Like other Spanish provinces, Granada offers a fine mix of activities for all ages. Situated in the southern part of Andalusia, Granada is formed by portions of the Sierra Nevada range, the Mediterranean coastline, and even areas that easily pass for being more desert than land. The capital city, Granada, is impressive in its own right and needs at least a week's visit in order for tourists to see most of the important sites. With a population nearing 900,000, Granada is one of Andalusia's largest provinces. 

Bursting with Culture 

The similarly named city of Granada is not only the capital, but it houses one of Spain's most beautiful tourist attractions. The Alhambra Palace is gorgeous and visited by hundreds of people every week. Built in the 1300s, the palace is ancient yet in remarkable condition. Shopping in Granada is also impressive, and after a day of shopping tourists will enjoy the variety of restaurants found within the city. Visitors should plan to spend at least a week seeing the key sites in Granada, any shorter stay will only leave tourists feeling hurried. On the outskirts of the city are the gypsy caves (Sacromonte) where some of the area's most unique and popular dance clubs are located. 

 

Enjoy the Stunning Beaches of the Costa Tropical 

Costa Tropical is the area along the Mediterranean Sea. Acantilados de Maro-Cerro Gordo, Almunecar, La Herradura, Motril, Penones de San Cristobal, and Salobrena are the six towns along the coastline. Motril is the most populated, but it can be rather touristy in the summer. Acantilados de Maro-Cerro Gordo is one of the prettiest areas for beaches because of the tide's effect on the limestone cliffs leaving behind oddly shaped rocks and caverns. Almunecar is growing in popularity and popular with children because of the Loro Sexi Park that houses thousands of different birds. La Herradura is popular with divers. Penones de San Cristobal has lots of cliffs, but offers a couple of nice sandy beaches. Finally, Salobrena is a whitewashed town that sits on the cliffs above the sea. A man made reef is one of the town's largest attractions because it offers both divers and snorkelers an opportunity to view species living in the sea.

 

To the west of Granada, the area's history shows that this was the main site of battles between the Moors and the Christians. Montefrio is known for having a church high on a cliff, while Loja del Rio has the Genil River pass through the town and offers waterfalls for the outdoor enthusiast. Those seeking the benefits of natural mineral springs will find Alhama de Granada to be to their liking. The natural hot spring is both relaxing and proven to help with many muscle and joint ailments. 

Capture the Beautiful National Parks of Granada 

To the east of Granada, the area resembles deserts. Here tourists enjoy the natural parks, many offer cave systems that can be explored and that some Andalusians still inhabit. Guadix is one town where more than half of the population lives underground in the caves. These people, known as troglodytes, are extremely honoured to have tourists visit their homes. There are also a few caves that are rented by the night. Lacalahorra is popular with tourists thanks to the ancient castle that is considered among the best of Spain's castles. Riofrio is an amazing village for trout anglers. The town is famous because it has an organic fish farm that has been in operation for more than forty years.