19 best Instagram photo spots in Granada, Spain

Discover the best Instagram spots in Granada, Spain! Granada is a glorious city at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains in Andalusia, Spain. With narrow streets filled with rich history, art, and the world-famous Alhambra fortress sitting atop a mountain, this city attracts tourist masses from all over the world.

In this blog post, you will find all the best Instagram spots in Granada with descriptions, photos, and locations where they can be found on Google Maps. We spent a whole week in Granada exploring everything this vibrant city had to offer, so let’s dive in! Happy traveling!

Read more » Granada bucket list: 17 best things to do in Granada, Spain

1. Patio de los Arrayanes inside Nasrid Palaces in Alhambra

Alhambra is arguably the most famous tourist attraction in Granada, Andalusia, and possibly in Spain. It is a massive fortress on a hill in Granada. Inside the citadel, there are multiple palaces and residences built for kings, expansive gardens, and other infrastructure made for Alhambra to be a self-contained city.

Today you can walk inside Alhambra and admire the layout of the stronghold and even some places like the Palace of Charles V for free. But there are other parts of Alhambra where you need to buy a ticket in advance in order to access them like the Alcazaba fortress, the Generalife, and the Nasrid palaces.

The Nasrid palaces – multiple royal palaces built by different Arab kings from the Nasrid dynasty – are the crown jewel of Alhambra. If you don’t visit the Nasrid palaces, then you haven’t seen Alhambra, that is why it is important to buy the right tickets well in advance that include a visit to the palaces!

One of the most beautiful places in the Nasrid palaces is inside the Comares Palace – one of the first palaces you will see during your visit. There is the famous Patio de los Arrayanes – an inner courtyard with a long rectangular reflective pool typical of Moorish architecture.

Back then the courtyard typically was a central space around which other rooms were organized. Somehow we got a beautiful peaceful moment inside the courtyard as we arrived 30 minutes before the opening and were the first in line to enter. For sure one of my favorite Instagram spots in Granada!

Location: Patio de los Arrayanes

2. Patio de los Leones inside Nasrid Palaces in Alhambra

As you walk to the next palace in the Nasrid palace complex you will find yourself inside the Palace of the Lions – one of the most famous palaces in Islamic architecture in the world. Again the central element here is the courtyard – Patio de los Leones or the Courtyard of the Lions.

There is a wide rectangular courtyard surrounded by a stunning forest of columns that have these ornately carved decorations and Arabic inscriptions. In the middle of the courtyard, there is a magnificent marble fountain that is being held by twelve sculpted lions – thus the name of the palace.

This was without a doubt my favorite place in Alhambra. The architecture and design are somewhat out of this world, especially the stalactite-like carvings in the ceiling of the vaults (known as muqarnas). So don’t forget to look up and pay attention to the ceilings when you are visiting the Palace of the Lions!

However, my favorite spots were those column forests at each end of the Courtyard of the Lions. The ornate carvings are incredible and make this one of the most stunning Instagram spots in Granada! No wonder Alhambra was amongst the finalists at the New 7 Wonders of the World voting contest!

Location: Patio de los Leones

3. Partal Palace – one of the Nasrid Palaces in Alhambra

The beautiful Partal Palace built in the 14th century is one of the oldest surviving structures in the Alhambra complex. It is another palace built for one of the Nasrid dynasty kings and is the last palace you will see during your visit to the Nasrid palaces in Alhambra.

It is a beautiful palace with a tower and an arcade and a reflective pool in front of it which makes for a unique Instagram photo spot. The palace offers amazing views through the arched windows where you can see the hills and houses of Granada.

I found it to be the simplest of all the Nasrid palaces in Alhambra, but it was beautiful nevertheless. After visiting this palace (the last one of the Nasrid palaces) you will have to navigate through the gardens and pathways in the direction of Generalife – another part of Alhambra (if you bought the ticket!).

Location: Partal Palace

4. Patio de la Acequia inside Generalife in Alhambra

Generalife is the name of a complex that was a summer residence for the Nasrid dynasty kings. It has expansive gardens with fountains and lots of greenery.

The most beautiful part of the Generalife complex is the Patio de la Acequia courtyard that you will find next to the palace.

The Patio de la Acequia courtyard is a rectangular area with a long pool and multiple fountains and plants. There is a beautiful pathway along one side of the courtyard that has arch-shaped windows looking out to Granada city.

