The 10 best day trips from Granada

In short: From Granada you can reach high mountains, the Mediterranean, mountain villages and two more World Heritage cities in two hours at most. The three classics are the Alpujarras, the Sierra Nevada and the Costa Tropical. For the cities, a bus or train is enough, but for the villages a car makes things much easier.

The ten day trips at a glance

Distances are rounded and measured from the city centre. Driving times are rough guidelines for a car in normal traffic.

Mountains: Sierra Nevada, Alpujarras and Los Cahorros

The mountains start right behind the city. Depending on the season and your fitness, you have three very different options.

• Los Cahorros de Monachil: a short gorge hike with suspension bridges and sections where you duck under rock overhangs. Busy at weekends, quiet during the week. Wear sturdy shoes.
• Sierra Nevada: in winter the southernmost ski resort in Europe, in summer cool high-altitude hikes. According to media reports, the 2026/27 ski season is planned from 28.11.2026 to 25.04.2027, depending on snow conditions. Everything else is under Sierra Nevada.
• Alpujarras: the white villages of Pampaneira, Bubión and Capileira on the southern side of the mountains, linked by a hiking trail. The road is winding, so plan more time than the kilometres suggest. Details under Alpujarras.

Sea: a day on the Costa Tropical

You can reach the coast of the province of Granada via the A-44 motorway in about an hour. Salobreña, with its castle on the rock, is the closest, while Almuñécar and La Herradura have the more beautiful coves. In spring you really can do both in one day: skiing in the morning, beach in the afternoon. Which beach suits you is covered in Costa Tropical beaches. If you drive further west, you reach Nerja and Frigiliana.

Small towns: Guadix, Montefrío and Alhama

These three towns lie in different directions, and each is good for half a day.

• Guadix: in the cave house quarter, people still live in homes dug into the clay. Only the white chimneys stick out. There is also a large cathedral. Easy to combine with a trip on to Almería.
• Montefrío: a village with a church on a rocky spur. The viewpoint on the access road is one of the best-known photo spots in the province, best in the late afternoon.
• Alhama de Granada: a town on the edge of a deep gorge, with a walking path along the rim and thermal springs below.

Cities: Córdoba, Málaga, Úbeda and Baeza

Three city trips are doable as day trips, even though each deserves an overnight stay.

• Córdoba: for the Mezquita-Catedral (15 €, as of October 2026). The longest trip on the list, most comfortable by train. See Córdoba.
• Málaga: old town, Alcazaba, Picasso Museum and city beach. See Málaga.
• Úbeda and Baeza: two Renaissance towns among olive groves, with few crowds. See Úbeda and Baeza.

Which day trips work without a car?

From the bus station in the north of the city, regular buses run to the coast, Guadix, Málaga, Córdoba and the Alpujarras. During the ski season there is a dedicated bus to Pradollano in the Sierra Nevada. Timetables and prices are on ALSA. Trains also run to Córdoba and Málaga, and you can find the times on Renfe.

The Alpujarras can be reached by bus, but there are only a few connections a day. Check the return journey before you set off. For Montefrío and Alhama, a hire car for one or two days is worth it.

What you should not miss in the city itself is covered in Granada sights. And if after a few days you are thinking about staying for a semester or longer: Studying in Granada.

Frequently asked questions

As of October 2026. Opening hours, prices and entry rules change. Check them on the official websites before your visit.

Cover image: Paul Taylor · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0