10 Things to Do in Granada at Christmas

The city of Granada lives Christmas in a big way. Its historic center is filled with lights and exhibits the most beautiful and original nativity scenes, in addition to its typical street market, where you can buy all kinds of toys and handmade products, and taste the most delicious nougat and mantecados. If you want to know what to see and do in Granada, this article is for you.

Not only tourists have a predilection for this city, but also the Three Wise Men themselves, who stroll through the center in their imposing floats and have an official envoy at the Town Hall to pick up their mail.

If you are in Granada, no matter when, you cannot miss one of the most important monuments of the city: the inexhaustible Alhambra. At Christmas and Epiphany the general atmosphere becomes much more emotional.

However, at this time there are more tourists in the city, so I recommend you book a guided tour of the Alhambra at night, as it is a less requested pass.

However, I also recommend booking well in advance to avoid running the risk of running out of tickets.

Flamenco is part of Andalusia's identity. This expression and way of life is present at all times in Granada, even during Christmas.

In fact, during the Christmas period you can witness the best flamenco shows of the whole year, as in addition to the usual shows, panderetas and zambombas are held and traditional Christmas carols are sung.

One of the main places where you can enjoy these celebrations is the Auditorio Municipal Enrique Morente La Chumbera. What are you waiting for to book a Flamenco show in Granada for Christmas?

Without any doubt, this is one of the best things to do in Granada with children. This market takes place in two very important squares in Granada: Plaza Bib-Rambla and the Fuente de las Batallas.

Both are filled with artisans offering their works inspired by Christmas. In addition, you can find beautiful Christmas decorations, figures for your Nativity Scene, sweets and candies typical of the season, and much more.

In this event there are also children's shows and artistic performances for the whole family to enjoy, classic carols are sung and an ecological carousel is presented, a classic merry-go-round that has fourteen wooden figures and is environmentally friendly.

In this time of peace and hope you can not miss the so-called Route of the Nativity Scenes, where different stores and institutions of all kinds (most of them in the center) mount their Nativity Scenes in those days.

You will be surprised by the creativity within the designs of the cribs, ranging from the most classic to versions with a humorous touch. Related to this exhibition, the Nativity Scenes of Granada contest is held, where all the nativity scenes of the city participate.

In addition, the streets of downtown Granada as Puentezuelas, Alhóndiga, Gran Vía and Mesones are completely illuminated for this celebration. If you decide to take a night walk, you can enjoy this picturesque decoration full of charm.

The day of the Three Wise Men is an event eagerly awaited by children since the Christmas preparations begin, and the city of Granada has something very special for that date.

From mid-December you can meet the Royal Postman himself in the courtyard of the Town Hall of Granada and leave your letter for the Three Wise Men, and he will deliver it in person. In addition, the kids can even take a picture with the

As is well known, all children are very excited to prepare their letters for the Three Kings, and having the possibility to deliver them by hand makes you think that Melchior, Gaspar and Baltazar have a certain predilection for Granada. Ah! And in the Town Hall you can also see the Bethlehem that is installed there every year.

This is another event with which the Three Kings are present in the city of Granada. On January 5, their Majesties from the East depart in a royal caravan from Gran Capitán, ending their journey at the Town Hall, in the Plaza del Carmen.

Melchor, Gaspar and Baltazar, along with their queens and their entire entourage, ride through the city in their floats while greeting the public and handing out sweets to the little ones. This show stands out for its charming floats full of color, lights, and cheerful music that accompanies the ride.

In case you did not know, the Three Kings Parade of Granada is the oldest in Spain, the first was held in 1912, promoted by the Artistic Center of the city. And it is enjoyed by both children and adults.

The Plaza del Carmen is located in the epicenter of the city and is the scene of various celebrations. On the last day of the year, hundreds of locals and tourists gather at this point of the city to welcome the new year by eating the grapes at midnight.

Around 11pm, bags of grapes and confetti are distributed among all the locals and tourists present in the square to celebrate the arrival of the new year. After the classic midnight chimes, the sky lights up with a fireworks show.

Meanwhile, an orchestra delights everyone with its music until almost 2 am. After that, if you want to keep on partying, there are plenty of pubs, bars and discos to keep on celebrating until dawn.

Don't miss your New Year's Eve dinner before the grapes

If you're wondering if you'll be able to find a place for New Year's Eve dinner, the answer is yes. Although tradition dictates that families get together for dinner, luckily in Granada you can make reservations at one of the city's restaurants that stay open that night.

This type of New Year's Eve dinner usually includes a special show, musical or humorous.

You can dine in the neighborhood of El Albaicín, a few meters from the Mirador San Nicolás, in the restaurant Carmen de Aben Humeya. With a varied menu of dishes from 60 Euros. Ideal to spend an incredible night in the most traditional neighborhood of Granada, don't you think?

The Christmas season in Granada is usually quite cold. For that reason, after so much walking and touring the various attractions of the city, it is perfect to find a place to stop and rest for a moment and recharge your energy.

A Granada classic to raise your body temperature and treat yourself is the delicious chocolate with churros. There are two very popular places in Granada that stand out for their chocolate with churros:

• La Alhambra Cafeteria: located in Plaza Bib-Rambla and surrounded by an excellent environment and with an outdoor terrace that makes the experience that much more special.
• Café Futbol: founded in 1922, it is located in the Plaza de Mariana Pineda and throughout its history has earned its well-deserved fame.

Nicolas's Traveller Tip

Keep in mind that these places are usually crowded, especially at this time of the year, so I recommend that you arm yourself with patience. I assure you that you will not regret it.

One of the oldest and most beautiful traditions of Christmas is to buy the sweets that are offered in the monasteries for these dates. You can easily come across them, since they are mostly located in the center of the city and very close to each other.

In the convents and monasteries, the nuns get down to work to offer the most delicious typical Christmas sweets. The handmade products made in the convents have always been characterized by their exquisite taste, the high quality of their ingredients and the care with which they are made.

The variety of Christmas sweets that can be purchased in the convents is really very wide, from almond mantecados, aniseed donuts and coconut balls, to chestnuts or marzipan eels and perrunillas, among many other exquisite options.

Some convents where you can buy your sweets

• The Monastery of the Most Holy Corpus Christi
• The Convent of Zafra
• The Monastery of El Carmen
• The Monastery of San José
• The Convent of the Comendadoras of Santiago

Every year, the city organizes a series of musical events for Christmas that range from classical music to more modern genres. Although what can never be missed are the Christmas carols. These are some of the most typical concerts:

• The Orquesta Ciudad de Granada that performs every year its now typical concert of carols of the world.
• The participatory Messiah.
• The New Year's concert.

All these shows are traditionally held in the Manuel de Falla Auditorium.

Temperatures in Granada during this time of the year hover around 15 degrees Celsius during the day, dropping to 4 or 5 degrees at night, so it wouldn't hurt to pack a light coat, a sweater and a jacket. Although if you are very cold you will need a slightly warmer jacket.