My Two-Day Trip in Granada, Spain
Granada is definitely one of my favorite cities I’ve visited so far in Spain. I haven’t even spent very much time there—only about four days total—but I really enjoy the historic architecture, the great vibes, and the amazing food scene. Plus, it’s definitely possible to travel in Granada on a budget.
View of the Alhambra from Mirador de San Nicolás
For all of those reasons, as well as it’s proximity to Malaga (where I’m based), I placed Granada at the top of my list for Spanish cities I wanted to visit this year. So, in mid-November, I made my way to Granada with some friends.
In order to save some money, we only booked our hostel for one night, and we squeezed as much as we possibly could out of the two days we were there. (I traveled from Malaga, but if you’re traveling from Seville, Madrid, or anywhere else within three hours from Granada, I definitely think a similar itinerary would be possible.)
We booked our stay at ECO Hostel Granada, and I couldn’t have been happier with our experience there, especially for the price. (The hostel had clean and comfy beds, free walking tours, free sangria, and cheap family dinners.)
ECO Hostel Granada activities boardAt the end of our two-day trip to Granada, I felt very happy with our travels there. We successfully cut costs and saved some money by thinking strategically and planning ahead. And we still got to see the major historical sites that we had wanted to see.
I’m sharing my travel experiences below to scrapbook them for myself and to provide information to others who are interested in planning their own budget-friendly two-day trip to Granada.
DAY 1: The Albaicín, Mirador de San Nicolás
Around 6:15 AM, we took a Bla Bla Car to Granada. I know, it was early. But what can I say? We wanted to make the most of our trip to Granada without purchasing an extra night in a hostel.
We arrived in Granada around 8:00 AM, and we walked from our drop off point to the historic center, where our hostel was located. We stopped briefly for coffee and pastries along the way. It was light out, but the sun hadn’t yet risen over the mountains, so it was pretty chilly that morning.
Though we couldn’t check in to ECO Hostel Granada until 3:00 PM, they offered a storage room for luggage, so we dropped our bags there. Then, we wandered around the Granada’s downtown. (Another thing I loved about our hostel was its location—right in the center of downtown Granada.)
Granada’s historic center is gorgeous. We enjoyed walking around without any specific plans of things we wanted to see. One of my favorite spots we stumbled upon was the Jardín Botánico de la Universidad de Granada.
Jardín Botánico de la Universidad de GranadaFor lunch, we ate at Wild Food, an entirely plant-based restaurant with great views of the city streets. And let me tell you, this vegan food did not disappoint.
I ordered the vegetable curry, and the flavors were unlike anything I’d ever had before.
My friends and I shared a few desserts, which were all spectacular. My favorite dessert was definitely the vegan cheesecake, because that’s the kind of thing that I find is a bit more difficult to make dairy-free.
Overall, our meal at Wild Food was fantastic. I would definitely like to eat there again when I return to Granada.
In the evening, ECO Hostel Granada offered a free walking tour of the Albaicín, and we joined in. It was a great way to get some historic information about the local area without having to spend extra money on a tour.
First, we walked through the main fort walls of the Albaicín.
Main entrance to the AlbaicínNext, we followed our tour guide through the Paseo de los Tristes and up a hill to the Mirador de San Nicolás, where we watched the sunset behind the famous Alhambra.
Sunset from the Mirador de San NicolásAfterwards, we grabbed tapas—which come free with each drink (including water and soda) in Granada. Then, wanting a bit more food, we returned to the hostel take part in their cheap family-style dinner. Sitting at big tables, we chatted with travelers from all over Europe as we ate.
DAY 2: Alhambra, churros, and Calle Calderería Vieja
After a quick breakfast, we hopped on a bus to Granada’s famous Alhambra—a must-see for travelers to this Andalusian city.
If you want to visit the Alhambra, be sure to book your tickets in advance, as reservations fill up fairly quickly. Also, be sure to arrive at least thirty minutes (but maybe even an hour) ahead of your reservation, because you’ll have to wait in multiple lines to get to the main structures, and you can only enter the Nasrid Palaces during the first hour of your reservation. Besides, according to the Alhambra website, a visit to this incredible historic site can take about three hours.
After taking our time exploring the Alhambra, we grabbed the bus back to the center of town.
We decided on Moroccan food for lunch, and we ate at Tajin Dar, a restaurant that provided us with lots of tasty food, excellent vegan and vegetarian options, traditional Moroccan tea, and a lovely atmosphere. The restaurant also happened to be conveniently located on Calle Calderería Vieja, an Albaicín alleyway famous for its Moroccan restaurants and shops. So after our delicious lunch, we explored this area of Granada.
Finally, to finish off our trip to Granada, we grabbed some churros con chocolate from Café Fútbol.
After eating churros, we returned to the hostel to pick up our bags. Then, we grabbed some empanadas—a great budget dinner—for the road and took a bus to the main bus station in Granada. From there, we bussed back to Malaga. With that, our two-day Granada adventure was complete.
