Albaicin
The Albaicin is the old Moorish quarter across the valley from the Alhambra, a UNESCO-listed maze of whitewashed houses, jasmine-covered walls, and narrow streets climbing the hillside. Free to wander.
Garden in Granada
Carmen de los Martires is a 7-hectare garden estate on the southern slope of the Alhambra hill with peacocks, fountains, a duck pond, and views of the Sierra Nevada. Free. The gardens are almost empty because most visitors head to the Alhambra and never discover this green oasis on the same hill. Budget travelers who miss out on Alhambra tickets (they sell out weeks ahead) visit Carmen de los Martires for free and get the same hillside setting, the same mountain views, and none of the crowds.
Practical
Nearby
Other places worth the walk, and what each one costs.
The Albaicin is the old Moorish quarter across the valley from the Alhambra, a UNESCO-listed maze of whitewashed houses, jasmine-covered walls, and narrow streets climbing the hillside. Free to wander.
The Alhambra is the Moorish palace complex above Granada, one of the most beautiful buildings ever created. Entry is paid and tickets must be booked well in advance (often weeks ahead).
Granada Cathedral is a massive Renaissance church built on the site of the former great mosque after the Reconquista. Entry is paid at a modest price.
The Mirador de San Nicolas is a stone terrace in the Albaicin neighborhood with the single most famous view of the Alhambra: the palace complex with the Sierra Nevada mountains behind it, best seen at sunset. Free.
The Palace of Charles V is a Renaissance circular courtyard inside the Alhambra complex, built by the Holy Roman Emperor after the Reconquista. Free to enter (no Alhambra ticket required for this section).
The Paseo de los Tristes is a wide promenade along the Darro River at the foot of the Alhambra walls, named "Walk of the Sad" because funeral processions once passed this way. Free.
Working out what Granada costs?
The whole of Granada