What to see and do
÷ Walking tour
SIGN up to a free Walk in Granada ( walkingranada.com) to get your bearings before tackling the maze-like streets on your own.
There are three tours, but first-time visitors will benefit most from the Essential Granada tour. On this 2½-hour outing, you’ll saunter around the areas surrounding the cathedral while passionate guides reel off facts, Moorish history and anecdotes that’ll bring Granada to life.
Wear comfortable shoes and carry water, sun cream, and small notes for a tip.
÷ Alhambra Palace
THE Alhambra, Spain’s mostvisited tourist attraction, sees more than two million visitors a year, but don’t let that put you off. This enormous, pink-tinged 13th-century castle, set against the Sierra Nevada mountains, sits on a hill surrounded by broccoli-green trees.
Inside there are ornate Moorish bathhouses, serene Arabian gardens and rooms clad in colourful azulejos tiles.
Tickets are hard to get; book online (£12, tickets.alhambrapatronato. months in advance. If you’re not a planner, check the website at midnight the day before you want to go, and you might get lucky.
÷ Shop in the Albaicín
LIKE a lot of ancient cities, Granada was strategically built on higher ground to protect itself from attack. Therefore the city’s old Muslim quarter, the Albaicín, threads its way helter-skelter-like over hills and is well worth a visit. Here, wafts of sweet incense and fresh herbal tea float through the slender streets as vendors peddle everything from multi-coloured Turkish lanterns and ceramic bowls to Arab clothing and leather bags. Dip into a tetería (teashop) and treat yourself to a Moroccan mint tea (about £3 a cup) to get the full experience.
÷ Watch flamenco
OBSERVING a flamenco show in Granada is a rite of passage. For a fun but touristy experience, head to La Zambra de María La Canastera to watch flamenco inside one of the hollowed- out caves of Sacromonte ( from £ 20, flamencotickets.com/).
If you want a more authentic experience, call +34 958 227 712 and book a place at Granada’s oldest flamenco theatre, Peña La Platería (about £9, laplateria.org.es), which runs shows at 10pm every Thursday.
÷ Botanical Garden
THE Botanical Gardens of Granada University don’t rival the Alcázar in Seville. However, if you’re looking for a shaded, quiet spot, then this small green space in the city centre is just the ticket. Perch yourself on a bench beside baby lemon trees, cacti and lofty ginkgo biloba trees and take a wellearned breather. ÷
Hammam Al Ándalus
YOU’RE going to want to give your sore legs a break after climbing Granada’s many flights of stairs. What better way to do it than by visiting Hammam Ál Andalus (from £30, granada.hammamalandalus. com/en).
This silent, shadowy Arab bathhouse is housed in an ornate 13th-century building at the foot of the Alhambra Palace. Inside, you’ll find four baths ( one ice- cold, one medium and two hot) surrounded by teeny passageways, intricate Moorish ceilings, colourful azulejos tiles, and tranquil rest areas with silver mint tea decanters. The massages are certainly worth the small extra fee.