Free things to do in Granada

Of course, the custom of free tapas in the vast majority of bars in Granada is, perhaps, one of the trademarks of the city and one of the fundamental experiences for your vacation there. But there are more things you can enjoy for free, very diverse activities that will be a perfect complement to your trip and without spending a single euro.

Free exhibitions

Granada offers many rooms and spaces with exhibitions of different themes that are completely free of charge. For example, at the Puerta Real Exhibition Center, open all year round and offering painting, photography, origami and more. There is also the Museum of the Memory of Andalusia, which collects pictorial works from the sixteenth century to the twenty-first century, a permanent exhibition through which you can learn about different currents and artistic manifestations of the region. In the Palace of the Counts of Gabia, located in the center of Granada, you will find free multidisciplinary exhibitions, in addition to the fact that the palace itself is worth a visit for its 19th century architecture. The José Guerrero Foundation is another free space to visit in Granada, in this case more linked to contemporary art.

Drawing and painting outdoors

If you like to draw or paint and want to continue doing it on your vacations, in Granada you will find the ideal place to join local groups in different street outings. You only need pencils and a notebook to print your graphic impressions of the most beautiful places in the city. It is true that you can do this activity on your own, but it is more fun if you do it in a group, since it is totally free and you can meet people and share experiences with the group of Watercolorists of Granada or with the Urbans Sketchers.

Free tours of the historic center, Albaicin and Sacromonte

Granada’s main points of interest are full of free tours offered by local guides who know all the secrets of the historic center and the two most beautiful and picturesque neighborhoods of the city: Albaicín and Sacromonte. This is the best way to get to know Granada and you will only have to leave a small tip at the end of the tour, for a price that you will set according to your evaluation of the visit you have just had.

Ecological walks to enjoy nature

Granada has a good number of parks, walks and healthy routes so you can walk and enjoy nature without spending money. We recommend visiting the Federico García Lorca Park, the Tico Medina Park, the Alhambra Forest, the Fuente de la Bicha, El Camino del Avellano and the Llano de la Perdiz, always wearing comfortable sports shoes to avoid inconveniences.

Free tapas in the bars of Granada

Going out for tapas and beers in Granada is one of the activities that most attract all kinds of tourists, due to the fact that with a beer, the tapa comes for free. This is also customary in other Andalusian cities, but in Granada it reaches its maximum expression. However, there are a few things to keep in mind. The first thing is that the average price of a tube or a third (the standard measure of a beer in the city’s bars) is 2 €. Therefore, avoid places where it is more expensive and keep in mind that if they charge half that price for beer, it is possible that the tapa is not included.

Mixing with the locals at popular festivals

The best way to get to know the authentic pulse of Granada is through its popular festivals and all the activities offered outdoors and completely free of charge. There are many throughout the year, but, specifically, there are two that are very special. One is the Fiesta de las Cruces, the most popular among young people, where they eat beans and salaíllas, dance sevillanas and enjoy the good spring weather in May. The other is the Corpus Christi Fair or the Fair of GranáThe Corpus Christi procession, the tarasca, the “casetas”, the fun at the fairgrounds and the bullring full of people (the only thing you pay is the entrance fee to the bullring, the rest of the activities are completely free).

Free dance classes

There are many places in Granada that offer free classes of different types of dances, especially pubs and discos whose entrance is also free and you will only have to consume something at the bar to have fun and learn steps of bachata and other Latin rhythms in Aliatar, Backstage, Forum Plaza, Mae West, Pub Babel, Mezquita 14 and other places.

The graffiti route

The street-art rban art is growing all over the world and Granada is no exception, where the artist Raúl Ruiz, better known as El Niño de las Pinturashas managed to trace an extremely captivating route of graffiti in different neighborhoods that can be seen and photographed free of charge. His work mixes painting with poetry and achieves really impressive images, which will fill with colors the photos of your vacations in Granada.

A walk in the surroundings of the Alhambra

The magic of the Alhambra is so great that it can also be enjoyed from outside the enclosure, in its surroundings, with a walk through its exterior gardens and passing through the Puerta de las Granadas in Cuesta Gomérez (right next to Plaza Nueva), an ideal place to relax with the pleasant sound of water, under the shade of poplars and chestnut trees, looking at the ancient walls. You can even go up to the Palace of Charles V, another free monument of Granada, and reach the Plaza de los Aljibes with its views of the Albaicín. You have the option of doing the free tour on your own or joining a special free tour of this area, where you will leave a tip at the end.

Enjoying the sunset on a lookout point

When evening falls, Granada acquires unique colors and a dreamlike atmosphere in which the skyline of the Sierra Nevada blends with the medieval air of the city and the striking silhouette of the Alhambra. The best way to enjoy the sunsets in the city is at the viewpoints. The busiest and best known is the Mirador de San Nicolás, but if you prefer to go to a less crowded one, there is the Mirador Placeta de Carvajales, located nearby. Two other highly recommended are the Mirador de San Miguel Alto and the Mirador de la Abadía del Sacromonte.