Making a day of it
A Granada day around it
How to build a Granada day around the Sacromonte cave show: a sunset walk through the Albaicín, the Alhambra, what each ticket allows and what to book first.
Book the cave zambra ↗Quick answer
Pair the cave show with a guided sunset walk through the Albaicín and Sacromonte, or with an Alhambra ticket by day. Book the cancellable pieces, the show and the walk, before the non-refundable Alhambra tickets, and read each calendar so the times fit.
The shape of a day
Granada's best-known sights sit on two hills facing each other across the Darro valley. The Alhambra is on one, and the Albaicín, with Sacromonte beyond it, on the other. Wikipedia records that in 1994 UNESCO added the Albaicín to the World Heritage site of the Alhambra and the Generalife. A day can run from palace to hill: the Alhambra by day, the hill at dusk and the cave show after dark.
The Albaicín in a paragraph
Wikipedia describes the Albaicín as a neighbourhood centred on a hill on the north side of the Darro. Its traditional house is the carmen, a freestanding house with whitewashed walls and a small orchard or garden. Much of the district was emptied after the Morisco rebellion of 1568, and it stayed thinly settled for centuries. Wikipedia counts Sacromonte as one of the six neighbourhoods of the Albayzín district, so the sunset walk's route from one to the other stays on the same hill.
The sunset walk
Card two on this site is a guided walk of two to two and a half hours through the Albaicín and Sacromonte at sunset, guided in English and Spanish. Its highlights include the streets of the Albaicín and the view of the Alhambra from the San Nicolás viewpoint. The walk's time moves with the sunset, so its calendar changes through the year. It is not recommended for people with limited mobility, because it has numerous steep hills and stairs.
The San Nicolás viewpoint
Wikipedia lists the church and mirador of San Nicolás among the Albaicín's sights, and calls the square in front of it a well-known lookout over the Alhambra from the crest of the hill. It is the place the walk uses for its Alhambra view. Its time shifts with the sunset, a reminder that the light on the palace complex changes through the evening.
The Alhambra tickets
Two Alhambra tickets sit on this site. One is a one-day entry to the Alcazaba, the Generalife, the Palace of Charles V, the Bath of the Mosque and the gardens, and it does not include the Nasrid Palaces. The other is a day-admission ticket to the Alhambra, the Generalife and the Nasrid Palaces, with about three hours listed. Both are non-refundable. Wikipedia adds that the Generalife has carried UNESCO World Heritage status together with the Alhambra since 1984.
What to book first
Book in the order of how easily you can undo each step. The cave show and the walk can both be cancelled free of charge until 24 hours ahead, and the show can also be held without paying up front. The Alhambra tickets cannot be cancelled once booked. If your dates are firm, choose the Alhambra date first and fit the others around it; if they may move, book the show and the walk first and the Alhambra last.
A day in order
Keep the shape loose, because the walk and the show both set their own times. A workable order is an Alhambra visit by day, a rest, the walk through the Albaicín and Sacromonte as the light falls, and the cave show once you have reached the hill. If you choose the dinner option, read its start times against the end of the walk, and leave a margin for the steep streets between them.
Who this isn't for
An easy day and all three plans do not mix. The Alhambra, a two-hour walk on steep streets and an evening on a hillside add up to a long day on your feet. Choose two. For most visitors, the walk and the show pair well, since they share the hill, while the Alhambra rewards a separate morning or afternoon.
Frequently asked questions
Which ticket should I book first?
Book the Alhambra first if your dates are firm, because its tickets are non-refundable. If your dates may move, book the cancellable show and walk first.
Does the sunset walk go to Sacromonte?
Yes. It covers the Albaicín and Sacromonte, with a view of the Alhambra from the San Nicolás viewpoint.
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