Granada’s city center is small and easy to navigate on foot. The narrow winding streets of the Albaicín beg to be explored on foot. If you don’t want to hike up the steep streets, you can always take advantage of the city buses or take a taxi.
The only landmark that is a little bit out of the way is the Alhambra itself. But there is no need to worry, since city buses conveniently connect it to the city center. For more information, check out our page How to get to the Alhambra.
To give you an idea, here are some walking distances between the city’s most important attractions:
Granada is a safe city to walk around both day and night. As anywhere else in the world however, common sense should be used. You should always be aware of your surroundings and never leave your belongings unattended. Also, as in any other popular city, be aware of pickpockets in the most touristy/crowded areas.
In Granada there are gypsy women (especially along the walk to the Alhambra from the city) that hold some herbs in their hands (e.g. rosemary) and approach those passing by offering. The herbs are offered “as a present.” However, if you interact with them or take the herbs, they will harass you and ask for money. It’s best to politely decline and continue on your way.
The company Transportes Rober runs 28 bus lines throughout Granada. The most interesting ones for visitors are the following:
The bus line Granada-Aeropuerto is run by ALSA and it conveniently links the airport with downtown. For more information, check out our page How to get from the airport to Granada.
Also, be aware that during peak traffic hours, buses are slower.
One bus ticket costs 1.40 €, but if you are planning to use the city buses a lot, then the options below might be interesting for you:
When you first get a Credibus Pass, you will have to pay a 2€ deposit which is reimbursed when the pass is returned.
Taxis in Granada are a convenient and affordable way to travel. To give you an idea, the ride from the airport to the city center takes 30 minutes and costs around 30€.
Once in Granada, you will soon realize that the city center is easily explored on foot and there will probably not be more than a couple of occasions when you will need any means of transport. If that is the case, taking a taxi can be much easier than having to figure out the public transport options. It can also be a pretty good deal if you are traveling with more people (splitting the taxi cost instead of several bus tickets).
Taxis in Granada can be easily identified because they are white with a diagonal green line in the side.
Uber is operating in Granada. However, there are not that many drivers which can mean long waiting times. You will usually save a little bit compared to taking a taxi, but it might not be worth the wait.
Granada is not very large and, in general, is fairly easy to navigate with a car. The Albaicín, however, is the exception. The neighborhood is a maze of narrow winding streets stretching across a step hillside and, on top of that, as a UNESCO World Heritage site, access by private car is widely forbidden. It is also very difficult to park in the area. The rest of the city has many more parking garages and hotels with parking. Expect to pay around 20€ per day for parking.
Don't miss: Get the best deals on rental cars in Spain
If you are not planning to get out of the city, however, you will probably not need/want a car during your stay in Granada. Using taxis and/or public transport will end up being a cheaper option, since you will save money on parking and gas. Our recommendation would be not to rent a car on arrival and only do it when you are leaving the city.
Although parking prices vary, generally speaking you can expect to pay around 20 € per day for parking downtown. Here is a list of the largest parkings in Granada’s city centre:
| PARKING | INFO |
|---|---|
| Parking San Agustín Empark | 2 min walk to the cathedral, 4 min walk to the Albaicín, 24 min walk to the Alhambra Plaza de San Agustín s/n 25.35 €/day |
| Parking Victoria | 6 min walk to the cathedral, 8 min walk to the Albaicín, 26 min walk to the Alhambra Calle San Antón 1 from 20.50€/day |
| Parking Público Gran Capitán | 8 min walk to the cathedral, 10 min walk to the Albaicín, 32 min walk to the Alhambra Calle Gran Capitán 10 17 €/day |
| Parking Plaza los Campos | 8 min walk to the cathedral, 10 min walk to the Albaicín, 20 min walk to the Alhambra Plaza de los Campos 4 19.50 €/day |
| Parking Ganivet | 8 min walk to the cathedral, 10 min walk to the Albaicín, 20 min walk to the Alhambra Calle Ángel Ganivet 9 20 €/day |
| Parking Hermanos Maristas | 8 min walk to the cathedral, 10 min walk to the Albaicín, 27 min walk to the Alhambra Calle Carril del Picón 5 15.50 €/day |
| Parking San Juan de Dios | 9 min walk to the cathedral, 11 min walk to the Albaicín, 31 min walk to the Alhambra Calle Rector López Argueta 3 18.50 €/day |
| Parking Puerta Real | 9 min walk to the cathedral, 12 min walk to the Albaicín, 20 min walk to the Alhambra Calle Acera del Darro 40 22 €/day |
| Parking Socrates | 10 min walk to the cathedral, 12 min walk to the Albaicín, 27 min walk to the Alhambra Corner of Socrates and Trajano streets 25 €/day |
| Parking Severo Ochoa | 12 min walk to the cathedral and Albaicín, 34 min walk to the Alhambra Plaza Sor Cristina de la Cruz de Arteaga s/n 18 €/day |
| Parking APK2 Triunfo | Located north of the city center, 8 min walk to the train station, 12 min walk to the cathedral and the Albaicín, 34 min walk to the Alhambra Av. de la Constitución 4 15 €/day |
To find the best deals on rental cars, we recommend Discover Cars, which searches through the web for the best prices.
Most of Granada is flat however, some of the main sites are located on hills (Alhambra and Albayzin neighborhood). Unless you fancy a bike ride, having a bike with you might be more of a hassle than a help. If you do want to go for a ride, then it might be nice to just do it for part of the day. That way you can explore everywhere that is flat and still have time to check out some of the sites that are located on steep terrain.
There are several bike rental companies in Granada’s center. You can expect to pay 15 € for a day. Usually there are discounts for renting over several days.
Inaugurated in 2017, Granada’s light rail (tram) is locally known as Metro de Granada. It is made up by just one line that crosses the city from north to south, also connecting it to some municipalities in the outskirts.
Granada’s metro stops at both the bus and train station but, other than that, it will probably not be of much use to visitors. To get an idea, the closest stop to the cathedral is Recogidas and is over a 15 min walk away.
For more information: www.metropolitanogranada.es.
To buy a metro ticket, you will be charged 0.30 € for the card (reusable). Then, you will have the following options:
Has España Guide helped plan your trip?
If so, please consider booking your hotel through the links to booking.com found on our website or use the following link: https://www.booking.com/?aid=1802409
That way, you get the best rates on your hotels and at the same time, it helps us to continue contributing to this site. Everyone wins!