The complex is very well looked after and has many beautiful hidden corners including another courtyard, viewpoints, and halls all decorated with Moorish-style elements. Generalife is the oasis of the fortress. I do hope you get to visit this place when everything is lush and blooming!

Location: Patio de la Acequia

5. Palace of Charles V

Not many people know that there are places in the famous Alhambra fortress that you can actually visit for free! Yes, even if you don’t have a ticket for Alhambra you can see some buildings and places around the fortress. One such building is this beautiful Renaissance palace – the Palace of Charles V.

Construction of this palace inside the Alhambra complex was ordered by King Charles V at the beginning of the 16th century. It was a project to commemorate his grandparents – the Catholic Monarchs – who conquered Granada.

Building a palace of a Christian king inside Muslim kings’ citadel – Alhambra – was a symbolic gesture of their victory over the Muslim kings. Construction of this Roman-inspired palace with a stunning circular courtyard lined with columns started in the 16th century and lasted for 90 years.

The palace never got finished as it was meant to be, but it still looks pretty impressive today. Now it hosts multiple museums, exhibitions, and occasional events. I really recommend taking a look at this palace! The circular shape with two-story columns makes for some of the best Instagram spots in Granada!

Location: Palace of Charles V

6. Mirador de San Nicolás

Granada is a city at the foot of the famous Sierra Nevada mountains where you can see the highest peak in the Iberian Peninsula and in mainland Spain. And, quite often, walking around Granada means hiking uphill or downhill. I hope you are ready for that!

But they also say that the best view comes after the hardest climb! Granada is definitely famous for its viewpoints (‘mirador’) – especially the ones where you can see the Alhambra fortress sitting atop a hill. And, of course, the ones where you can watch the sun go down.

Probably the most famous viewpoint in Granada and one of the ultimate best Instagram spots in the city is the Mirador de San Nicolás viewpoint. It is a picturesque square on an elevated hillside where you can get the famous view of the Alhambra and amazing sunset views. It is very popular and can get very crowded!

Location: Mirador de San Nicolás

7. Carmen de la Victoria

One of my favorite hidden gems in Granada is Carmen de la Victoria garden. It is located inside the premises of the University of Granada right next to student residences. It is a gated territory, however, you are allowed to access the gardens for free.

There is a guard next to the entrance gate who let us in when we were sneaking around and trying to understand how to get inside.

I saw that others just rang the bell and then the guard let them in. Either way, the garden is available for public access at certain hours.

The garden is very well maintained. There are very scenic views over the city and the Alhambra, there are fountains, pathways, hanging flower bushes, and trees cut into different shapes. Definitely one of the most unique places you will see in Granada!

If you are looking for some shade during the day, then this is the place to come. if you are looking for a relaxing place with incredible views, then this is the place to come.

And, of course, if you are looking for some unique Instagram spots in Granada, then this is the right place. Just check their working hours!

Location: Carmen de la Victoria

8. Catedral de Granada and the Royal Chapel of Granada

Located in the heart of Granada city is the lavish cathedral – Catedral de Granada. Built in the 16th century, this Renaissance cathedral is an impressive sight to see in Granada.

With its gold-and-white interior, massive dome, and many chapels it tells a story about the city’s history throughout centuries.

Like many other Christian cathedrals and churches all around Andalusia, this cathedral was also built upon a mosque. Mosques that were built during the Islamic period in Spain were usually destroyed or redesigned soon after Spain’s territory was reconquered from Muslims by the Catholic Monarchs.

The Granada Cathedral has a secret – integrated into the building complex of Granada Cathedral is the Royal Chapel of Granada. It is the burial place of the aforementioned Catholic Monarchs – Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand II.

It was under their rule when the last Moorish dynasty in Andalusia – the Nasrid dynasty – fell and all the lands in Andalusia were reconquered from the Muslims. They were both titled the Catholic Monarchs in recognition of their defense of the Catholic faith.

Today you can buy tickets and enter the Royal Chapel (you can’t take photos inside the chapel). There is a crypt under the floor where you can walk down and see the tombs of Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand. There are separate tickets and entrances for the cathedral and the Royal Chapel.

Location: Catedral de Granada – Royal Chapel of Granada

9. El Bañuelo

This incredible place with brick vaults, archways, and star-shaped and octagonal holes in the ceiling is El Bañuelo. These are the 11th-century public Arab baths called hammams that feature multiple rooms from cold to hot. This place is one of the best-preserved hammams in Andalusia and in Spain.

