Granada
is the land of a thousand castles
Welcome to Granada
Drawn by the allure of the Alhambra, many visitors head to Granada unsure what to expect. What they find is a gritty, compelling city where serene Islamic architecture and Arab-flavoured street life go hand in hand with monumental churches, old-school tapas bars and counterculture graffiti art.
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Granada activities
Alhambra and Generalife Gardens Skip-the-Line Half-Day Tour
Your friendly local guide will pick you up from your Granada hotel by air-conditioned minibus and then whisk you away to La Sabica Hill to visit its most dramatic monument – Alhambra. Perched high on the hill overlooking the city, the incredible palace complex was first built as a fortress at the start of the 13th century. Successions of Spanish rulers made Alhambra their home, and the fortress grew into a medina (little hilltop city) with numerous palaces and lavish gardens.Skip past the long entrance lines with your priority access ticket and walk around inside with your guide, hearing all the history of this fascinating site. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Alhambra is a treasure trove of Moorish architecture and you’ll see several of its wonders as you tour its highlights. Admire decadent rooms inside the Nasrid Palaces like the Hall of Ambassadors (Salón de los Embajadores) and Myrtle Courtyard (Patio of los Arrayanes), and marvel at the architecture of Pedro Machuca at the Palace of Charles V.Step inside the Hall of Abencerrajes to gaze up at its star-shaped domed ceiling, and hear the tale of the massacre that took place here during a 15th century banquet. You’ll also see Alhambra’s Royal Baths; plainly decorated, not ornate, in line with the belief that bathing was a religious requirement not a luxury.After exploring the palaces, head to the Generalife Gardens to discover where the sultans and Moorish kings of bygone days once relaxed. Featuring abundant flora and distinctive water features, the gardens also comprise two further courtyards, which you’ll see, the Patio de la Acequia and the Patio de la Sultana.At the end of your 2.5-hour Alhambra tour, your guide will drop you back at your Granada hotel by minibus.
Granada, Skip-the-Line Alhambra, Albaicin Option from Seville
You’ll be picked up from our Seville hotel in the morning and driven by air-conditioned coach along the route taken by Washington Irving, author of Tales of the Alhambra. Along the way, admire the stunning Andalusian landscape. Arrive in Granada and take a guided walking tour of UNESCO World Heritage-listed Alhambra Palace. With your skip-the-line ticket, enjoy fast-track access to Generalife Gardens, Nasrid Palace, the Alcazaba fortress and Palace of Charles V, and explore numerous courtyards filled with beautiful flowers, fountains and pavilions and fortresses featuring Moorish architecture. After your tour, hop back on the coach and head to the city center to enjoy lunch. Then, you can choose to take an optional walk through the stunning Albaicin quarter to soak in the magical atmosphere of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Along its narrow, winding cobblestone streets, find beautiful white-washed buildings, quaint shops and restaurants and scenic gardens, as well as spectacular views of Granada and Alhambra Palace. You'll then be taken back to your hotel.
Alhambra and Generalife Small-Group Guided Tour in Granada
Meet your official guide at the Alhambra entrance and skip the lines as you enter the grounds. Listen on a headset as your guide shares the historical events that took place at this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Marvel at the architecture, opulent palaces, stunning courtyards and the lush Generalife gardens as you explore with your guide. Learn about the heritage of the Nasrid Dynasty, the efforts of Jewish business, the architecture of the Muslim Palaces and more. Feel free to ask your guide questions throughout the tour.
