Granada: 5 ways to save big on your trip
The historic Albaicín district in Granada. Photo: julianrdc
Anyone interested in Spain’s Moorish history must spend some time in Granada. Home to Europe’s most important Moorish fortress complex, the Alhambra, the city is packed with traditional Moroccan tea houses, not to mention Flamenco tablaos and restaurants in caves hacked into the soft rock of the mountain upon which the city is built.
Then there’s the food. Granada is easily one of the cheapest destinations in Spain to eat, drink and be merry — a tradition of complimentary tapas and a large population of university students (around 80,000) may have something to do with it.
Here are five tips for a fun Granada escape on a budget.
1. Visit during the week to save on hotels
Hotels in Granada are already pretty cheap, which some running as low as €35-70 a night. However, many are even cheaper in the middle of the week. Private rooms at hostels are even more economically priced, ranging from €30-50 a night.
Looking for a place to stay? Search our Granada hotel listings.
Order a sherry at Bodegas Espadafor and get a plate of delicious (and free!) tapas. Photo: Craig Nelson
2. Free meals! Take a culinary journey through tapas
Tapas are the way to go in Granada. In most bars, custom still dictates that when you order a drink (alcoholic or otherwise) a small bar snack is included. That’s right, you can fill up on free food all over town.
Whereas, elsewhere in Spain, this tends to mean olives, popcorn or a bowl of peanuts, in Granada it means actual food — spicy sausages dipped in cognac and lit on fire, stewed garbanzos, meatballs, Spanish omelet— all kinds of tasty eats come free with your beverage. Best of all, the more drinks you order at any one bar, the better the free tapas get (and the stronger the drinks tend to become along the way).
Try Bar Reca (Plaza de la Trinidad 11) or hop from bar to bar on Calle Elvira, known locally as the “Tapas” street. You can also find a variety of tapas cuisine from seafood to North African specialties.
If you’re really, really hungry go out to a restaurant for lunch, not dinner. At the midday meal, fixed-price menus include wine and bread and start at €7.
Or, for a cheap snack, stop off for Moroccan tea and pastries in the Albaicín neighborhood at bakeries like Casa Pasteles.
Wandering through the famous Medieval streets of El Albayzín. Photo: bruchez
3. Travel by foot
Granada is easy to explore by foot. It’s a small and compact city that’s easy to navigate with a good map. It can be hilly, but that means you get a lot of scenic views. Wander the narrow streets and historic Moorish buildings of the Albaicín, an enchanting district and UNESCO World Heritage site,. This is a highlight of a visit to Granada that won’t cost you a dime.
For transportation during your stay, don’t waste your money on the bus anywhere but to and from the airport. Just invest in a good pair of walking shoes and you can get around with ease.
A passionate Flamenco show in Granada. Photo: whertha
4. After Alhambra, focus on Flamenco and free attractions
Save your spare cash for the Alhambra — the Moorish citadel, palace and gardens is the one paid entry attraction in town that you simply must see. (Check out guide to getting tickets to Alhambra.)
With your leftover euros, look into seeing an authentic Flamenco show at Peña Flamenca La Platería (Placeta de Toqueros, 7) — the oldest flamenco club in Spain. The Thursday night shows are legendary and €8 buy you a show and a bottle of Manzanilla fortified wine.
Spend the rest of your time on free, open-air sights. See the ruins of the historic Arab baths at Banuelo. Walk along the River Darro at Paseo de los Tristes. Browse the wares at the Saturday morning flea market in Zaidín. Listen to buskers at the Mirador de San Nicolas while you watch the sun set behind the Alhambra.
Alhambra is one of the tourism treasures of Europe. Photo: RaMaOrLi
5. Arrive in Granada for less
Budget airlines like Ryanair and Vueling fly to the Granada Airport from big cities in Spain and elsewhere in Europe for less you’d pay to check a second bag on a major airline. More often than not, budget flights are even cheaper than Spain’s national rail, RENFE. Book your tickets as far in advance as possible and don’t check a bag for added savings.
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