It is very interesting to see how people kept good hygiene a thousand years ago. Bathing in public baths was a form of relaxation, a method of cleansing, and a form of therapy and socialization with others. Although the place is quite small, it is a place you should definitely see and experience once!

Usually, there were 3 rooms inside the public baths – the cold room, the warm room which was the biggest, and the hot room. There were holes in the ceiling to let in the daylight and let the hot steam out of the baths. This was one of the coolest and most unique Instagram spots in Granada!

To visit this site, there was a possibility to buy kind of a complex ticket that includes multiple Moorish monuments around the city. We bought these tickets and visited El Bañuelo Arab baths, Palacio Dar al-Horra palace – the residence of a Nasrid queen – and Casa Árabe de Horno del Oro arab house.

Location: El Bañuelo

10. Palacio Dar al-Horra

Palacio Dar al-Horra is one of the hidden gems in Granada. It is a Moorish-style palace that once belonged to the Nasrid queen – the mother of the last Nasrid dynasty ruler in Granada. If you are interested to see what a residence fit for a queen looks like then definitely visit this place!

The palace was built in the 15th century. The name of the house translates as the House of the Honest Lady. It was built in a typical Moorish architectural style with a rectangular patio with columns and ornate archways. There are many unique Instagram spots around the premises of this Granada palace.

Probably the most unique thing about Palacio Dar al-Horra is the view. The palace is located on a hillside so you can get very picturesque views of the city. We visited this palace with a combined ticket that includes multiple monuments, but you can visit this place on Sundays for free.

Location: Palacio Dar al-Horra

11. Casa Árabe de Horno del Oro

Another Andalusian monument included in our combined ticket was Casa Árabe de Horno del Oro – an arab home. This one was much smaller and was not so interesting or versatile in terms of Instagram spots, but we paid this place a quick visit. Basically, the typical courtyard is the only place to see here.

Casa Árabe de Horno del Oro is a small Nasrid house built in the Moorish architectural style. Originally it only had one floor, but the second one was added in the 16th century. There are some nice ornaments preserved, but nothing extraordinary, so you can skip it altogether. The entrance is free on Sundays.

Location: Casa Árabe de Horno del Oro

12. Monasterio de San Jerónimo

Monasterio de San Jerónimo is a 16th-century monastery located in the heart of the Old Town of Granada. From the outside you won’t see anything special, however, the inside hides a lavishly decorated Renaissance-style interior. It is definitely worth a visit!

There are two places that stood out to me (my favorite spots)The first is the inner courtyard which is created in a traditional way they built properties here centuries ago. The courtyard is lined with beautiful archways and columns and full of orange trees in the middle – makes for some cool Instagram spots!

The other of my favorite spots here was the church (you can enter the church by one of the doors connected to the courtyard). It has stunning sculptures, a bedazzling altarpiece, and fantastic frescoes on the ceilings. Looks simply stunning and I could only admire the beauty of this place!

Location: Monasterio de San Jerónimo

13. Basílica de San Juan de Dios

Basílica de San Juan de Dios is a true hidden gem in Granada. I am definitely not one of those people who always have to visit churches and cathedrals wherever I go, however, sometimes it is worth it and this is one of those times.

This 18th-century Baroque basilica is simply breathtaking. It is as if they tried to compete with the famous Nasrid palaces in Alhambra when they built this place.

Embellished with ornate frescoes, golden altars, and a soaring dome, I was almost blinded by this bedazzling beauty.

There is an entrance fee to see this extraordinary building, but it is so worth it! The best thing is that you can not only visit the big hall of the church but also walk to the secret chambers behind the altar and inside the rooms and halls that are normally reserved for church personnel only.

Every room, staircase, and chamber is filled with jaw-dropping Baroque decorations, sculptures, furniture, and art.

I thought this would be a relatively quick visit, but this unbelievable beauty left me speechless and unable to take my eyes off the spectacularity of it all.

The visit includes visits to the main hall, behind the main altarpiece, the sacristy, dressing rooms, and side chapels.

My favorite spot was up on the upper balcony where you can see everything from above. Definitely stop here to take some bedazzling Instagram photos!

Location: Basílica de San Juan de Dios

14. La Alcaicería market

If you are looking for some cool authentic Instagram spots then I suggest going to the La Alcaicería market which is actually the place of the old silk market in Granada. This particular market reminds me so much of the ‘souks’ in Marrakech, Morocco.

