The Perfect 2 Days in Granada Itinerary

Home of one of the most beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Granada is the perfect destination for a city trip. As a cross-road of cultures, Granada has an amazing Moorish heritage, a vibrating Flamenco culture, and that perfect laid-back Andalusian atmosphere. Although 2 days in Granada could never be sufficient to explore the city properly, you can see the most important attractions and get a glimpse of the rich Andalusian culture. This 2-day itinerary of Granada, will be perfect for you, if you are visiting the city on a weekend or if Granada is a stop on your road trip in Southern Spain.

DISCLOSURE: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase via one of those links, I will earn a commission at no extra cost for you.

I’ve visited Granada as a part of a press trip during TBEX 2022 in Marbella, Spain. I spent 2 days in Granada exploring the city and 1 day in Costa Tropical. My stay in Granada was sponsored by the Tourism Board of Andalusia, and included full board and lodging, an entrance to Alhambra, a visit to a Flamenco show, a visit of the Cathedral, a hammam experience, and a walking tour.

How many days to spend in Granada?

This is one of the most difficult questions – how many days to spend at a place. Some will argue that even a lifetime won’t be enough to properly discover a place, but as tourists, we don’t have this luxury.

When visiting Granada, you should spend at least 2 days in this beautiful city. Thus, you will have time to see most of Granada’s highlights, including the stunning Alhambra and the frozen-in-time Albaicín and Sacromonte neighbourhoods.

a street with whitish houses leading towards a view of hilltop and a fortress on top and cypress trees growing on the hill, a view to the Alhambra from Albaicin in Granada — *Walking the streets of Albaicín*

If you want to discover the museums in the city or the surroundings, you will need to plan a longer stay – let’s say between 4 days and a week.

2 days in Granada is the perfect length of stay, if you are city tripping: arriving late on Friday evening, then exploring Granada on Saturday and Sunday, and leaving on late Sunday afternoon. With a full-time job, this is how you can maximize on weekend free time, without taking even any days off work.

How to get to and around Granada?

Granada is very easy to get to by plane. You can either fly to Granada’s very own international airport, which has limited number of destinations, or to Málaga, which is very well connected internationally. Check for flights to Málaga here. From the airport in Málaga there is a direct bus to Granada and it takes about 2 h 15 min.

Pro tip: Check out on Omio.com for all transportation options (flights, buses or trains) to Granada.

I would strongly advise you against renting a car from Málaga airport and driving to Granada, as you won’t need a car in Granada. Navigating Granada by car is difficult, most of the places are not accessible by car, and finding a parking is almost impossible.

Granada is quite walkable and taxis are pretty much affordable, besides there’s a good public transport network. So, in a nutshell – you won’t need a car in Granada.

a white wall with a plant with purple flowers hanging over, a green tree at the left corner and white houses at the back; the wall is alongside a stair; a street in the Albaicin in Granada — *Albaicín*

Where to stay in Granada?

If you are like me, doing a ton of research before you choose a place to stay, then finding accommodation in Granada will be overwhelming, especially if you are a first-timer and you don’t know the city.

So, let me help you get on the right track. It all starts with what you want, when you’ll be travelling and what’s your budget.

a coublestone street with white houses and a plant with orange flowers hanging over the wall; a charming street in the Albaicin in Granada, Spain — *Albaicín*

One of the most popular areas to stay in Granada is the quaint Albaicín. This full of charm neighbourhood in Granada may seem a no-brainer choice, but it comes with a few downsides: slippery cobblestone streets, no door-to-door transportation, as most of the streets are pedestrian only, and lots of climbing involved. Just imagine dragging your 20-kg wheeled suitcase uphill to reach your hotel…

On the other hand, if you travel light, let’s say with just a small backpack, as you are visiting Granada for 2 days, and charm and authenticity is what you are looking for, then staying in Albaicín would be the perfect choice for you! So, go ahead and click on the button below to see the best hotels in Albaicín:

Check for hotels in Albaicín

The best place to stay in Granada, however, is the city centre (El Centro). All bars and restaurants, as well as tourist attractions, are within a walking distance, but what’s more important, you can easily get to and from your hotel by public transport or a taxi.

Check for hotels in el centro

a bed in a hotel room with a phtotograph of mozaic from Alhambra, a room in the Eurostars Puuerta Real Hotel in Granada, Spain — *Eurostars Puerta Real Hotel*

When I visited Granada, I stayed at Eurostars Puerta Real, a 4-star hotel, located right in the heart of the city. Besides the perfect location, the rooms were quite spacious and decorated stylishly in the colors of Alhambra. They served a lovely continental breakfast with a touch of Andalusian cuisine at the hotel and offered a late check-out, which was perfect, as I had a late-afternoon flight from Málaga.

