Andalusia 7-day Itinerary
Spain
Where to go and what to see in Andalusia to get the most from your trip – a 7-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Dana Facaros.
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Overview >Bucket list experience:
Granada’s best food & drink
Granada, Andalusia, Spain
Last updated: 10 November, 2022
Andalusian cooking is renowned for fresh seafood, olives and olive oil, sun-ripened vegetables, garlic and paprika.
Cooking is simple, letting fresh, delicious ingredients speak for themselves. Much of the preparation in the kitchen is minimal – fish is usually lightly dredged in flour and golden fried in olive oil.
Cold soups star in summer, hearty stews in the winter and melt-in-your-mouth cured ham (jamon serrano) year-round. Many of the desserts, many involving almonds, go back to Arab times.
Sangria, as elsewhere in Spain, is a popular drink, as is sherry.
What to try
Try Andalusia’s famous cold soups: gazpacho, but also ajo blanco, made with garlic, almonds, and bread, and thick creamy tomato salmorejo.
Seafood classics include mixed fish fry (pescado or pescaita frito), bluefin tuna (atun Rojo), and gambas pil pil (garlic and paprika prawns).
Other specialities include carrillada (braised pork or beef cheeks), rabo de toro (bull tail stew) and pringa (slow-cooked beef or pork and sausage).
Also see our round-up of traditional Spanish foods you must try in Spain.
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Destination Guide >Recommended itineraries by our writers that include this experience
Price: Free
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 13+
When: All year around
Duration: -
Getting there & doing it
The food markets of Andalusia are often surrounded by tapas bars and traditional restaurants, patronized by the locals. For eating and drinking recommendations, check out the town-by-town restaurant listings at Andalucia.com.
When to do it
Spaniards traditionally eat later than most Europeans, and in the hot summer months, the Andalusians often dine as late as 11pm or midnight when it’s cool enough to sit out on the terraces. Restaurants, however, open much earlier, and there are always tapas to keep hunger at bay. Lunch is the biggest meal of the day, eaten between 1pm and 3pm. In the summer following it with a siesta is strongly recommended.
Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity
Granada Tapas Walking Tour
Granada
Scout out Granada’s top tapas bars while learning about the city’s history on a 2.5-hour evening walking tour! Taking place around the Albai...
€44 | Rating 4 / 5 [21 ratings]
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Small Group Food Tour in Granada
Granada
On our 3.5 hour Taste of Granada Tour, you’ll have the opportunity to discover Granada’s traditional products, dishes and hidden treasures.
...
€70 | Rating 4.86 / 5 [165 ratings]
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Granada Flamenco & Tapas Tour
Granada
We start the tour with delicious local tapas and tastings in the historic centre of Granada. Your Food Sherpa will lead you to some typical ...
€94 | Rating 4.5 / 5 [8 ratings]
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Old Granada Market & Food Tasting Tour
Granada
Discover the flavors of Granada and the local life on an off-the-beaten-path market tour in the old town of Granada. You can see how locals ...
€149 | Rating 5 / 5 [11 ratings]
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Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first
Eurostars Washington Irving
Granada, Andalusia, Spain
A peaceful, contemporary five-star hotel with a rooftop pool and views, just a few minutes down from the Alhambra.
Official star rating:
Parador de Granada
Granada, Andalusia, Spain
Granada’s parador, occupying a late 15th-century monastery, combines charm, history, service and enchanting views with an incomparable location, right on the grounds of the Alhambra.
Official star rating:
La Almunia del Valle
Sierra de Nevada, Andalusia, Spain
A delightful rustic-chic boutique hotel in the Sierra Nevada, perfect for hiking or skiing – and only ten minutes from Granada.
Official star rating:
Hotel Casa Morisca
Granada, Andalusia, Spain
Overlooking the Alhambra, Granada’s most evocative boutique hotel occupies a superbly restored 15th-century mansion, full of romance and charm.
Official star rating:
Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
Andalusia
Andalusia, Spain
A big dazzling region, packed with fascinating cities, beautiful landscapes and beaches, colourful fiestas and oodles of sunshine.
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Granada
Andalusia, Spain
Crowned by the dreamlike Alhambra, this vibrant Spanish-Arab culture capital combines fascinating sights and lively nightlife with the Sierra Nevada on the doorstep.
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Overview >Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first
Flamenco in Granada
Granada, Andalusia, Spain
Andalusia is the birthplace of flamenco, which still pulses through its blood; Book in for a show at one of Granada’s excellent theatres.
Best for ages: 5+ | £15 | 90 minutes
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The Alhambra
Granada, Andalusia, Spain
Spain’s most visited attraction is the stuff of dreams, filled with intricate mosaics and carvings, magical gardens and breathtaking views.
Best for ages: 13+ | £12
Holy week (Semana Santa)
Andalusia, Spain
Holy Week in Andalusia is extravagant and full of intense, passionate and often spine-tingling emotions.
Best for ages: 13+ | Free | 1 week
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Overview >Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..
Experience
Royal Chapel of Granada
Granada, Andalusia, Spain
This jewel of intricate, lace-like Isabelline Gothic architecture, built just after the end of the Reconquista between 1505-17, holds the tombs of Ferdinand and Isabella, their daughter Joanna ‘the Mad’ and her husband Philip – parents of emperor Charles V.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
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Experience
Hammam at Hammam Al Andalus
Granada, Andalusia, Spain
Stunningly-restored 13th-century Arab baths, using pure water from the Sierra Nevada in a range of Moroccan-style aromatherapy massages. Numbers are limited to make sure you book online before you go.
Best for ages: 5+ | £30 | 1-3 hours
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Experience
Hammam at Aljibe de San Miguel
Granada, Andalusia, Spain
Atmospheric, Arab-style baths by Granada cathedral, with a hammam, aromatherapy treatments and exceptional massages including al-hakam, a full-body coating of warm chocolate, pepper and cinnamon.
Best for ages: 10+ | £22 | 1-3 hours
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Experience
Caviar de Riofrio
Granada, Andalusia, Spain
Not many people know Europe’s oldest and largest sturgeon farm is at Riofrio in the province of Granada. Tours and tastings are offered, accompanied by a glass of cava or vodka.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
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