The marketplace is not big, so you can easily wander around and see everything in a matter of a couple of minutes. There are two charming entrances to the market (I have added the exact locations below). Both have these Moorish-style arches – one is a brick arch, another has these beautiful carvings.

The La Alcaicería market is located right next to the Granada Cathedral, so it is easy to walk by and peek inside. There are narrow streets full of goods and shops. Parts of the market area are covered. Looks really cool and maybe you can even find some souvenirs there!

Location: La Alcaicería market (entrance)

15. Corral del Carbón

Corral del Carbón is a 14th-century building that has seen many lives and was used for different purposes during different times.

It was built in the traditional Moorish architectural style – you can easily see it at the entrance made of bricks, carvings, Arabic inscriptions, and in the specific shape of an arch.

Entrance to the site is free of charge, but it has working hours, so check that before. There is not much to see inside apart from a fountain and some cypress trees.

If you find yourself around the area, then stop by. You can take some authentic Instagram photos at the entrance with the beautiful Moorish archway.

Location: Corral del Carbón

16. Monasterio de la Cartuja de Granada

Monasterio de la Cartuja de Granada is a place with indescribable beauty. The plain grayish outside walls hide some of the most beautiful things you will ever see! Located just on the outskirts of Granada’s Old Town (you can get there by bus or taxi), this monastery is a must-see place in Granada!

The monastery was built in the 16th century and combines many architectural styles. The complex consists of a huge courtyard where you can walk around and enter many different rooms and halls around the perimeter like the church, the sanctum, the sacristy, and common rooms.

The hidden gem of this place is the sacristy. It is considered to be the most beautiful sacristy in the world and I can attest to that.

The paintings inside the dome, the marble, the exquisite carvings, and the bedazzling art is something I will never forget. The Nasrid palaces in Alhambra have competition here!

You will find a ton of hidden gems and Instagram spots around the monastery – including some of the most beautiful ones in Granada!

Definitely, my favorite places here were the church and the sacristy. The patio was great too for some fresh air and relaxation. Do not miss this place during your trip to Granada!

Location: Monasterio de la Cartuja de Granada

17. Carmen de los Mártires

Carmen is a word you will stumble upon frequently when searching for something on Google Maps in Granada. No, Carmen in this case is not a woman. The name actually comes from the Arabic karm which means vines.

Carmen in Granada is a rural property – a house surrounded by expansive gardens with decorative trees as well as fruit trees, pathways, fountains, ponds, and other water features. The garden is a mix of decorative (for relaxation) and practical (for food like fruit trees).

We explored two carmens in Granada – Carmen de la Victoria which I have already mentioned here and this one – Carmen de los Mártires. It is always amazing to see how creative people are and how they try to adapt to the circumstances. The gardens are great for some shade during hot summers.

Carmen de los Mártires is located on a hilltop and offers amazing views over the city. The area has working hours, but the entrance is free. it is pretty massive with a whole forest included in the complex. There are ponds, sculptures, and even an aqueduct.

We went there on a day when there was a private event happening in the garden, however, the area is free to visit even during the event, so we mixed around with people dressed in fancy clothes. If you are looking for a shaded place with some nice views to relax or take photos, then this is the spot to come!

Location: Carmen de los Mártires

18. Museo Cuevas del Sacromonte

One of the most unique places to visit in Granada is Museo Cuevas del Sacromonte. It is an ethnographic museum of white-washed cave houses that used to be inhabited by the poorer part of society (mostly gypsies at that time). The museum was very informative and unique!

For an entrance fee, you can visit numerous caves each serving different purposes during the daily lives of people who lived here – pottery room, kitchen, stables, bedroom, and others. it will take about 30 to 45 minutes to explore all the rooms and understand their meaning.

The hike to the cave museum will be challenging on a hot day. It goes uphill and requires some extra time to reach the spot. However, I thought it was worth it as you get to have some of the best views over Granada and the Alhambra, as well as visit some artisan shops and souvenir stalls along the way.

Location: Museo Cuevas del Sacromonte

19. Mirador Sacromonte

As I mentioned before, the walk up to the cave museum is challenging, but it can be very rewarding. Especially if you stop along the way and take in the views over Granada. We got some of the best views of Alhambra along the way. My favorite view was from Mirador Sacromonte viewpoint.

These viewpoints with the massive Alhambra in the background are some of my favorite Instagram spots in Granada. If you decide to walk to the museum, then definitely pay attention to the map, and don’t miss this viewpoint! Quite beautiful!

Location: Mirador Sacromonte