Fun and cool things to do in Granada

Granada is a wonderful city from many aspects and all of them converge in many plans that stand out for maximum fun. A wide variety of proposals, all of which will meet your vacation expectations. Popular festivals, music, history, tradition and nature come together in one of the most precious jewels of Andalusia for you to have a great time.

Popular festivals in the neighborhoods

Popular festivals fill the city of Granada with life and color throughout the year, but in autumn there are two special ones that take place in two fundamental neighborhoods, to be able to experience local life up close and enjoy their customs. On the one hand, there are the festivities of the Albaicín, a well-known tourist district, but which from September 29 onwards takes on a different physiognomy, with the pilgrimage of San MiguelThe people go up to the Cerro del Aceituno, where markets are set up and there are dances and typical food. On the other hand, you can’t miss the festivities in Zaidín, a newer and not so well known neighborhood, but during the festivities it is a great opportunity to get to know it, with flamenco, rock and concerts of all kinds of music in the open air and with free admission.

Festival Flamenco

As is the case in most of Andalusia, in Granada art is also the central protagonist, especially in the type of music characteristic of the region: flamenco. In such a way that you will see a large presence of flamenco tablaos, theaters and museums dedicated to the subject. And this has its corollary in late autumn with the Autumn Festival of Granada, when different flamenco shows are organized in the city, being the Isabel la Católica Theater one of the main stages. Tickets cost between €30 and €40 per show and include live music, performing arts and dance. It is a great opportunity to see quality and authentic flamenco live and direct.

Indie also has its space

While flamenco is a fundamental part of Granada’s musical culture, it doesn’t end there. And it is no coincidence that Los Planetas, a key group in Spanish indie music, emerged in this city. Every year in mid-September the Granada Sound festival takes place in the city, where the best of indie rock in Spain meets in the outskirts of the city, in the Paseo del Cortijo del Conde. The entrance fee is around 50 € and it is an essential date for lovers of modern music and where you can not only see established bands, but it is also a good opportunity to meet new emerging talents and discover new musical rhythms. In addition, each year the festival gives the city some free concerts in different locations downtown.

Visiting the Alhambra at night

The Alhambra in Granada is beautiful at any time of the day, but it is at night when it acquires a special mystique and where all the Arab tales, legends and myths seem to acquire meaning and come to life. This is a very popular activity among tourists and, while we recommend that you book your general admission ticket in advance, if you want to enjoy a night visit to the Alhambra, the anticipation should be much more accentuated. In addition, a night visit is ideal if you are traveling in summer, to avoid the heat and to enjoy its most mysterious corners well illuminated. The night tour of the Alhambra usually lasts about two hours and the entrance fee is approximately 30 €.

A walk through the Science Park

One of the most fun activities to do in Granada with the family, since the Science Park dazzles young and old alike. It has a museum whose permanent collection stands out for its journey to the human body, with a detailed, interactive and educational display, and a tropical butterfly garden to discover very exotic species. It also offers temporary exhibitions on different aspects of science. Its Biodome is an immersive space for environmental education in which natural habitats of the tropics and the most exuberant jungles are recreated, so that the public can understand the relationships that exist between living beings and the environment they inhabit. The normal rates are 7 € to enter the museum, 11 € for museum and Biodome and 2,50 € extra to enter the planetarium. Reduced rates are available for seniors over 65 and children under 18.

Sacromonte Caves Museum

A visit to the Sacromonte neighborhood is, in itself, an extremely interesting and enriching experience, but if you complete it with a visit to this ethnographic museum, you will get the most out of your trip to Granada. This museum tells and shows the history of the neighborhood and its famous caves. The most striking feature of the entire exhibition is the museum’s recreation of cave life from different angles and with a lot of historical data on the origin and evolution of the customs of the cave dwellers. You will learn all the details of the caves used as dwellings, the caves that were stables for horses and cattle, the caves used as kitchens and the caves used as workshops for different trades: basketry, forge, pottery and much more. Admission to the museum is 5 € and 3 € extra if you book a guided tour.

Grenada by balloon

Perhaps the most original way to walk around Granada or any city is through a balloon ride. It can even be a great opportunity to try this mode of transportation for the first time. The company Glovento Sur specializes in offering trips of this type and is based in Granada. Flights are extremely safe, as weather conditions are studied in detail before each departure. The activity usually lasts between three and four hours, with a flight time of one hour, and includes breakfast and diploma. Buying the ticket directly on the site you can book your flight date open, allows the possibility of changing the passenger in case the person who takes it can not go and, from the date of purchase, is valid for one year. The price is 165 € per person.

Sierra Nevada all year round

Although its name is associated with skiing, snowboarding and all kinds of snow sports tourism in winter, Sierra Nevada offers fun plans and attractions all year round. So no matter what time of the year you visit Granada, you will find something to do in the Sierra Nevada. Hiking and mountain biking trails, sunrise and sunset views, guided tours, heated swimming pool, botanical garden, the most fun games in the Mirlo Blanco complex and much more to rediscover this magical mountain that watches over the city of Granada.