Granada City Guide - Sightseeing

The Alhambra, the fairy-tale palace-fortress of Granada's old Moorish rulers, perched on a hill overlooking the city centre, is the stuff of dreams and a place people travel for days to see. But there is much more to Granada than the Alhambra.

No one should miss the Albaicín, the old Moorish quarter of narrow, winding streets and aged mosques-turned-churches, on a separate hill with fabulous views of the Alhambra; or the gorgeous gothic Capilla Real, resting place of the famous catholic monarchs, Fernando and Isabel, down in the city centre.

Next to the Capilla Real stands a fine cathedral dating back to 1521, and further west are two monasteries, the Monasterio de San Jerónimo and the Monasterio de la Cartuja, featuring spectacular gothic, Renaissance and baroque sculpture.

Literature fans will love Huerta de San Vicente, the home of Granada's great playwright and poet Federico García Lorca, southwest of the centre.

Oficina de Información Turística del Patronato Provincial
Plaza Mariana Pineda 10
Tel: 958 247 128.
Website: www.turgranada.es

The Bono Turístico (City Pass) gives admission to several major sights, including the Alhambra, cathedral, Capilla Real and La Cartuja and San Jerónimo monasteries, plus nine rides on city buses, a 24-hour pass on the City Sightseeing Granada bus, and discounts at some hotels and restaurants. It's worth getting if you're going to stay in Granada a few days.

You can buy the Bono at the Alhambra and Capilla Real ticket offices, at Caja Granada bank, Plaza Isabel La Católica 6; by telephone (with credit card) on 902 100 095; or online at http://caja.caja-granada.es.