Granada in One Day: Alhambra, Old Town and Albaicín

This tour combines Granada's best-known sights into a very doable day. It's aimed at first-time visitors who want to get a feel for the city's Moorish heritage, Christian history and life in the old neighborhoods in a short time.

You start in the morning on the Alhambra hill. Through the Puerta de la Justicia, you reach the Palace of Charles V, where the Alhambra Museum provides background on the Nasrid period. Then, at your booked time slot, you enter the Palacios Nazaríes with their courtyards, stucco work and reflecting pools. To round out the morning, you stroll through the gardens of the Generalife.

After lunch downtown, you'll see the Monument to the Catholic Monarchs and the old caravanserai Corral del Carbón. Along the Darro River, you continue to the Arab bathhouse El Bañuelo and the Paseo de los Tristes, before climbing through the winding lanes of the Albaicín to the Mirador de San Nicolás. From there, in the early evening, you look out at the Alhambra you visited that morning. Dinner in the city center rounds out the day. Expect some uphill stretches; if you'd rather walk less, take the minibuses.