Federico Garcia Lorca Airport: where to stay, areas and recommended…

Federico García Lorca airport is 17 km from the centre of Granada, but the bus connection is slow, almost an hour with the intermediate stops: those with a short layover do better by taxi, 20-30 minutes. In the city, the choice is between the centre at the foot of the Alhambra, convenient for walking up to it, and the Albaicín, the Moorish quarter on the hill opposite, with the finest views but uphill alleys. Those who want to combine the trip with a few days by the sea can head as far as the Costa Tropical, over an hour further south, towards La Herradura.

Centre, at the foot of the Alhambra

City centre · About 17 km from the airport: 20-30 minutes by car or taxi, almost an hour with the city bus.

Best for: To walk up to the Alhambra, with restaurants and tapas bars just a couple of steps away.

Pros

A few minutes' walk from the Alhambra and the Cathedral
Restaurants and tapas bars open late all year round

Cons

Central streets busy and noisy at rush hour
The airport bus takes almost an hour despite the short distance

Recommended hotels in this area

Pension Boutique Gomerez Gallegos: 5 minutes' walk from the Alhambra and the Cathedral, along the Cuesta de Gomérez; 7 renovated rooms with air conditioning and free wifi.
Limehome Granada Calle Santa Ana: 2 minutes' walk from Plaza Nueva and the Alhambra; an aparthotel with a kitchen in every unit and weekly cleaning, from the German chain Limehome.

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Albaicín

Neighbourhood · Same distance from the airport as the centre, about 17 km; the last stretch through the alleys is always on foot.

Best for: To stay in the Moorish quarter, with a view of the Alhambra from the Mirador de San Nicolás.

Pros

View of the Alhambra from the Mirador de San Nicolás, among the best known in Granada
Historic alleys of the Moorish quarter, far from the traffic of the central streets

Cons

Narrow, steep streets, often without direct car access
Few parking spaces: the last stretch is always on foot with luggage

Recommended hotels in this area

Meraki Suites Dauro: In the Albaicín, 400 metres from the Alhambra and 300 from the Mirador de San Nicolás; an inner courtyard and wooden ceilings in a renovated historic building.

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La Herradura and the Costa Tropical

Nearby town · About 55 km from the airport, a little over an hour by car; no direct bus from the airport.

Best for: To combine the trip with a few days by the sea on the Costa Tropical.

Pros

A pebble beach enclosed between two headlands, sheltered from the wind
A sixteenth-century castle and coastal paths just a few minutes' walk away

Cons

Over an hour from the airport, not an option for short layovers
No direct bus from the airport: a car of your own or a taxi is needed

Recommended hotels in this area

Hotel Almijara - Mares: 3 minutes' walk from the Herradura beach and 12 from the castle; 40 rooms with a terrace or patio and a restaurant serving regional cuisine.

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