10 Things to Do in Granada in August
Granada is a magical city with an incredible Nasrid tradition: discover its cuisine, its world heritage monuments and enjoy the music in the birthplace of flamenco.
Granada is one of the most beautiful cities in Spain and has a lot to see and do. If you want to visit in summer, August is a great choice. The weather is better than in July, but the tourist industry maintains all the offerings of the high summer season.
This city of 230,000 inhabitants is made up of a central city centre full of tourist attractions that you can easily reach on foot. If you prefer, public transport is also very accessible and convenient, but in no case will it take you too long to visit any part of the city.
Whether you prefer Granada's nightlife, bars and music, or you're more into cultural activities and visiting world heritage sites or just going out for tapas, Granada has something for you- you can even take a bath and massage in an authentic Moorish bath at the foot of the Alhambra!
1. Discover the leisure offer of Granada in August with a free tour
Free tours are one of the best ways to get to know a city. These guides do not have a fixed price, but at the end of the tour, the participants pay the guide the amount they consider appropriate according to their satisfaction.
You may wonder if during the month of August some services will be closed for holidays or if there are summer events that are not usually available. These tours are a fantastic way to find out about Granada's August leisure offer, its best bars and restaurants, a general explanation of how to get around the city and give you the keys to the main historical monuments.
The free tours usually last between 1 and 2 hours, and are affordable for all budgets. When you're done, you'll know everything you need to know to enjoy Granada in August.
You can also pay for one of the best guided tours offered by Hellotickets, which include entrance and priority access to the city's monuments.
2. Enjoy tapas at night in the bars of Granada in August
Granada is famous for its cuisine, and you can't leave the city without trying its famous tapas. Luckily for you, its huge tourism industry means that Granada is full of bars and restaurants with prices to suit all budgets, and during the month of August they are more than ready to welcome visitors. Those who decide to visit Granada in August will find that, although there is the option of sheltering from the heat in the bars during the day, tapas are also common on summer nights. Granada is the perfect city to turn an August night into a gastronomic experience.
Granada's tapas are so famous that it has even been proposed that establishments charge for them to recognise their value, but for the moment they are still free. So, if you order two drinks, their accompaniment can serve as dinner.
I recommend that you visit several bars in the city centre and if you like tapas, give raciones such as broad beans with ham or aubergines with honey a try.
3. Visit the Alhambra
The Alhambra is a must-see monument, no matter how many days you plan to spend in Granada. If you don't know it, you should know that the Alhambra is a monumental complex built on top of an Andalusian palatine city and its visit can take about three hours. Here you have an article about how to get tickets to the Alhambra.
This monumental complex, which was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, has some areas with free access, such as the Fine Arts Museum, the Alhambra Museum and the Palace of Charles V. If you want to access the Generalife, the Bath of the Mosque, the Alcazaba, the Nasrid palaces and the gardens, you will have to buy tickets.
We recommend that you buy tickets as soon as possible, as they tend to sell out well in advance. The price varies depending on the facilities you want to access and the time of day. If you plan to visit Granada in August you are in luck, because the Alhambra also offers night visits to escape the summer heat.
If you have time and are interested in the Andalusian history of Granada, the Patronato de la Alhambra y el Generalife regularly organises activities, special days and guided tours so that you can get to know all the secrets of this jewel of the city. Check its cultural agenda to make sure you don't miss anything.
4. Night and dramatised visit to the cemetery of Granada
Granada's nightlife offers fun for all tastes, you have a wide range of things to see and do in Granada at night. If you like to go out in bars or clubs, you won't get bored, but there is much more. Cemetery tourism has been booming for a few years now, and the August nights in Granada create the perfect atmosphere to get to know the second oldest cemetery in Spain.
Groups offering dramatised tours will make your tour of Granada's necropolis fun, entertaining and educational: not only will you have an open-air theatrical experience, but you'll also see the remains of an ancient Hispano-Muslim palace and other areas of historical interest.
5. Astronomy nights at the Parque de las Ciencias (Science Park)
The first interactive museum in Andalusia is a great attraction in Granada, especially if you plan to visit this wonderful city with your family. Because travelling with children to Granada is a great idea.
The Science Park offers discounts to under 18s, over 65s and visitors with the Youth Card. It is accessible for people with disabilities and is open almost every day.
The Science Park includes a science museum, a biodome that serves as a window to the diversity of life on earth with recreations of natural habitats and an observatory that will drive the little ones crazy. In the museum you'll find exhibitions on topics such as space exploration, robots and dinosaurs.
In addition, throughout the summer you can enjoy its astronomy nights, also available in August. On crescent moon nights, the observatory opens its doors and guides visitors through the night sky with telescopes.
If during your August stay in Granada you decide to visit the Parque de las Ciencias, you can reach it by bus or metro, and it is only a 15-year walk from the historic city centre.
