This is part of our 8-day trip to the Andalusia region of Spain in July 2019. You can find the overall itinerary and links to other stops on this trip in our Andalusia post.
While in Andalusia, we knew we wanted to dedicate a day to visiting one of the region’s emblematic cities. Our friends who we stayed with recommended either Seville, Granada or Cordoba. They are all around 1.5-2 hours from Malaga via car, so it’s a full day’s trip. We ultimately landed Granada because we couldn’t miss the opportunity to see the stunning Alhambra. We also took the kids to Granada’s really nice science park. This allowed us to split the day – half outside history, half indoor play – which is a great balance if you’re in Granada with kids.
Alhambra
The Alhambra, a palace, fortress and gardens, is a UNESCO World Heritage, world renowned for its beautiful Moorish architecture. It was built on a hill overlooking the city of Granada in the 1200s and 1300s. It served as the residence of the Nasrid dynasty sultans and senior officials, court servants and elite soldiers. The complex was conquered at the end of the 15th century. From there, it passed through a number of royal households, including King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, who expanded on it over time. In 1868 it became property of the State and a “national monument” in 1870.
The impressive sprawling structure has four places you can visit:
- Alcazaba – The residential area of the royal guard. It is the oldest part of the Alhambra and located on the highest area of the hill.
- Nasrid Palaces – A royal palace complex with three buildings.
- Partal – A palace with arched portico, great reflecting pond, pergola and gardens.
- Generalife – Outside of the Alhambra walls, the complex is a mix of palace, terraces and gardens.
You can visit the Alhambra any time during its opening hours, but you have a timed entrance to visit the Nasrid Palaces. You can buy tickets on the Alhambra website, which also has a ton of information on the history of the Alhambra and Generalife.
It was really hot the day we visited the Alhambra, and there aren’t a lot of opportunities for shade. We toured the complex for 2.5-3 hours, but you can easily spend 4+ hours visiting everything (on a slightly cooler day!).
After your visit, you can head to the Mirador de Saint Nicolas, which offers a great panorama view of the Alhambra.
Parque de las Ciencias
While our kids enjoyed exploring the Alhambra, we wanted to spend part of our time in Granada doing something fun for them. So we spent the other half of our day at the Parque de las Ciencias (Science Park). It is a fantastic museum with hands-on science-based activities, a butterfly house, animal exhibits and a lot more. Our kids spend 2.5 hours there before we dragged them away.
The science park is only a 15-minute drive from the Alhambra, so it’s easy to go from one to the other. Obviously you are in the area to see the Alhambra. However, if you have time and it fits your schedule, I would highly recommend a visit to the Parque de las Ciencias if you are in Granada with kids.