Granada 7-day itinerary

Dedicate your entire morning to the Alhambra complex. Enter through the Gate of Justice and visit the Alcazaba fortress first — climb the Torre de la Vela for a panoramic view over Granada. Then proceed to the Nasrid Palaces during your time slot: the Mexuar council chamber, the Court of the Myrtles, the Hall of the Ambassadors with its cedar ceiling of 8,017 pieces, and the Court of the Lions. Take your time — there are details in the carved stucco and tilework that reveal themselves only on slow, close inspection. Finish in the Generalife summer palace gardens above.

Descend via the Cuesta de los Chinos forest path to the Carrera del Darro. Cross into the Albaicín and lose yourself in the Moorish lanes — whitewashed houses, hidden carmen gardens, spice shops on Calderería Nueva, and small plazas with orange trees. Stop at a tetería (Moroccan tea house) for mint tea and pastries. Climb to the Mirador de San Nicolás for the iconic view of the Alhambra against the Sierra Nevada.

Walk into Sacromonte for an intimate cave zambra flamenco show. The sound in these small whitewashed caves — 30 seats, stone walls, the guitar and palmas reverberating at arm's length — is entirely different from a theatre performance. The emotional intensity is extraordinary. Book a small venue for the best experience. After the show, walk back along the Camino del Sacromonte with the illuminated Alhambra above.

Visit the Renaissance Cathedral with its soaring 30-metre white stone vaults, then the adjacent Royal Chapel housing the tombs of Ferdinand and Isabella. The monarchs' marble effigies and Isabella's personal Flemish painting collection are remarkable. Walk around the nearby Alcaicería, the reconstructed Moorish silk market, now filled with souvenir shops but retaining the narrow covered lane structure of the original bazaar.

Book a session at Hammam Al Ándalus in the Albaicín — hot, warm, and cold pools beneath brick arches and star-shaped skylights. The 90-minute bath-and-massage package is deeply relaxing after a morning of sightseeing. The building itself is beautiful, restored in the style of the original Arab baths that once served this neighbourhood.

Start your tapas education on Calle Navas, then move to the more local bars around Plaza de Gracia and Calle Elvira. Every drink comes with a free tapa — the portions and quality increase with each round at the same bar. Order cañas, tintos de verano, or local wine and let the kitchen surprise you. Three or four stops makes a full dinner.

Take the bus (45 minutes) up to the Sierra Nevada — mainland Spain's highest mountains. The Hoya de la Mora area at 2,500m is road-accessible and offers immediate high-altitude hiking with views to the Mediterranean. In winter it is a ski resort; in spring and autumn the trails above the treeline are spectacular. Even a two-hour walk at altitude refreshes the senses after city exploration.

Return to the city and explore the Realejo, Granada's former Jewish quarter. Hunt for the large-scale murals by El Niño de las Pinturas, relax in the Campo del Príncipe plaza, and visit the Casa de los Tiros museum. This neighbourhood has a more local, student-driven atmosphere than the Albaicín.

Climb to Mirador de San Miguel Alto — higher and much quieter than San Nicolás. The panorama takes in the Alhambra, Sierra Nevada, and the Vega plain. Bring wine and olives from the market and watch the sun set. Descend through the Albaicín for dinner.

Visit the Carthusian monastery on the north side of the city. The sacristy is one of Spain's most extraordinary Baroque interiors — marble, stucco, and gold in dizzying profusion, a dramatic contrast to the austere monastic exterior. The cloister and church are equally impressive, with paintings by Sánchez Cotán.

Explore the student quarter around Pedro Antonio de Alarcón — cheap tapas bars, bookshops, and the Parque de las Ciencias, an interactive science museum with a planetarium, butterfly house, and observation tower. The museum is excellent for a change of pace from historical sites.

Return to the Albaicín after dark when the narrow lanes are quiet and atmospheric. The Mirador de San Nicolás at night offers a completely different Alhambra experience — the fortress is illuminated and glows against the dark Sierra Nevada backdrop. Find a carmen restaurant with a terrace view for a special dinner.

Rent a car or take the bus south into the Alpujarras, a series of whitewashed villages clinging to the southern slopes of the Sierra Nevada. The villages of Pampaneira, Bubión, and Capileira in the Poqueira gorge are the most accessible — flat-roofed Berber-style houses with chimneys and terraces, narrow lanes, and craft shops selling local textiles, pottery, and jamón serrano from the mountain pigs. The drive itself is spectacular, winding through terraced valleys.

Walk between the three Poqueira gorge villages on well-marked paths through chestnut and walnut groves with views down to the Mediterranean coast. The trail from Capileira to Bubión (45 minutes) and on to Pampaneira (another 30 minutes) descends through the gorge with river crossings and wildflower meadows. Lunch in any village on local mountain ham, migas (fried breadcrumbs), and plato alpujarreño (a combination plate with eggs, ham, sausage, and potatoes).

If you have a car, drive to Trevélez — Spain's highest village and the home of the famous air-cured jamón de Trevélez. Eat in a village restaurant with mountain views and try the local ham at its source. Return to Granada via the winding mountain road as the sun sets over the Sierra Nevada.

Take the morning train (1.5 hours) to Córdoba and head straight to the Mezquita-Catedral, one of the most extraordinary buildings in the world. The forest of 856 double-arched columns in red and white stone stretches in every direction — a 10th-century mosque of hypnotic scale and beauty with a Renaissance cathedral inserted into its centre. The mihrab with its Byzantine gold mosaics is the highlight. Walk through the Orange Tree Courtyard afterwards.

Explore Córdoba's Judería (Jewish Quarter) — narrow flower-lined lanes, the 14th-century synagogue (one of only three remaining in Spain), and the Calleja de las Flores, a tiny alley framed with flower pots with the Mezquita bell tower visible at the end. Cross the Roman Bridge over the Guadalquivir for the best photo of the Mezquita from the south bank. Visit the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos if time allows.

Take the evening train back to Granada. Use the journey to rest before a final evening of tapas in the Albaicín or Realejo quarter. If you have energy, try a different set of tapas bars from your earlier crawl — each bar has its own speciality and the variety across Granada is remarkable.

Visit the Mercado San Agustín for a final browse through local produce — olives, cheeses, dried fruits, and spices. Walk through the Alcaicería for souvenirs: hand-painted ceramics (fajalauza, Granada's distinctive blue-and-green pottery), marquetry boxes, and leather goods. The craft tradition here is centuries old and the quality of handmade items far exceeds tourist-shop trinkets.

Spend a quiet afternoon in the Carmen de los Mártires, a free garden on the Alhambra hill with terraces, fountains, peacocks, and views over the Vega plain. This is one of Granada's most peaceful spots and rarely crowded — a perfect final contemplation before departure. Walk through the Alhambra woods one last time.

For your final evening, return to the Mirador de San Nicolás or climb to San Miguel Alto one last time. The Alhambra at sunset — golden stone against purple mountains — is an image that stays with every visitor. Have a farewell tapa and caña at your favourite bar, then head to the bus station or airport for your onward journey.