectacular, though it is spectacular. Not because it is the most convenient — it is decidedly not, sitting in the hills at the end of a long road from everywhere.

We return because of the specific quality of an evening in the Albaicín when the light fades, and the Alhambra appears across the valley, golden and still, above the city that has existed in its shadow for 700 years. We return for the free tapa that arrives with every drink at Bodegas Castañeda. For the mint tea on Calle Calderería Nueva. For the particular sound of flamenco in a cave on a Friday night in the Sacromonte.

Granada makes a way into your heart like no other place in Spain. You will either return many times or its memory stays strong. Preferably both.

Frequently Asked Questions About Visiting Granada

Is the Alhambra worth visiting?

Without question, it is the finest surviving example of Islamic palace architecture in the world and one of the most extraordinary buildings we have visited in 70 countries. The Nasrid Palaces are genuinely beyond description — the carved stucco, the muqarnas vaulting, the Court of the Lions — nothing in Europe prepares you for them. Give it at minimum half a day. Give it a full day if you can.

How do I book Alhambra tickets in 2026?

The only official ticketing portal is tickets.alhambra-patronato.es. Tickets cost €21 per adult (€22.27 online). Only 6,600 tickets are sold daily. Book as far in advance as possible — in peak season (June–September and Easter week), tickets sell out up to 90 days ahead.

The most important thing to understand: when you book, you must select a specific 30-minute entry slot for the Nasrid Palaces. This slot is strictly enforced — late arrival means no entry. Allow 20–30 minutes from the main Alhambra gate to the Nasrid Palaces checkpoint.

What if Alhambra tickets are sold out?

Three options. First, check the official portal (tickets.alhambra-patronato.es) at midnight Spanish time when occasional cancellations are released. Second, book a guided tour through GetYourGuide or Viator — licensed tour operators often have ticket allocations when the general public portal shows sold out. Third, buy the Granada Card (€40), which includes Alhambra access and 10 other monuments. Never buy from unofficial reseller sites — many sell invalid tickets at inflated prices.

How many days do you need in Granada?

Two days cover the essential Granada experience — the Alhambra on Day 1, the Albaicín and city centre on Day 2. Three days adds a Sierra Nevada or Alpujarras day trip and gives you time to properly explore the Sacromonte and the Cathedral. We have spent more time than that on multiple visits and consistently found new things to discover. Granada rewards extra days.

When is the best time to visit Granada?

May, June, September and October are the sweet spots — pleasant temperatures, manageable crowds and the finest light on the Alhambra. July and August are extremely hot (40°C is not unusual) and the Alhambra is at maximum capacity — book tickets even further in advance. December to February is cold but quiet — the Sierra Nevada is skiing, the city is peaceful and hotel prices drop significantly. Spring is particularly beautiful when the Generalife gardens are in bloom.

What is the free tapas tradition in Granada?

Granada maintains one of the last surviving traditions of genuinely free tapas in Spain — order a drink at most local bars and a proper tapa arrives automatically at no extra charge. The tapa changes with each round and in some bars is substantial enough to constitute a meal across several drinks. Budget travellers can eat extremely well for the price of a few drinks. This is not a tourist gimmick — it is a genuine local tradition that Granadinos take seriously.

Is Granada safe for tourists?

Yes — Granada is generally very safe. The usual urban precautions apply: be aware of pickpockets in crowded areas around the Alhambra and Cathedral, keep bags close and use hotel safes for passports and valuables. The Albaicín and Sacromonte are safe to visit during the day and early evening — as anywhere, avoid poorly lit areas late at night. We have never had a security issue during multiple visits.

How do I get from Málaga Airport to Granada?

ALSA buses run regularly from Málaga airport and the city centre directly to Granada — approximately 1.5 hours and €14–18 each way. This is the most practical and affordable option. Private transfers are available for approximately €70–90 for the vehicle. A rental car gives you the freedom to stop along the way — the drive through the Andalusian countryside is genuinely beautiful.

What is the best viewpoint of the Alhambra?

The Mirador de San Nicolás in the Albaicín gives the most famous view — the full panorama of the Alhambra with the Sierra Nevada behind it, best at sunset when the palace glows gold. It is free, it is extraordinary, and it is crowded from late afternoon — arrive by 18:00 to secure a good position. The alternative: the Mirador de San Cristóbal, further up the hill, is less visited and gives an equally dramatic northern view of the Alhambra from a different angle. Also free.

What should I drink in Granada?

Alhambra beer — brewed in Granada since 1925, it is genuinely good and completely appropriate for the setting. The local Alhambra Reserva 1925 is excellent. Tinto de verano (red wine with lemon soda) is refreshing in the heat. Local Alpujarras white wines are worth trying at any wine bar. And wherever you are in the Albaicín, stop for a glass of mint tea at one of the teterías on Calle Calderería Nueva — it is one of the most quietly pleasurable things Granada offers.

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