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Albayzín

This area of town has a distinctive Middle Eastern Flavour. Its full of traditional craft shops, Arabic Restaurants and Moroccan teahouses. It's a medina of tiny alleyways, cobblestoned streets and plazas with gardens and sun-drenched restaurant terraces. It was the area of the city where wealthy Arab families once lived, and even today, some of the area's original houses remain. This neighbourhood is inscribed on UNESCOS World Heritage List as a result. 

Places of interest in this district include the Old Arab Baths, the Archaeological Museum of Granada and the Church of San Nicolas, which has excellent views across to The Alhambra.

Sacromonte

Sacromonte Hill (‘Sacred Hill') has maintained much of its original character from ancient times. It became a refuge for the gypsy communities of Granada who shared the same plight of the Jews, and were expelled from the city under the monarchist rule of the 15^th Century. The residents of this area made homes by digging cave houses underground. Some of these dwellings are still used as homes today, although many have been converted into tapas restaurants, shops and flamenco bars.

The gypsy communities of Southern Spain have been credited with the development of flamenco in its early days, and the Sacromonte area is easily the best place to experience a true flamenco performance. It's the only part of Granada with a dedicated Cultural Centre, set up to preserve the cultural history of the area and educate visitors about it's past. This is where you will find the Sacromonte Abbey and Museum, which are both worth visiting if you get the chance.

Realejo

Situated on the left bank of the Darro river, close to The Alhambra is the district of Realejo. It was once the Jewish quarter of Granada, known as ‘Garnata al-Yahud', until Ferdinand and Isabel took control of the city. During the 15^th Century, residents of Jewish descent were persecuted by the Spanish Inquisition and expelled from their homes, which were then raided and burnt to the ground. Today, its full of pretty Andalucian style villas with whitewashed walls, inner courtyards and lush tropical gardens.  

Another feature of the neighbourhood is the abundance of craft workshops. A lot of Granada's best handmade guitars, ceramics and embroidery is produced in Realejo. It's also full of university students as the Language Faculty of the University of Granada is located here, making it the perfect area to find an internet cafe or a decent coffee shop. It's also where you'll find the Church of San Cecilio, the patron saint of Granada.

Renting an Granada apartment is a much more independent way of visiting the city and is an option many people prefer.