4-Day Spain Tour: Cordoba, Seville, and Granada from Madrid
Day 1: Madrid — Cordoba — Seville (D) Your tour begins with a morning departure from Madrid to Cordoba, as your luxury coach takes you through the legendary countryside depicted in Don Quixote, the Man from La Mancha. After lunch (own expense), take a tour of Cordoba to discover the city’s mix of Jewish and Arab culture. Admire Cordoba’s medieval architecture, with its whitewashed courtyards, alleys and squares. Leaving Cordoba, continue to Seville for dinner and your accommodation. Overnight: Class T: Catalonia Santa Justa or similar Class A: Melia Lebreros in Seville Day 2: Seville (B, D) After breakfast, enjoy a morning tour of the beautiful city of Seville, including the cathedral (from outside), Santa Cruz quarter and Maria Luisa Gardens. Discover the hidden secrets of this lively city built on the banks of the Guadalquivir River, with its rich Arab legacy and colorful local districts such as Triana and La Macarena. Spend the afternoon exploring Seville at your leisure, before returning to your hotel for dinner. In the evening, stroll along the riverside promenade, visit one of the city’s legendary bars or experience the drama and passion of flamenco at a Seville flamenco show (optional extra). Overnight: same as previous night Day 3: Granada — Alhambra — Generalife Gardens (B, D) After breakfast at your hotel, relax on board your luxury coach during the scenic drive along the historic Caliphate road to Granada. In this legendary city renowned for its amazing Moorish architecture, take a guided tour of the World Heritage-listed Alhambra and Generalife Gardens, one of Andalusia's special highlights. In the mosaic-tiled and landscaped gardens of the Alhambra, discover the culture and history of Spain’s Moorish rulers and admire their exotic architectural legacy. After dinner at your hotel, spend the evening at your leisure or watch a Gypsy Zambra flamenco show in Granada’s Gypsy quarter, Sacromonte (optional extra). Please note that entrance to the Alhambra depends on availability. Overnight: Class T: Hotel Los Angeles or Class A: Melia Granada Hotel or similar Day 4: Granada — Toledo — Madrid (B) Following breakfast at your hotel, enjoy a scenic coach ride to the World Heritage-listed imperial city of Toledo. Discover the city’s multicultural layering of Christian, Moorish and Jewish culture, and well-preserved medieval architecture. After lunch (own expense), take a guided walk into the past along Toledo’s cobblestone alleyways and enjoy a tour of the city’s monuments and landmarks. During the tour, hear about the work of baroque artist El Greco in Toledo, and see examples of Toledo’s signature Damasquinado metalwork, delicately etched with gold. Departing Toledo in the afternoon, relax on the return drive to Madrid, where your tour ends.
Granada Tour with Alhambra, Generalife Gardens from Seville
In Granada, you will take a guided walking tour of Spain's most stunning monument of Moorish culture, the breathtakingly beautiful Alhambra Palace and Generalife Gardens, framed by the stunning backdrop of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Sharing their wealth of knowledge about the history and architecture of the site, your guide will help you delve beneath the beautiful architecture and design to learn the history behind two of the most visited attractions in the world. In the afternoon you will have two hours of free time to explore Granada at your leisure and have lunch (additional cost) before beginning the return trip to Seville at approximately 4pm.Access to the Alhambra is strictly limited to a certain number of visitors each day. For this reason advance bookings are strongly recommended.
Alhambra and Generalife Private Skip-the-Line Tour
Visit the Alhambra – Granada’s most famous monument – with your friendly private guide. Skip past the long entrance lines with your priority access ticket and head straight inside to start your tour.The UNESCO-listed palace complex is thought to have originated as a fortress in the 9th century, and then expanded with opulent palaces, vast courtyards and lavish gardens added during the following centuries. Learn all the Alhambra’s intriguing history from your guide while exploring its delights, hearing tales and trivia about the Moorish Kings and sultans who once called the place their home.Visit Alcazaba Fortress (the complex’s oldest part) and see Torre de la Vela – the tower that is most associated with Alhambra. Views from here are spectacular and on clear days you can easily pick out parts of Granada like Mirador de San Nicolas.Walk through the Alhambra’s most important halls and courtyards including the Nasrid Palaces, Myrtle Courtyard (Patio de los Arrayanes), and the Ambassador’s Hall (Salon de Embajadores). Admire the contrasting Renaissance architecture of the Palace of Charles V with the rest of Alhambra’s rich Moorish architecture and décor, and take a peek at the Royal Baths.Before your tour ends, your private guide will show you around Generalife Gardens, where the Spanish rulers of bygone days went to relax. Stroll through two of its beautiful courtyards – Patio de la Acequia and Patio de la Sultana – and admire the decadent flower beds and colorful plants that comprise these spectacular gardens. At the end of your tour, your private guide will drop you back at the original departure point.Advance bookings are strongly recommended, as access to the Alhambra is strictly limited to a certain number of visitors each day.