What to do in 2 (or 3) days in Granada, Spain

Granada is one of the towns I find most fascinating in Spain, and even in all of Europe.

I've been there twice, the first time on a solo trip in the late 90s, backpacking on a very tight budget. It was amazing, and besides a few photos on 35mm film, the days I spent in Granada left me with an immense desire to return.

As the list of dream travel destinations is too long for a single lifetime, my return to Granada was postponed over the years. But it finally happened, and in the most special way possible: with my husband and daughters. It was their first time in Spain, and I’m proud to say, they loved the country.

Here is our our complete Andalucia itinerary a region in southern Spain that was under Moorish rule from the XNUMXth to the XNUMXth century. This history gives it a unique atmosphere, with a mix of styles and influences revealed in its architecture, art, culture, and cuisine, as well as in monuments such as the Alhambra Palace in Granada, the Cordoba Mosque and the Royal Alcazar of Seville.

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Pateo de los Leones, Palácios Nazaríes, Alhambra, Granada, Spain - What to do in 2 days in Granada.

In this post, you will find:

How many days to stay in Granada

Granada deserves at least two full days of your trip. If you can spare a few more days, even better, as you'll be able to explore lesser-known places in the town and enjoy the most famous ones at a more leisurely pace.

No matter how much time you have, there will be no shortage of things to do in Granada - I have suggestions for either if you are staying in Granada for only a day and a half, two days, three days, or more.

When I first visited in the 90s, I spent two full days in the city. But on our second visit, we stayed only a day and a half . We arrived after lunch, explored the central area of the city, and spent the next day making the most of the Alhambra. The following day, we headed towards Córdoba. I would have loved to stay an extra day to enjoy the city at a more relaxed pace—if you can, I highly recommend it.

We were there in July and I warn you: it is very hot. The air is dry, the sun is intense, and the heat is extreme. Be prepared. Don’t forget your hat, sunscreen, and always have a bottle of water on hand.

How to visit the Alhambra

No matter how many photos or videos you've seen of the Alhambra, you will still be awestruck when you step into its gardens and palaces. In fact, the more images and videos you've encountered, the more emotional it will be when you finally experience it in person.

The Alhambra complex includes several buildings, towers, walls, gardens, and even a mosque. However, it’s the intricate stone carvings, delicate filigree work, magnificent tiled ceilings, graceful arches, and serene courtyards of the Nasrid Palaces that will leave you speechless.

The palace complex is vast, so to explore it thoroughly, plan to spend at least four hours. We spent almost the entire day there—starting in the morning with a visit to the gardens, followed by a mini-picnic, and then exploring the Nasrid Palaces in the afternoon.

But be prepared: no matter the time of year, it will be crowded. If you visit in summer (as we did), be patient and forget about getting a solo photo at the Patio de Los Leones.

Alhambra, Granada. Nasrid Palaces. What to do in 2 days in Granada. How to visit the Alhambra

Alhambra tickets

The Alhambra is divided into two main sections: the Generalife Gardens and the Nasrid Palaces..

You can choose to visit only the Gardens, or both the Gardens and the Palaces. I highly recommend seeing both. Here’s the official link to purchase tickets, , with all the information on prices, schedules, and accessibility.

When we rented our Airbnb, our host warned us that tickets to the Alhambra needed to be bought in advance. The day he sent the message, I checked the website, but the dates of our visit weren’t available yet. Time passed, and about two months before the trip, I remembered to buy the tickets—but they were already sold out. Every day for weeks, I checked the website , but there were simply no tickets left. However, our trip was already booked, so we went anyway.

The day we arrived in Granada, we went to the ticket office, hoping to get tickets on-site, but again, no luck. I was devastated—how could we have traveled so far and missed the chance to visit the Alhambra? Seeing my desperation, the attendant informed us that at midnight, spare tickets for the following day are released—these are tickets reserved by travel agencies that haven’t been sold.

So, at 23:50 PM, we were online, refreshing the page. Exactly at midnight, we managed to get tickets! By 0:00 AM, they were sold out again.

