When I was planning my trip to Spain, I was seriously struggling with what cities I should include. I knew I would visit Barcelona and Madrid, but I was debating between adding Seville or Granada. In the end, I added both Seville and Granada to my itinerary to make a 10 Day Best of Spain itinerary.
However, when I planned my trip, I had this nagging feeling that I would be disappointed with Granada. It felt that the only reason this city was being added to my itinerary was because The Alhambra was a must see sight. And quite frankly, I didn’t know much about the Alhambra.
However, I still added Granada to my itinerary. I am so thankful I visited because Granada ended up being my favorite city in Spain.
Here’s how I recommend spending two days in Granada, Spain. Unsurprisingly, it’s nearly identical to my two days in Granada.
A Note About This Itinerary
This itinerary is set up for 48 hours in Granada. How those 48 hours look will vary based on your transportation to and from Granada.
When I visited, I arrived in Granada at noon on Day 1. I spent the afternoon of Day 1 and all of Day 2 exploring the city. Then on Day 3, I departed Granada at mid-morning. So depending on how your transportation works out, you may need to shuffle things a little bit.
Two Days in Granada, Spain
Now, let’s finally get into how to spend two days in Granada.
Day 1 – Hello, Granada!
I took a flight from Barcelona first thing in the morning and landed at the Granada airport shortly before 12:00. From the airport, it’s another nearly hour bus ride to get to the city center. The bus dropped us off near the Granada Cathedral and from there, it was a short walk to my hotel. I dropped off my backpack and immediately left to explore the city.
I’d only been in Spain for a few days and Granada was only my second city in Spain, but from the moment I stepped off the plane, it felt a world away from Barcelona. I was both excited and nervous about what this city held. I had two days in Granada and couldn’t wait to get started.
My first stop was food and yours will probably be too. By this point, it will likely be about 1:30. I’m very indecisive when it comes to food and I spent a good hour wandering the city before deciding on a cafe near Plaza de Bib-Rambla. No matter where you are in Spain, get the cheese croquettes, you won’t regret it. Meals here in Spain can be slow, so don’t get in a rush and enjoy yourself.
After lunch, you can do a walking tour of Granada’s Old Town. Either join a group, or do a self guided walk (which is what I did). Regardless of how you explore, I recommend making sure you can visit the exterior of the Granada Cathedral (we’ll cover the interior later), the Plaza de Bib-Rambla (if you didn’t eat lunch there), as well as the Alcaiceria.
I spent a bit of extra time at the Alcaiceria, hoping for a nicer market experience. I didn’t get that. Half of the shops were closed (at least when I came through in early October) or were selling the typical souvenirs. I knew it was likely going to be like that when I went in, but it was still disappointing.
Still I think it is worth a visit, just to walk through the narrow lanes and imagine what it might have been in its heyday.
With your walking tour of the Old Town complete, set your sights on the Granada Cathedral. Walking in to the magnificent building, you feel tiny. This is not an unusual feeling for Europe, but I felt it so incredibly small in this cathedral that I made a point to write about it in my journal.
Your entrance fee comes with an audio which gives some great context to what you’re looking at. However, I will say the audio guide gets kind of tedious by the end. At the start of the visit, everyone was using the audio guides and by the end, only a fraction were still using them.
As the day turns into evening, walk along the river and head up to the Albaycin district. There are lots of narrow lanes and that are a joy to explore.
A fair warning, it is a hike up to the top, so for a less intensive journey, take the local bus.
Also up here is the San Nicolas viewpoint, which offers fantastic views of The Alhambra. The downside? This spectacular viewpoint isn’t a secret. Expect it to be very crowded around sunset. Still, it’s worth hiking up for the view. It’s likely to be a highlight of your two days in Granada.
Also at the edge of the Albaycin district, and just a short walk away from the San Nicolas viewpoint is the Granada Mosque. It’s a new mosque, built in 2003, but they opened their doors and were welcoming in visitors. In the back that had a lot of information for those who were curious. If you’ve never visited a mosque, this one gives a great first introduction of the Muslim faith.
I ended my evening strolling along Plaza Nueva as I made my way back to my hotel.
Day 2 – The Alhambra
It’s the second of our two days in Granada and today is all about The Alhambra. It’s likely the reason you are visiting this city and it’s likely going to be the highlight of your two days in Granada. I know it was the highlight for me.
