MummyTravels Granada city break guide

With its unique history and famous tapas, a Granada city break makes the perfect long weekend of exploring and eating, and a great destination for families with older kids in particular.

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Exploring the Alhambra is fascinating for younger children too, and while you might have to skip the cobbled hills of the Albaicin if you’ve got a buggy, Spain is incredibly family-friendly, so you’ll be welcomed everywhere.

So if you’re considering visiting Granada with kids, I’ve pulled together all the tips and inspiration in my posts, as well as more advice, to this Granada city break guide. 

Granada: Getting there/around

There are currently no direct flights from the UK to Granada (there have previously been direct flights from London with British Airways, EasyJet and Vueling among others). For now, you can fly indirectly via another Spanish airport, including Barcelona and Madrid

There’s a regular airport bus from Granada airport to the centre, and taxis cost around 30 Euros.

Otherwise, the closest airport is Malaga, around 125km or a 90-minute drive away, with both bus and train links.

Once you’re in Granada, it’s very easy to get around on foot. If you’d rather not climb endless hills, there’s also a good bus network including routes up to the Alhambra and Sacromonte, with single fares costing 1,60 Euros (which can be used for up to 60 minutes if you transfer onto another bus)

There are also Credibus cards with cheaper fares, which is worth looking at if you’re planning to use the bus a lot or are staying longer. The minimum credit you can add is 5 euros, and there’s a 2 euro charge for the card (which you can get refunded).

Where to stay in Granada

We stayed in an AirBNB flat in the Albaicin which was compact but perfect for two, on a quiet street and very central for exploring. If you’re travelling with kids, check out my tips for the best child-friendly apartments too.

If you’re looking for hotels in Granada, booking.com is always a good place to start, including hotels with free cancellation.

For somewhere memorable, check out i-escape for boutique hotels too, as well as Paradores of Spain for some fabulous converted old buildings across the country, including stays in Granada. Be prepared to book a long way in advance for those though, especially at busy times.

What to see in Granada

If you love history and architecture, Granada is a dream destination for a city break but it’s also a fantastic place to wander, soak up the sun and sights, and relax – the Alhambra is deservedly the big draw (check out my tip on visiting below) but that’s not the only reason to book a trip.

Explore the different quarters of the city and some of its main landmarks and you’ll take a journey through its history, and learn about the people who lived here over the centuries.

The city is known for its viewpoints or miradors, especially San Nicolas, looking down onto the red roofs of the city and out to the snow-topped mountains of the Sierra Nevadas, so save time to enjoy the views too.

Moorish Granada

Granada was the last outpost of Al Andalus, and the city is still the part of Spain where the old Moorish atmosphere endures most strongly. Not just in the Alhambra itself but in the winding streets of the Albaicin.

Wander the twisting alleyways to discover viewpoints out over the city, pretty squares, whitewashed buildings and some of the oldest parts of the city.

Read my tips on exploring Moorish Granada

Granada’s Catholic legacy

Isabella and Ferdinand united Spain during their rule, with Catholic Granada as one of their crowning achievements, ending the line of Moorish kings who created the Alhambra.

Today, the cathedral dominates the city, in case you’re in any doubt as to the eventual victors, while the Capilla Real, another of the historic buildings created in their reign also holds their tomb.

Read my tips on discovering Granada’s Catholic legacy

Granada off the beaten tourist track

Heading slightly out of the centre takes you to the old Jewish quarter in the Realejo, whose inhabitants are thought to have given Granada its name.

Little remains of Jewish Granada or the Jewish community but there’s a small Sephardic Museum  telling the neighbourhood’s story, as well as more picturesque streets (and plenty for foodies).

Read more about Jewish Granada

Sacromonte: Views and Granada’s Roma history

If there was nothing else to Sacromonte but the views, it would still be worth climbing the hill (or hopping on a bus).

But Sacromonte is also the site of yet more of Granada’s legends, as well as the home of the city’s Roma community, including some fascinating cave dwellings dating back to the 14th century in the small museum.

The city is home to a long flamenco tradition – the real stuff, not the spangled tourist dolls – and this is the area you’ll find it too.

Read more about what to see in Sacromonte

Where to eat in Granada

Tapas and the alternatives

The city is famous for being one of the few left in Spain where you’ll get a free ‘tapa’ with your drink, although that’s getting rarer. There’s plenty of tapas which is worth paying for though, along with more traditional menus in some of Granada’s best restaurants

Breakfast on chocolate

There’s a lot of walking to be done in Granada, so fuel up before you start with Spain’s famous doughnuts dipped in chocolate courtesy of the city’s top churros.

The classic stop is the Gran Cafe on Plaza Bib-Rambla – dating back to 1907, it’s also the city’s oldest. So you’re pretty well sightseeing as the same time.

Ice cream with style

it was chilly Spring when we visited but if the sun’s shining, here’s where to get your scoop of Granada’s best gelato.

Plan your visit to Granada

Tips for the Alhambra

From timed tickets to advance booking and how to get around the sprawling palaces, here are my top tips on visiting the Alhambra to get the most of your visit to this fabulous world heritage site.

Guidebooks and tourist info

I also bought the Granada chapter from Lonely Planet’s Andalucia guide which has more suggestions and advice, while there are also tourist offices around the city with maps and leaflets to pick up.

If you’re looking to brush up your vocab, check out my review of Lonely Planet’s Fast Talk Spanish for essential phrases.

It’s also easy to combine a visit to Granada with some of Andalucia’s other wonderful historic towns, such as a day in Ronda with kids or a stay in Seville with kids.

Granada tours

Check out some of the best tours of Granada on Viator and Get Your Guide, including Segway and bike tours.

For more inspiration of places to visit in Andalucia, check out my pick of the top things to do in Seville with kids and ideas for what to do in Ronda with kids

*First written in 2014. Updated 2026*

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Images copyright MummyTravels/Cathy Winston

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