Check here the reviews on Tripadvisor for this hotel!

book this hotel

When is the best time to visit Granada?

I wouldn’t recommend visiting Granada in the summer, unless you enjoy scorching heat. The best time would be in May or early June, when the spring is in full swing and all the flowers are in bloom. As it never gets too cold in Granada, visiting Granada in the winter can be also a good idea.

I visited Granada in early June and right then the city was struggling with a heat wave. Temperatures were above 40 degrees Celsius / 100 degrees Fahrenheit and you could barely walk outside around 5 o’clock.

4 pictures of sites in Granada, Spain, with overlay text: 2 days in Granada - the perfect itinerary

How to spend 2 days in Granada?

This 2-day itinerary in Granada will take you along the most famous attractions in Granada. You won’t be able to see everything, but I promise you, these 2 days in Granada will be enough to make you fall in love with the city!

a Moorish type of architectures with columns and arches surrounding a patio with a fountain with lions, the Patio of the Lions in the Alhambra, Granada, Spain — *Patio of the Lions, the Alhambra*

Day 1 in Granada: Alhambra, Albaicín and Flamenco

Summary of DAY 1
Morning: The Alhambra, Museum of the Alhambra, The Fine Arts Museum of Granada
Lunch: Paseo de los Tristes
Afternoon: Albaicín
Dinner: Sacromonte
Evening: Flamenco Show in Sacromonte

One of the main reasons why people visit Granada is, of course, the majestic Alhambra. This UNESCO World Heritage Site attracts millions of tourists each year and for a reason. Alhambra is a complex of forts and palaces and was built in the 13^th-14^th century. In those days Granada was part of Al-Andalus, the Islamic state on the territory of today’s Spain and Portugal, which existed until the end of the 15^th century.

a view form a reddish fortress to white houses clung to a hill and dotted with cypruss trees; Alcazaba fortress in the Alhambra, Granada — *The Alcazaba Fortress*

Start the day with exploring this marvel of the Islamic architecture and wander from one palace to the other, discovering the perfect symmetry of the spaces, the mathematical precision of the tile work, the amazing color combinations, the intricate decorations, the elaborate water supply system.

a palace with arches in Moorish style and a water bassain in front where you can see the reflection of the building, the Court of Myrtles in the Alhambra, Granada, Spain — *The Court of the Myrtles, Alhambra*

The whole complex consists of the Alcazaba fortress, the Nasrid palaces (Casa Real Vieja), and Generalife, which used to be the summer villa of the Nasrids. The gardens of Generalife are a real eye-candy.

a white nuilding with arched columns in front in Moorish style and a water bassein with fountains and lots of green and flowers, on the right side a brick and stone wall with a railing on top; the Genralife in the Alhambra in Granda, Spain — *Generalife*

I highly recommend visiting Alhambra in the morning. However, as you need to buy tickets in advance with a reserved time slot, it may turn out that there are no tickets available for the morning. Then, you can rearrange your day accordingly, and choose to first visit the museums.

Check here time slots and availability for Alhambra:

buy your alhambra tickets here

After visiting Alhambra, it’s time for the Palace of Charles V. Built on the same Sabika hill as a juxtaposition to the Nasrid palaces, this 16^th-century Renaissance palace houses today the Alhambra Museum and the Fine Arts Museum of Granada. Quite interestingly, the palace of Charles V had never been properly finished until 1967, when the building finally got its roof.

a building on 2 floors with two rows of windows on each floor: square ones and rounded ones; and some green leaves of a tree framing the pictuure on the top; the Palace of Charles V in Granada, Spain — *The Palace of Charles V*

In the Alhambra Museum you can find not only artifacts from the Alhambra palace, but also other objects and furnishings from the Nasrid period. The museum is the perfect place to learn about the Moorish period of Spain and to see beautiful examples of Islamic art.

a courtyard in the form of a circle surrounded by columns on two floors; a group of people standing at one end of the court; the court of the Palace of Charles V in Granada — *The inner yard of the Palace of Charles V*

The Fine Arts Museum of Granada, housed on the upper floor of the Palace of Charles V, on the other hand, focuses on the Christian art originating from Granada in the period 16^th – 20^th century.

at the backgound a hill with a fortress and in the foreground a pedestrian area with a fountain and a cafe with big sun umbrellas, a cafe at Paseo de los Tristes in Granada, Spain — *Paseo de los Tristes*

For lunch, I suggest that you walk down from Alhambra to Paseo de los Tristes via Puente del Aljibillo. There are numerous cafes along the river where you can enjoy lunch in the foot of Alhambra. For the ultimate experience, don’t rush the lunch. Spend a couple of hours enjoying your meal with a drink and contemplating the beautiful fortress.

