Granada Tourist Attractions

Granada Airport is located approximately 15km, or 9.4 miles from the city of Granada, and is an airport handling around a million passengers per annum. It is officially known as the Federico García Lorca Granada-Jaen Airport, and has the IATA code of GRX. Business professionals and tourists use this airport, as it is an important gateway to the beautiful Andalusia region of Spain. Tourists coming to see Granada attractions will not be disappointed, as the city has much to offer its visitors. It is also located nearby the Sierra Nevada Mountains, which are used for a range of winter-related sporting events. The city even hosted the World Ski Championship in 1995.

Granada city lies in the southern regions of Spain, and is considered as one of the country's "jewels". The city features the Old Quarter, or the Parte Vieja and the Albayzin district, and in both areas, tourists will find a wide variety of attractions, ranging from interesting historical sights to endless shops and restaurants. The main streets of Granada are the Calle Reyes Católicos and the Gran Via de Colón, and there are a number of plazas in the area, including the Plaza Nueva and the Plaza Isabel La Católica. Part of the city is also the scenic River Genil, where many of the most popular hotels are located, in the heart of Granada. Tourists are always welcomed in the city of Granada, as tourism is becoming an increasingly important part of the city's development. Granada covers a total area of approximately 34 square miles, or 88 square kilometers, and has a population of around 240,000. The main language spoken is Spanish.

The most famous tourist attraction of Granada is La Alhambra, which is a magnificent fortress that was built in the thirteenth century. It has Moorish origins, and although it has been restructured and restored over the years of its existence, it has managed to maintain many of its original features. The fortress has incredibly well preserved architecture, which is truly admirable. Locally, La Alhambra is known as Alcazaba, and surrounding it, is the main Royal Palaces and the Generalife Gardens, where many outdoor events and outdoor concerts are held, especially during the summer months of Spain. Other notable aspects of the fortress are its encircling walls, featuring the Bermejas Towers, which date back as far as the eighth-century. The La Alhambra fortress is open every day from 08:30 to 18:00, and there is a charge to enter. Discounts are available for children.

Granada attractions include the El Sacromonte, at Plaza Mariana Pineda,10, and this district is full of character and charm, with lovely backstreets filled with local shops and bars. It is found in the historic gypsy part of the city, and here tourists can enjoy regular Flamenco dancing and a variety of other forms of entertainment. Another popular place to visit while in the city of Granada is the Historic Baths, or the El Banuelo, which is the oldest and most well preserved Arab Baths in the region. They are said to have come from the Roman times and were built about a thousand years ago. The baths are Moorish buildings, which are still in very good condition. The main venue in Granada for exhibitions, concerts, theatrical performances and fashion shows is the Granada Conference Center, or the Palacio de Congresos v Exposiciones. The center has room for more than 2,000 people, and uses only state-of-the-art equipment and technology. Within the center there are also coffee shops and restaurants.

Important monuments and landmarks in Granada include the Albayzin Walls, or the Murallas del Albayzin, the Mexuar Palace, or the Palacio del Mexuar, the Mirador de San Nicolas and the Granada University. The Albayzin Walls are often visited by tourists, and are the remains of an eighth-century Moorish castle. The Old City Gate known as the Puertas de las Murallas is still to be found as well. The Mexuar Palace is another ancient building of interest, in the Alhambra area of Granada, and the Mirador de San Nicolas is a lookout point offering some spectacular views of the Sierra Nevada Mountain range.

Granada museums are quite popular among tourists as well, and include the Archaeological Museum, featuring exhibitions of many artifacts and treasures from the area, the Pisa Museum, dedicated to the life and works of St. San Juan de Dios, and the Science Museum and Park, which is a wonderful outing for those with children of all ages. The Science Museum features four magnificent areas, an observatory, a planetarium and a coffee shop. Another museum somewhat different to the usual selection is the Zambra Museum, found in the "Caves of the Gypsies", or the Las Cuevas del Sacromonte. It has an extensive collection of historic Flamenco costumes, among all other things relating to the dance, and there are regular gypsy festivals held at the museum. It is truly one of Spain's most unique museums.

Although Granada has many attractions to offer, visitors should venture out and explore some of the wonderful towns and cities nearby. Along the southern coastline of Spain are Torremolinos, Marbella and Malaga, all well known for their beautiful beaches and wide range of other highly regarded attractions, such as Aqualand and the Sea Life Center. Seville, the capital of the Andalusia region, is to the west of Granada, and here attractions include the Parque Maria Luisa, museums and the charming River Guadalquivir.

Further information regarding Granada attractions can be found at the Granada Airport tourist information desks, or from the tourist bureaus in the city.