10 Things to Do in Granada in January

With the arrival of winter, Granada does not lose its magic, on the contrary. In this wonderful city, full of history and traditions, you will have plenty of fun options that will amaze you. Whether you are a lover of history, gastronomy, arts or sports, visiting Granada in January you will be able to experience all this and much more.

Besides, being low season, tourism decreases considerably and you will be able to enjoy the city comfortably. Take advantage of this unique opportunity to visit one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It is the ideal time to do so, as the heat in the high season months can be suffocating. Here are the top 10 best things to do in Granada in January.

When we talk about Granada, the first thing that comes to mind is the marvellous set of monuments, palaces, walls and gardens that make up the Alhambra. It has been the residence of kings and sultans since the 13th century and dazzles all who visit it.

January is the ideal month to visit the Alhambra as it is huge and you have to walk quite a lot, so in summer it can be a bit oppressive due to the heat. A great advantage is that there is no set entrance time, you can enter at any time and without shifts, except for the Nasrid Palaces which do have shifts.

I recommend that you book your tickets to the Alhambra in advance because there is usually a lot of demand. You can buy the most complete ticket for around 15 euros. There are also other options for ticket prices and visits. You can also choose to book a guided tour of the Alhambra and the Nasrid Palaces in Granada and not miss any detail thanks to the accompaniment of a professional guide.

This neighbourhood breathes history. It is the Moorish quarter of Granada and despite its centuries of history, it still preserves its typical cobbled streets and medieval traces. There are several cafés and restaurants where you can enjoy the gastronomy of Granada. You can also enjoy incredible views of the Alhambra. Moreover, in the Albaicín you can buy presents for your family and friends, as there are many shops selling typical ceramics from Granada.

During the month of January, walking around the Albaicín is more pleasant thanks to the weather. As it is a medieval quarter, most of the walk has to be done on foot and in summer with the high temperatures the walk is a bit stifling. In winter, on the other hand, you can explore the whole area and also find interesting discounts in the craft shops.

There are different ways to explore the Albaicín: on foot, by segway or by bicycle.

• Walking tour of the Albaicín and Sacromonte, from RM71
• Bicycle tour of the Albaicín and Sacromonte, from RM167.
• Segway tour of the Albaicín and Sacromonte, from RM245.

More than 600 years ago the gypsies began to arrive in Spain and settled in what is now the Sacromonte neighbourhood. The mixture of Arab culture and gypsy customs gave birth to the ex libris music of Granada, Flamenco.

In Sacromonte you can see many traditional flamenco shows in one of the many restaurants, cafes and bars that offer, along with their gastronomic offer, shows of an excellent level, for example:

• Flamenco show at Tablao La Alborea in Granada, from RM107.
• Flamenco show atTablao Casa Ana in Granada, from RM100.
• Flamenco showin the Zoraya Gardens in Granada, from RM127.
• Flamenco showin a cave-restaurant in Granada, from RM136.

The great advantage of visiting Sacromonte in January is that you can enter the different venues with flamenco shows without having to book in advance and you can even enter the places that are always busy during the high season.

If you are passionate about literature, following in the footsteps of Federico García Lorca in the city of Granada is a must. You can visit the most emblematic places related to the writer.

There is a lot to see and, for this reason, I recommend you book a Federico Garcia Lorca tour. Besides, January is an ideal time for it, because the city is quieter than at other times of the year.

I especially recommend you to visit the Huerta de San Vicente, where Lorca wrote many of his most important works and lived his last days of freedom before his arrest and subsequent assassination.

Granada in January offers its visitors the chance to visit the Sierra Nevada, a place that will take your breath away with its incomparable beauty. In Sierra Nevada as well as delighting you with its beautiful landscapes you can practice different winter sports such as

The Sierra Nevada ski resort is among the best in Europe, it has excellent infrastructures and services. In addition to skiing you can also practice other sports such as ice skating, snowboarding and tobogganing or snowshoeing in the Sierra Nevada.

There are sports activities for all tastes. However, I recommend that you book your excursion to Sierra Nevada as soon as possible because this is the busiest time of the year to visit.

Granada is steeped in history and as Spain is one of the most Catholic countries in the world, religion is an important part of Granada's culture.

If you are a fan of religious tourism, you should book a guided tour of Granada Cathedral and the Royal Chapel. The month of January is ideal for these visits because there will not be the huge crowds of tourists that there are in other months and you can appreciate the religious art in all its splendour in good time and without having to wait to get in.

The 2nd of January commemorates the Day of the Taking of Granada. The city dresses up to commemorate the day on which the Catholic Monarchs regained control of the city of Granada in 1492.

The celebrations begin with a tribute to the Catholic Monarchs at their tombs, followed by a mass and then a parade through the streets of the city, ending at the Town Hall. If you happen to be visiting the Alhambra on 2 January, you can hear the ringing of the bells to commemorate this historic event.

If you are travelling with children to Granada in January there is one activity you can't miss, or your little ones will never forgive you. Every January 6th, the Three Kings Day Parade takes place. This is the oldest parade in Spain, and has been repeated every year since 1917.

On this day, there is a parade of around twenty floats with decorations alluding to the period, on a route that varies every year but is generally more than 8 kilometres long to avoid crowds of people. It's a spectacle of music, fun and colour that lasts into the night, with more than a tonne of sweets being handed out to those who attend the show.

The 17th of January is celebrated in Granada as Saint Anton's Day. This saint, protector of animals, is highly venerated in Granada and is traditionally linked to the pig. La olla de San Antón is a dish made with pork, especially on the 17th of January, but can be found on the menu of several restaurants throughout the month.

It is a pot meal, similar to a stew, with many calories, ideal to face the cold of the mountains, it was created centuries ago by the peasants at the time of the slaughter of the pigs and harvest of the olives to be able to withstand the low temperatures.

Believe it or not, you can enjoy the beach in Granada in January. In the so-called Costa Tropical of Granada there are temperatures around 20 degrees Celsius even in the middle of winter, so it is possible to enjoy a few hours on the beach in the middle of January.

On the Costa Tropical of Granada there are many beaches with sand and clean water that invite you to relax even in winter. You can tell your friends and family that on the same day you skied in the Sierra Nevada and also bathed on a beach!

As you can see, Granada in January offers activities for all tastes, sports, history, gastronomy, poetry, music, traditions and lots of fun. There are many advantages if you decide to travel to Granada in January.

On the one hand, you will have the possibility to make the trip of your dreams at a much lower price. Airline tickets are much cheaper at this time of year and hotels also have low season fares, because travel prices are greatly reduced in the winter months, especially in January. Many of the attractions also have promotional prices in low season.

In addition, there are things you can only do in Granada in January and not in other months of the year, such as enjoying some of the city's traditional festivals like the Día de la Toma or the events for New Year's Day and Epiphany. Winter sports are also at their best in January, when the Sierra Nevada is dressed up to welcome snow lovers.

Unlike other European cities, even within Spain itself, the Nasrid city has a very friendly climate in winter to enjoy all the activities and places of interest in Granada. During the month of January you can find plenty of sunny days with clear skies for the best guided tours and excursions in Granada.

Being a dry climate, the cold is not felt as much as in other regions so you can enjoy many walks and outdoor activities, as rainfall is also rare. During the night, temperatures do drop quite a bit, so it is advisable to always bring a coat. There can also be frosts during the night hours.

In Granada during the summer there are days when temperatures exceed 40 degrees Celsius, making it very difficult to do outdoor activities. Take the opportunity to visit Granada in January if you want to get to know this wonderful city in total comfort, without rushing, without crowds and with a pleasant climate.