Centro de Interpretación del Sacromonte

Lonely Planet review

This wide-ranging ethnographic and environmental museum and arts centre is set in large grounds planted with all manner of herbs where you can also see art exhibitions and attend a herbal remedy workshop. Morning is the best time to see the artists at work. The centre has an outdoor flamenco music, dance and film programme on Wednesday and Friday from June to September.

It's difficult to see flamenco that's not geared to tourists but some shows are more authentic than others and attract Spaniards as well as foreigners. In summer the flamenco nights here are well worth catching. It also shows the gitanos' way of life and traditional crafts - metalwork, pottery, weaving, and basket-making. A visit here makes a trip to Sacromonte really worthwhile.

To get here, hop off the Sacromonte bus at the Venta El Gallo Flamenco School, 250m along the road from El Camborio cave disco , and follow the signs up Barranco de los Negros to the centre. It's about a 200m uphill walk. Bus 31 detours along Camino del Sacromonte eight times daily; times are posted at its stops.

The best views of the Alhambra, Sierra Nevada and the Albayzín are from the Iglesia de San Miguel Alto, at the top of the hill. Make sure you're not hanging around the uninhabited parts by nightfall. Some caves on or near Sacromonte's main street, Camino del Sacromonte, are venues for expensive tourist-oriented flamenco shows or lively dance clubs. Be discerning so that you don't get ripped off.