In this post I show you how to get tickets, opening hours and what to see at the Science Museum.
6. Enjoy the August activities of the Federíco García Lorca House-Museum
Also known as Huerta de San Vicente, it offers you the opportunity to visit the very house where the city's most famous playwright spent his summers and wrote some of the most emblematic plays of Spanish theatre.
This is a must-see not only for lovers of the Andalusian writer and theatre, but for anyone who wants to know what it was like to live in Andalusia in the early 20th century. The house museum maintains the furniture and structure of the period. You can also see photos of the family and even a drawing by the writer's friend Salvador Dalí.
Of special interest to tourists visiting Granada in August are the cultural activities that the Huerta de San Vicente organises throughout the summer months. In August you can enjoy** film nights, concerts, exhibitions or recitals** according to the programme that you can consult on the website.
This institution has a museum vocation and has its own souvenir shop. The house museum is only 10 minutes from the centre of Granada on foot.
7. Enjoy the summer activities "Cultura al Fresquito" in the Sacromonte neighbourhood
Granada is full of unique neighbourhoods where you could lose yourself for days, and one of the most special is Sacromonte. Famous for its connection with gypsies and flamenco, this neighbourhood has gone from being a place to avoid due to its bad reputation, to becoming one of the emblems of the city and a must-see for any tourist.
This district of narrow streets and caves has some little known gems such as the Abadía del Sacromonte, which you will find in the highest part. It is also advisable to visit the Cuevas de Sacromonte museum, opposite the Alhambra, to learn about the history and the reasons for the racial character of this special corner of the city of Granada.
If you visit this neighbourhood in August, you have the opportunity to enjoy the "Cultura al Fresquito" activities organised by the Cuevas de Sacromonte Museum. Depending on the programme, you can enjoy flamenco festivals, night visits or open-air cinema.
And if you want to know why Sacromonte is known as the cradle of flamenco, read the following recommendation.
8. Dinner with show in Sacromonte neighbourhood
When you walk through the narrow streets and steep slopes of Sacromontes, you will see that many cave-houses and other establishments organise and advertise zambras. A zambra is a flamenco song and dance show that is part of the character of this neighbourhood and city.
Flamenco is famous all over the world, so don't be surprised if you come across crowds of tourists trying to enjoy one of these shows. Some establishments, such as María la Canastera or the Cueva de La Rocío are particularly famous and reputable. Others may be cheaper, but of poorer quality.
One option that is not available all year round, but only during some summer months depending on the establishment, is dinner with a show. So if you visit Sacromonte in August you have the opportunity to taste typical dishes of the area with singing and dancing.
9. Book a hammam or arabic bath in advance and save money
It is impossible to ignore the traces of Moorish culture in Granada, and one of its most interesting contributions for anyone visiting Granada in August is the Arab baths. You can enjoy **steam treatments, showers, baths and **massages.
If you plan your Granada getaway well in advance, you can save on your hammam, as some of the best Arab baths in Granada often offer discounts for August if you book your ticket well in advance.
But a hammam in Granada is not just any old place. Some of the most famous ones are located in centuries-old historic buildings, preserved and reconstructed, and right where the original hammam once stood.
Having an Arab bath, for example at the foot of the Alhambra, is a historical experience that goes beyond what a conventional treatment in any other city can offer.
10. Refresh yourself in an Arabic tea shop
Its Moorish history and tradition mean that the city of Granada is dotted with tea shops, especially in the Albaicín and Sacromonte neighbourhoods. You may ask yourself, why visit a tetería in summer, isn't tea a drink to warm you up in winter? But that is not what the Nasrid wisdom says.
As well as speaking of its regenerative properties, tradition has it that tea is the perfect drink for places with high temperatures, as some of the world's most tea-consuming countries tend to be. Therefore, you won't find a better setting than the summer of August in Granada to soak up the Nasrid tradition in an Arab tea shop.
These establishments not only offer this Arabic delicacy, they are also covered with decorations, curtains and lanterns that will transport you to an exotic environment typical of Marrakech. Each tea shop is different, with some specialising in nightlife, while others also have the famous shishas or hookahs.
The favourite street for tea-shop enthusiasts is Caldereria Nueva, where you'll also find Arab pastry and craft shops.
Temperatures in Granada in August
August is a warm month to visit Granada, although less so than July, so it is not a bad choice for the summer. It doesn't usually rain and there are many hours of sunshine.
Be prepared for average temperatures above 25 degrees Celsius and over 30 degrees Celsius at some times of the day.
Fortunately, many of the activities and tours I have recommended are available in the evenings, when the heat subsides and the sun is no longer a problem. Otherwise, the city of Granada and its tourist attractions are perfectly prepared for you to enjoy them during the month of August.