How Many Days in Granada? My Opinion and Insider Tips
Granada is one of the most charming cities in Southern Spain, and if it’s on your list, you’ll probably ask yourself how many days in Granada you should spend.
The Alhambra Palace, the Generalife Gardens, and the Cathedral of Granada are a few of the unmissable attractions in Granada, but there is more to it than these main sights!
The short answer is: you should spend a minimum of two days in Granada. However, the more, the better, especially if you love slow travelling and discovering hidden gems. I always discover something new on my trips to Granada.
This blog will answer all your questions about how long to spend in Granada, what to do, and tips for making the most of your trip from someone who has visited Granada many times and loves the city.
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How many days in Granada should I spend?
I recommend spending at least two days in Granada. This will give you enough time to visit the city’s main historic buildings and enjoy its vibrant atmosphere.
I’ve visited Granada countless times for day trips and short getaways, since it’s about an hour and a 30-minute drive from my hometown, Malaga.
If you want to explore beyond the top attractions in Granada City and the city itself, which I really recommend doing, you’ll need to spend 3 to 4 days.
You could explore the stunning mountain villages of the Alpujarras or the Costa Tropical coast. If you prefer nature, I’m pretty sure that you’ll love Granada Geopark as much as I do.
Below, I’m sharing my recommended itineraries for the days you plan to stay.
1-day itinerary for Granada
If you’re visiting Granada for less than 24 hours, I’ve got you covered with this itinerary.
- Visit the Alhambra palace (estimated time: 3-4 hours)
- Eat tapas at Los Manueles Reyes Católicos
- Discover the Cathedral of Granada
- Wander around the Albaicin neighbourhood
- Watch the sunset at Mirador de San Nicolás
Extra activities
Watch a flamenco show, eat a pionono (a traditional small cake) at Ysla bakery, or take a guided walking tour.
2-day itinerary for Granada
Two days in Granada is the ideal time to visit all the main sights in the city, plus you might have some spare time to visit off-the-beaten-track spots. Here is a breakdown of the things to do over the next two days, plus extra activities.
Day 1 in Granada
- Grab a cake at Ysla Bakery. Order a pionono if you want to try a traditional sweet.
- Visit the Alhambra palace (estimated time: 3-4 hours)
- Eat tapas at Los Manueles Reyes Católicos
- Discover the Cathedral of Granada
- Enjoy a delicious mint tea at a tetería (tea room)
- Watch the sunset at Mirador de San Nicolás
Day 2 in Granada
- Have breakfast at Café 4 Gatos
- Wander the streets of Albaicín
- Go to Sacromonte caves
- Have food while enjoying a flamenco show
- Visit Real Monasterio de San Jerónimo
Extra activities
Go to Federico García Lorca Park, visit the local market, or take a food walking tour.
3-day itinerary for Granada
If you’re staying in Granada for 3 days, you can enjoy the city at a slow pace while ticking off all the main attractions and hidden gems.
For a complete 3-day itinerary, follow days 1 and 2 from the previous itinerary first. Then pick one of the options below:
- Option 1: Go on a day trip to Alpujarra Granadina. Here, you can visit beautiful whitewashed towns next to Sierra Nevada mountain. The most popular ones are Soportújar, Lanjarón and Pampaneira, which are close to each other, so you can visit them all in one day.
You might want to switch plans if you visit Granada in the summer. Head to Costa Tropical (Granada coastline) to spend the day at the beach. Almuñecar and Salobreña are popular beach towns. Another great beach town is Nerja in the province of Malaga, but close to the Granada Coast.
- Option 2: Go to Sierra Nevada for the day. If you visit it from January to March, you’ll be able to enjoy the snow and ski. If you’re visiting again, there are many hiking trails to explore.
- Option 3: Visit a big Andalusian city like Malaga, Cordoba or Seville. You won’t have enough time to explore everything in each city, but you can visit some of the main attractions.
Malaga is a great destination to visit on a day because most attractions are close to each other, and you can also enjoy yourself at the beach.
Seville is an incredible place to visit because of its rich history and culture. The downside of visiting Seville for one day is that you won’t be able to see it all, and you’ll rush everything. I’d spend at least two days in Seville.
As happens with Malaga, it’s easy to visit Cordoba in one day. There are many things to do, but most attractions are near each other.
Recommended tours and hotels
A guided tour can be a fantastic option for discovering Granada, especially if you don’t have much time. Here are some recommended guided tours and activities:
When it comes to accommodation, staying central is your best option to make the most of your time in the city. It’s even more important if you only spend one or two days in Granada.
These are some fantastic options to suit your budget:
🛏️ Luxury: Hospes Palacio de los Patos (5-star hotel)
🛏️ Mid-range: Hotel Casa 1800 Granada (3-star hotel). I’ve stayed at this small boutique hotel and loved the rooms, service and location. I can definitely recommend it for a romantic getaway to Granada.
