Travelling to Granada

About Granada

Granada is a very nice centenarian city in Andalusia, the southern region of the Iberian Paninsula in Spain.  Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains (containing the highest peak in the Iberic Peninsula), and at 30 minutes from the Mediterranean coast by car. The region surrounding Granada was populated by Iberians from at least the 8th century B.C. The region has furthermore experienced Phoenicial, Greek, Punic, Roman and Visigothic influences, although the city was founded in 711 by the Moors, who conquered large parts of the Iberian Peninsula, thus establishing Al-Andalus (Moorish Spain). Even centuries after the "re-conquest" by the Catholic Monarchs, Granada's most famous historical monuments (e.g. the Alhambra) and areas are still those built by the ancien civilizations from North-Africa, although other latter monuments from the middle ages can also be visited.

Official tourism site of Granada

Council of Granada (Tourism information)

Granada info (Tourism information)

How to reach Granada

By plane: the International Airport of Granada, at only 15 minutes drive from Granada downtown, is connected by several flights per day with Madrid airport, as well as with Barcelona and other cities in Spain. Alternatively, the International Airport of the Costa del Sol (Malaga), at 130 km from Granada, serves multiple international destinations, especially within Europe.

For those arriving at Granada airport, the fastest way into the city is to take a taxi. The cost is about 25€ from the airport to downtown Granada. For those on a budget and with patience there is a regular bus service (to the right end of the terminal as you exit), which takes you to the city center for 3 euros.

For those arriving at Malaga airport: there are direct buses from Málaga airport to Granada bus station. They leave at 10:45, 11:30, 16:00 and 18:30. The trip takes 2 hours 20 minutes and a one-way ticket costs 10€. If you arrive at another time, it is faster to catch a bus from Málaga airport to Málaga bus station and then catch a bus to Granada. There are buses from Malaga's airport to Málaga bus station every 30 minutes, and from Malaga to Granada every hour (ALSA bus company). The journey takes about 2 hours and costs ~10€.

By train: The train station is fairly central. The Spanish National Railway Company (RENFE) has a good website giving full information in English about trains in Spain.

By bus: There are many buses every day to the other large Spanish cities with the (ALSA bus company). The bus station is slightly out of town but there are taxis and frequent city buses to get to the center.

By car: Granada is well communicated by freeway road with all main Spanish cities. It takes about 5 hours from Madrid and 90 minutes from Málaga.