What to see in Granada in 1, 2 or 3 days

What to book before you go

• The Alhambra, first of all. The General ticket costs €22.27 on the official website, is sold online until 23:59 the day before and carries a set time for the Nasrid Palaces. If you miss your slot, you lose the Palaces. For spring, bank holidays and weekends, buy as soon as your dates are fixed. What to do if it is sold out, discounts and opening hours: see our Alhambra tickets guide.
• Original ID card or passport for every adult: it is required to enter the Alhambra.
• Cathedral and Royal Chapel. No need to book far ahead. The Cathedral sells online through Tickets Granada Cristiana and warns that hours change around services: confirm on the day.

Flying in? See our airport to city centre guide. To find concerts or exhibitions during your stay, check the Granada events calendar.

Day 1: the Alhambra and the Albaicín

Morning (half a day). From 15 October the Alhambra opens 8:30 to 18:00 (until 14 October, to 20:00). The Board estimates about three hours for the General visit; at an easy pace, allow four. Plan around your Palaces time: if it is mid-morning, go in at 8:30 and start with the Alcazaba, which reopened on 23 September with an adapted route after the August earthquakes. Leave the Generalife and gardens for last. The Palace of Charles V and the Alhambra Museum, inside the site, are free.

To get up there, city buses C30 and C32 stop at the Alhambra; on foot, you climb from Plaza Nueva up Cuesta de Gomérez, a slope of about 20 minutes.

Afternoon (about 3 hours). Walk down to Plaza Nueva and follow the Carrera del Darro along the river to the Paseo de los Tristes, with the Alhambra above you. On the way is El Bañuelo, Arab baths that belong to the Alhambra's Andalusi monuments. From there, wind your way up through the Albaicín: steep lanes, walled gardens and viewpoints. If you would rather not climb, the C32 bus runs through the district.

Sunset. Finish at the Mirador de San Nicolás, facing the Alhambra.

Day 2: Cathedral, Royal Chapel and Sacromonte

Morning (about 2 hours). Start with the Royal Chapel, where the Catholic Monarchs are buried. Its audio guide lasts about 45 minutes, and it is open daily except Good Friday, 25 December and 1 January (official website). The Cathedral is next door; allow another hour.

Midday. Wander through the Alcaicería, the old souk now lined with shops, and Plaza Bib-Rambla. Five minutes away is the Corral del Carbón, a Nasrid merchants' inn open daily from 9:00 to 20:00, free on Sundays. Next to the Cathedral, the Centro José Guerrero shows contemporary painting for free.

Afternoon. Go back to the Paseo de los Tristes and follow the road up to Sacromonte, the district of cave houses, about 20 minutes uphill on foot. It is the home of the zambra, the cave flamenco: see what is on that night in the events calendar.

Evening. Head down to the Realejo, the old Jewish quarter below the south side of the Alhambra. On winter Fridays and Saturdays there is a Nasrid Palaces night visit from 20:00 to 21:30, with a separate ticket.

Day 3: free museums or a day trip

In town. A slower day, with several free or nearly free visits:

• Museum of Fine Arts, in the Palace of Charles V: free for EU citizens, students and over-65s with proof.
• Archaeological and Ethnological Museum, on Carrera del Darro: free for EU citizens.
• Federico García Lorca Centre, on Plaza de la Romanilla: the exhibition is free.
• Silla del Moro, above the Generalife, looking over the Alhambra: free at weekends.
• Parque de las Ciencias, the city's science museum, good with children. Hours and prices on its website.

Day trip. Sierra Nevada, the Alpujarra and Guadix are the usual trips from Granada. Check access and transport on their official websites: in winter, the Sierra Nevada road may require snow chains.

Where to watch the sunset

• Mirador de San Nicolás, in the Albaicín: the Alhambra straight ahead and, on clear days, Sierra Nevada behind. It is the busiest, so arrive early.
• Mirador de San Cristóbal, higher up and quieter, looking over the Albaicín and the Alhambra.
• Paseo de los Tristes, down by the river, to see the Alhambra lit up after dark.

The exact sunset time for each day is on our Granada events calendar.

What to do if it rains

The Alhambra does not close for rain, and the Nasrid Palaces are under cover, but the Generalife and the Albaicín are less fun on wet ground: wear shoes with grip. For the rest of the day, go indoors: the Royal Chapel, the Cathedral, the Palace of Charles V and its two museums, the Parque de las Ciencias, the Centro José Guerrero and the Lorca Centre.

Two ways to save money

1. Make the most of what is free. According to the Alhambra Board and each centre's website:

The Maristán and the Bañuelo have reopened, but since the August earthquakes Casa Horno de Oro and Dar al-Horra Palace remain closed. Day-by-day hours are on our free museums in Granada page.

2. Check the Alhambra discounts. Children under 12 go free with their own ticket, and there is a reduced rate for EU citizens over 65, European Youth Card holders, large families and young people aged 12 to 15. We could not verify the Granada Card's terms on the official website, so we do not recommend it yet.