Entrance to the Nasrid Palaces is by timed entry (this was the case even before the pandemic), and the schedule is strictly enforced—doors won’t open a minute early, and I believe late entry isn’t allowed.

Moral of the story: Don’t wait until the last minute to buy your Alhambra tickets. Please don’t go through the stress we did . However, if you miss out, there are always tickets available through tours like this one. And, of course, don’t be late for your entry to the Nasrid Palaces; the queue usually forms well in advance.

UPDATE: : According to my research on the Alhambra official website, you can now buy tickets up to a year in advance. At the time of publishing this post, there was limited availability (with some days sold out) for the next four weeks, with more availability after that. So as soon as you know your travel dates to Granada, buy your tickets right away. Don’t take any chances.

No matter how you choose to visit the Alhambra, I recommend getting the audio guide (available in a wide range of languages). It’s excellent and provides insights not just into the Alhambra but also into the region's entire history.

alhambra plan Download

Here are suggestions on what to do in Granada, to make the most of your time there.

Granada in two days, or a day and a half

– Day 1: Visit the Alhambra and Generalife Gardens. In the evening, take a stroll through the Albaicín neighborhood (don’t miss Carrera del Darro Street), and if you’re in the mood, catch a flamenco or regional music show.

– Day 2 (or half a day): visit the Granada Cathedral and Royal Chapel,, then explore the Sacromonte neighborhood where you can enjoy lunch or dinner. End the day by watching the sunset from the San Nicolas Viewpoint.

two children walking through the Alhambra, Granada

Granada in three days

Add a visit to the Basílica de San Juan de Diosand Cartuja Monastery (Monasterio de la Cartuja). Take the opportunity to explore the neighborhoods of Sacromonte and Albaicín at a more leisurely pace. It’s also worth visiting the Museo Cuevas del Sacromonte and Sacromonte Abbey.

Don't forget to include a tour of the Garden of Carmen de los Martires, located near the Alhambra.

Granada in four or more days

If you have more time in the region, consider staying in Granada for a few extra days to fully immerse yourself in the city's charm. You can revisit the Alhambra and its gardens, and take the opportunity to enjoy the city's delightful tea houses (teterías), restaurants, and bars at a leisurely pace.

Alternatively, you might choose to explore Sierra Nevada, located about 40 km from Granada and easily accessible by car or bus. In winter, the Sierra Nevada offers skiing, snowboarding, and sledding, while in summer, you can hike the trails and find relief from Granada's intense heat.

Where to stay in Granada

On this trip, we chose to stay in an apartment in the Realejo neighborhood. It was perfectly located and comfortable—just right for our group of four.

If you prefer hotels, Granada offers plenty of options. My top picks would be Carmen de la Alcubilla del Caracol, a charming boutique hotel in a historic house with spectacular views of the city, or Casa Morisca Hotel, also set in a historic building (am I the only one who loves hotels in historic houses?). For a more budget-friendly choice, consider Hotel Parraga Siete, which is centrally located and close to several bars and restaurants.

Check rates and availability here:

Our complete itinerary through Southern Spain

Here is the post with our complete Andalucia itinerary. In addition to Granada, we visited Seville, Córdoba, and Ronda on a ten-day journey through Southern Spain. This trip was part of an almost month-long road trip that included both Portugal and Spain.

On this map, you’ll find everything we did during our 10-day trip through Southern Spain. Click on the marked points to see details of each location. You can zoom in, drag the map to navigate, and toggle between different layers, each color-coded for the areas we visited. The blue line marks the route we took by car.

To access the map menu, click the icon in the top left corner. From there, you can manage layers and legends, and if you’d like to save the map to your Google Maps account, just click the star next to the map's name. To access it later on your phone or computer, open Google Maps, tap the menu button, go to "My Places," select "Maps," and you’ll find this map among your saved maps.

In this post, I explain how I use Google MyMaps to plan my trips. It’s an amazing tool for saving locations, calculating routes and distances, and organizing your entire journey. I highly recommend giving it a try!

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