Good to know: Lunch in Spain, especially in Southern Spain, is around 2 pm – 3:30 pm and dinner doesn’t start before 8 pm.

lots of white houses with red roofs clng to a hill and cypruss trees overal; the Albaicin neighbourhood in Granada, Spain — *Albaicín*

After lunch you may want to go back to your hotel to get a rest and to refresh. However, if your hotel is quite far or you don’t feel like you need a siesta, then head back to the city centre following Carrera del Darro along the river with the same name. You are already wandering the streets of Albaicín – the historical neighbourhood of Granada that together with Alhambra is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

a church with reddish roof in front of a hill with a fortress on top, the Church of St Peter and St Paul in Granada, Spain — *Church of St. Peter and St. Paul*

You can stop at the lovely Church of St. Peter and St. Paul (Iglesia de san Pedro y san Pablo) and El Bañuelo – an 11th-century bathhouse (hammam) from the Moorish Period. Then continue to the square Plaza Nueva with the fountain Pilar del Toro and the Church of Santa Ana (Iglesia de Santa Ana).

a sqquare with a church at the background, a red building to the right, a lamp post in the middle, a gropu of people standing in front, and a dog lying; the square in front of the Church of Santa Ana in Granada, Spain — *The Church of Santa Ana*

Afterwards get lost in the maze of streets that is Albaicín, heading uphill to Mirador de San Nicolás. Try to be there at sunset for the most stunning views of Alhambra and the city of Granada. This small square is bustling with people and the vibe is amazing, as is the view. Behind the square is the Church of St. Nicholas (Iglesia de San Nicolás). For even more spectacular views, you can climb the church tower.

a view to a reddish-looking fortress on a green hill, with mountain tops at the back, and red rooftops in front; a view the Alhambra from Mirador de San Nicolas in Granada — *View from Mirador de San Nicolás*

After Albaicín head to Sacromonte, another emblematic neighbourhood in Granada. Sacromonte is known for the troglodyte dwellings, or cave houses, and the flamenco. Sacromonte is the neghbourhood where the gitano subculture developed, mixed with Jewish and Muslim roots. The three ethnicities were marginalized and expelled outside of the city walls and settled on the Valparaíso hillside following the Reconquista of Granada in 1492.

a cave with a rounded ceiling, two rows of seats at the sides and a few seats at the back with photographs of flamenco dancers hanging on the walls and copper and copper and messing cookwear hanging from the roof and on the walls; a flamenco cave in Sacromonte, Granada — *A cave house in Sacromonte*

There is no better place to see a flamenco show than in one of the caves in Sacromonte. You can’t get closer to the the roots of flamenco and to what flamenco stands for than witnessing one of these explosions of passion, music and dance.

Fun fact: In 2010 flamenco was added by UNESCO to the Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

book a flamenco show here

a woman dancing flamenco with one arm above her head and the other one in front of her lit by blue light — *Flamenco show in Cueva de la Rocío*

Most of the caves serve dinner before the flamenco show, and afterwards you can get some drinks. So that’s gonna be the perfect ending of the evening. I’ve visited Cueva de la Rocío and had the most amazing time.

book a flamenco show with a dinner

Day 2 in Granada: Historical Centre, Granada Cathedral, Hammam Al-Andalus

Summary of DAY 2
Morning: Puerta Real, Historical Centre, Alcaicería
Lunch: Bib-Rambla Square
Afternoon: Granada Cathedral, Royal Chapel, Calderería Nueva
Dinner: anywhere in the city
Evening: Hammam Al-Andalus

an intersection of streets froming a square with a nice building with a rounded corner on the left side and a green tree in the right side, Puerta Real Square in Granada — *Puerta Real*

Start the day with a breakfast in one of Granada’s many lovely cafes and get out and about to explore the city. Granada’s city centre is pretty compact and walkable. Check out Fuente della Batallas on Plaza del Campanillo and head to Puerta Real crossing. Stay on the right side of the Reyes Católicos Avenue and wander the streets until you reach Plaza Isabel La Catolica. On the way you’ll pass by the lovely Town Hall with the square in front of it, and the beautiful Corral del Carbón – a 14th-century caravanserai with a tranquil patio.

an inner yard of a carvanserei on 3 floors and inner patio; Corral del Carbon in Granada — *Corral del Carbón*

Now cross the Reyes Católicos Avenue and head to the Alcaicería – the lively bazaar in the style of the North-African souks. Well, this bazaar was actually a silk market which emerged during the Nasrid period (13th – 15th c.). However, the original market burnt down in a fire in 1843. It was rebuilt later and this is how we know it today.

an arched entrance to a bazaar type of market with lots of colors and people shopping; the Alcaiceria market in Granada — *Alcaicería*