🛏️ Budget: La Perla Granada Suites (guest house)
What to eat in Granada
If you’d love to eat typical dishes of Granada, here are some you might want to try:
- Remojón granadino. A refreshing salad made with oranges, salted cod, hard-boiled eggs and black olives.
- Tortilla del Sacromonte. A Spanish omelette filled with lamb brain.
- Habas con jamón. It consists of a dish made with sautéed broad beans and Iberian ham.
- Plato alpujarreño. A hearty dish that originated in the Alpujarra mountains. It has pork loin, chorizo, black pudding, Serrano ham, potatoes and a fried egg.
- Piononos. Small, spongy cakes soaked in syrup. They’re one of my favourite desserts.
How to get to Granada
The closest airport to Granada is Federico García Lorca Granada-Jaén, which is 25 minute drive. It’s a small airport with few international flights.
Because of this, it’s very likely you’ll have to fly to another airport, such as Malaga-Costa del Sol Airport (AGP) or Seville Airport (SVQ).
You can rent a car from any of these airports or take a bus to Granada.
How to get around Granada
Getting around Granada is easy. The truth is, you don’t need a car to get around Granada. The city is walkable, and most attractions are within walking distance.
Public transport is good, and you can use buses to get to areas outside the city centre. Another way to move around Granada is by taking the hop-on, hop-off city train.
You might only want to rent a car if you plan to start your Andalusian road trip from Granada or go on a day trip to small towns and villages.
Is Granada expensive?
Granada isn’t expensive compared to other Spanish cities like Madrid and Barcelona.
The most expensive thing is accommodation, but you can significantly reduce the cost by staying in less central hotels, a B&B or a hostel rather than a hotel.
Attraction prices are usually between 5 and 7 euros. However, tickets to the Alhambra are significantly higher; depending on the ticket you choose, the entry price starts from 18 euros. Despite this, it’s absolutely worth visiting.
Regarding food, you can eat well and cheaply. There are many good places to eat near the cathedral, and when you order a drink in a tapa bar, they’ll give you a free tapa. This way, you don’t need to sit in a restaurant and spend lots of money on food.
How to plan your Granada itinerary
The first thing to do is to decide whether you’re only interested in seeing Granada’s main attractions, such as the Alhambra and the Cathedral, or if you want to explore its hidden gems and towns or even visit the Sierra Nevada mountains. This will determine how many days you should spend in Granada.
Once you’ve decided how many days you’ll spend in Granada, check out the activities you want to do and where they are located. Although many attractions are close to each other, it makes sense to visit all the attractions in one area and move to another rather than go backwards and forward.
Another thing to consider is the time of the year you plan to visit Granada. The weather in Granada is cold in winter and very hot in summer; therefore, the best times to visit Granada are spring and autumn.
Finally, I highly recommend renting a car if you want to go on day trips from Granada. It’ll make everything much easier for you, plus you’ll be able to discover some of the remotest but unique villages in Granada.
Short frequently asked questions about visiting Granada
What’s the best time to visit Granada?
The best time to visit Granada is spring, from March to May, when the weather is pleasant (not too hot or cold).
Is 1 day in Granada enough?
No. It’s possible to see some of the main attractions in one day. However, you won’t be able to explore all the beauty of Granada and its hidden gems.
Is 2 days in Granada enough?
Two days in Granada are enough to visit the main historic buildings and enjoy the atmosphere and food.
Is 3 Days in Granada enough?
Three days in Granada is great because you have enough time to visit Granada’s main attractions and discover some of the hidden gems.
Is a week in Granada too long?
A week in Granada is too long unless you plan to visit some of its nearby towns and other Andalusian cities such as Cordoba, Malaga or Seville.
Do you need more days in Seville or Granada?
You need more days in Seville than in Granada. Seville has many more attractions and activities than Granada.
Conclusion: How many days do you need in Granada?
Having visited Granada a few times, two days were enough to see the Alhambra Palace and other attractions. However, I’d consider staying longer in Granada if you want to visit Sierra Nevada, the Alpujarra, or other nearby destinations.
If you have any questions about visiting this charming city, you can leave a comment below or join my Facebook group, where I share more tips and answer travellers’ questions.
Enjoy your trip to Granada!
Cristina x
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Top things to do before visiting Granada, Spain
- Compare and book cheap flights to Granada with Skyscanner.
- Are you looking for the best accommodation in Granada? Check out Booking.com
- Book fantastic activities and tours in Granada with Get Your Guide.
- Eat like a local in Granada by trying these traditional Andalusian dishes.
- Rent a car to travel with ease around Granada.
- Get travel insurance for your trip; this is a must for any trip!
Read more about Granada
- Granada or Seville: Which City Is Best To Visit?
- Is Granada Worth Visiting?
- The Ultimate Day Trip From Malaga to Granada
- Soportujar, Granada: Ultimate Guide to the Haunted Village
- Pampaneira, Granada: A Guide to the Alpujarra’s Pretty Town
- Fun Things to Do in Almuñecar With Insider Tips
- Things to do in Salobreña, Costa Tropical
- Top Attractions in Granada Geopark (Ultimate Guide!)