You can walk to The Alhambra from the city center, but I recommend taking the bus. I walked, but it was a steep hike up to the top. Remember this was a former fortress and fortresses were built on top of hills so they could watch for intruders. While I’m normally all about walking, just take the bus and save your legs.
I booked the earliest tickets I could, which is something I highly recommend you doing. It’s not as hot in the morning and there can be fewer tourists (although Alhambra tickets routinely sell out). I’ll talk more about tickets later in this article.
There are numerous ticket options, but you want to make sure you buy one that has Palacio de Nazarios. This is the main palace and the building you’ve come so far to see. When you purchase your ticket, you will choose a timed entry for Palacio de Nazarios. I got the earliest ticket I could (which is what I recommend you do as well) and entered the palace at 9:00.
Wow!
The Alhambra was so beautiful that it is difficult to put into words. I don’t know what exactly I was expecting, but it blew away all of my expectations. The original palace that the Moors built is spectacular. After the Christian Reconquista, the Alhambra was taken over by Christians. They made their own changes to the palace. In the words of my travel journal, “their part was dreadfully boring”.
The Palacio de Nazarios is not the only area that you can explore, but it is the best. Your ticket will also include entrance to the Alcazaba, a 13th century fortress that is part of the Alhambra complex. The highlight here for me was climbing to the top of the tower. From here, you have amazing views of not just the city of Granada, but also the Alhambra.
There are two gardens on the complex: the Partial Gardens and the Generalife Gardens. The Partial Gardens are nice but are nothing compared to the Generalife Gardens.
The Generalife Gardens were originally planted more than 600 years ago. This makes the Generalife Gardens some of the oldest gardens in the world. They are beautiful, but can be busy so they lack that peace and tranquility that you may be searching for.
For most travelers, I’d recommend blocking off your entire morning for The Alhambra. This gives you plenty of time to explore the Alhambra without feeling rushed or bored.
After your visit to The Alhambra, return back to the city center and find some lunch. I ended up at the same cafe I found the day before, but if you’re more adventurous, there’s loads of good looking restaurants in Granada. I didn’t do much else the rest of the afternoon and instead preferred to wander and people-watch. Granada, Spain was a city that forced me to slow down and I loved it.
If you’re still in the mood for more sights, there’s one other important sight that you should consider. The Royal Chapel (Capilla Real) is located nearly the Granada Cathedral and holds the tombs of Queen Isabel and King Ferdinand.
Changes to This Itinerary
I personally feel that two days in Granada is the perfect amount of time. However, I realize that transportation schedules may make your two day itinerary a little wonky.
If you arrive in Granada early in the morning on Day 1 (effectively giving you an extra half day in Granada), don’t worry. You get the opportunity to move a bit slower and take in the vibe of this city. I loved that even with two days in Granada, I still had plenty of time to relax and enjoy this city.
Know Before You Go
Before your visit, purchase your tickets to The Alhambra in advance. Tickets can, and do, sell out. So, if you want to visit Palacio de Nazarios, you need to book in advance. For more information, visit The Alhambra website.
You can walk all over Granada, Spain. I did. However, consider utilizing busses to get yourself to the Albaycin district and up to the Alhambra. Both sit on the top of some very steep hills. Spend the little money for a ride up. Your feet will thank you.
Granada can be visited all year round, but it gets hot in summer. I was here during the first week of October and temperatures were still in the mid 80s (although it was a dry heat, making it much more pleasant).
Final Thoughts
I love Granada and it’s my favorite city in Spain. This city blew away all of my expectations and my two days in Granada were my favorite of my entire trip to Spain.
Continue Your Adventure
More in Spain: Granada is amazing, but don’t forget to check out some other amazing cities during your visit. Barcelona is home to beautiful modernista architecture, including La Sagrada Familia, and Seville is a favorite place for travelers to slow down and relax (while also seeing some great sights). While I’m not the biggest fan of Madrid, it does has some awesome day trips in Toledo and Segovia.
Itineraries: Granada is my favorite city in Spain, so I recommend it to all travelers. To see Granada, and the best of Spain, check out my Best of Spain in 10 Days itinerary.
Spain: Learn more about traveling in Spain in my Spain Travel Guide.