When you get out of the Alcaicería it will be time for lunch. So, head to the lovely Square of Bib-Rambla (Plaza de Bib Rambla/Bibarrambla), where you can get lunch at one of the numerous cafes under the shades of the trees.

a fountain on a square surrounded by restaurants and cafes and green trees; Bib Rambla Square in Granada, Spain — *Bib-Rambla Square*

Plaza de Bib-Rambla is one of the most important squares of Granada. It’s there where the celebrations took place in the past, and it was also used for bull-fighting. In the middle of the square is the Fountain of the Giants (La Fuente de los Gigantones). This 17th century fountain travelled around the city to finally find its place at Plaza de Bib-Rambla in 1940.

the front facade of a cathedral with light orange colr, lit up by the setting sun and piece of clear deep blue sky above'; the Granada Cathedral in Andalusia, Spain — *Granada Cathedral*

After lunch it’s time for the Granada Cathedral (Catedral de Granada) and the Royal Chapel (Capilla Real de Granada). The Cathedral was built in the 16th century on the place of the main mosque of Granada. At the Royal Chapel are the tombs of Isabella I of Castille and her husband Ferdinand II of Aragon, known together as the Catholic Monarchs.

a white chapel with lots of ornaments, the Royal Chapel in Granada — *The Royal Chapel*

Fun fact: It was Isabella I who sponsored the trip of Christopher Columbus to the East Indies in 1492, that eventually led to discovering the New World.

Next to the Cathedral is another important building in Granada – the Madrasa of Granada (Palacio de la Madraza) – a school founded in 1349 by the Yusuf I. And if you are into abstract art, I can highly recommend visiting Centro José Guerrero, where you can admire some of the works of this Spanish expressionist.

a cobblestone street lined up with bildings with shops, leading to a white church at the background; Caldereria Nueva Street in Granada, Spain — *Calderería Nueva*

Another lovely place in Granada is Calderería Nueva Street (Calle Calderería Nueva). Going uphill towards Albaicín, this quaint narrow street lined up with small artisan shops, and the famous tearooms (teterías), will play with your senses, making you think you are walking a street somewhere in Morocco. At the end of the street is the lovely Church of San Gregorio.

an interior of a shop selling colorful lamps and souvenirs in Moroccan style in Granada — *A shop at Calderería Nueva*

For dinner there are many options to choose from: from fine dining to tapas, and to Mediterranean cuisine, and anything in between. Just choose a place that attracts you and give it a go. I mostly don’t research restaurants before I go somewhere. Whenever I happen to be at dinner time, I choose a place there. This means less hassle in terms of getting to a restaurant and thus you can discover amazing places all by a chance.

a brounish door with Moorish elements on a terra-cotta colored building, and a palm tree in a pot in front; the entrance of Hammam Al-Andalus in Granada, Spain — *Hammam Al Andalus*

After dinner, you may choose get drinks at a bar, but I think there’s something else that you’d better do. You can’t visit Granada without this one last thing to do – a visit to a hammam. There’s nothing better than the rejuvenating experience of the hammam combined with a massage to end this two days in Granada full of walking along cobbled streets. I can highly recommend Hammam Al Ándalus, located just behind the Church of Santa Ana.

stairs leaiding to a door in a stone wall surrounding probably a garden where cyprusses and other trees are seen; a street in the Albaicin neighbourhood in Granada, Spain — *Albaicín*

Tips for visiting Granada for 2 days

If you are visiting Granada in the weekend, it’s better to visit the Cathedral and the Royal Chapel in the afternoon of the 2nd day, as the Cathedral is open only after 14:00 hrs for visitors on Sunday. Buy your Granada Cathedral tickets here.
Don’t forget to bring your passport or ID card when visiting Alhambra! Otherwise you won’t be able to enter the complex.
As visiting the Nasrid Palaces is with a time slot, book your Alhambra tickets way in advance. Don’t rely on popping up there and buying a ticket. Already booked your Granada trip? Buy your Alhambra ticket here!
When visiting Granada, just don’t rent a car. You have to trust me on this one.
Research well before you book a hotel. Most important is to check how you can get there by bus or by taxi. See above my recommendations for the best areas to stay in Granada.
If you are arriving Friday evening and leaving Sunday afternoon, then I suggest that you do the Flamenco show with dinner on the first evening when you arrive and the hammam experience on Saturday evening. For the rest you can follow the 2-day Granada itinerary as suggested.
For more things to see and do in Granada, check out
- getyourguide.com or viator.com – both websites have an amazing selection of experiences in Granada;
- tiqets.com – a one-stop shop for all your tickets to Granada’s museums and attractions;
- toursbylocals.com – a selection of themed tours in Granada led by locals in small groups, one of the best ways to discover Granada;
- tripadvisor.com – read reviews and get extra ideas about what to see and do in Granada in 2 days.