Neighborhoods of Granada with History: The Albaycin and Sacromonte
From the Alhambra in Granada we can have some of the best views of the Albaycin, that neighborhood made up of white houses that form an enviable ensemble.
Sacromonte is another one of those special neighborhoods in Granada, famous for its caves and for that flamenco atmosphere that is so popular in the south of Spain.
You can take a very special guided tour of the Albaicín and Sacromonte in which they will tell you the most important things about both neighborhoods in Granada.
A visit to the Albaycin
Visiting the Albaycin of Granada is a unique experience.
We recommend doing it at sunset and arriving at the Mirador de San Nicolás at sunset to have the best views of the Alhambra and enjoy that unforgettable spectacle.
Although, in any case, at any time of the day this route is fantastic.
A visit to the Albaycin should start from the Plaza Nueva going up the Carrera del Darro at the foot of the hill where the Alhambra is located and next to the River Darro.
Along this street we come across some places of interest such as Bañuelo or Casa del Castril before reaching Paseo de los Tristes. Right there we can already enjoy beautiful views of the most famous monument in the city.
It is time to finally enter the Albaycin and head towards the famous Mirador de San Nicolás.
For this, we warn you, the slopes are quite steep. But even so, it is worth exploring these alleys that take you back to other times in the city.
As we have said before, from the Mirador de San Nicolás we have the best views of the Alhambra. That’s why you will always find people there. We can also take the opportunity to see the Church of San Nicolás in this area.
From there we can walk through its beautiful streets until we reach the Monastery of Santa Isabel la Real and the Placeta de San Miguel Bajo, where we can find a beautiful church. Now it’s time to start going down its labyrinthine streets again and enjoy its atmosphere of tapas and terraces.
And remember, the Albaycin is a World Heritage Site and the tour you take through its streets will always be the best because the best of this neighborhood is always to be discovered and does not come in any travel guide.
The Sacromonte of Granada
Sacromonte is another one of those legendary neighborhoods and one of those magical places to visit in Granada.
It is famous for the caves where the gypsies still hold flamenco shows every night.
The gypsies arrived in this neighborhood accompanying the troops of the Catholic Monarchs in the conquest of the city.
Sacromonte is accessed from one of the ends of the Albaycin and always going up steep slopes.
We will take the Camino del Sacromonte and soon we will begin to enjoy the beautiful views of the Alhambra that we will have on our right as we advance and we will also find the famous gypsy zambras that are celebrated in the caves with their cante and flamenco shows.
At the end of the road we find the Sacromonte Abbey, which dates back to the 17th century and where there is an interesting museum with important paintings. There are also some relics of the first Christians of Granada.
