Among its narrow, winding streets one will find beautiful white-washed old buildings, splendid Arabic shops and restaurants, scenic gardens, and marvelous views of Granada and the Alhambra.

Today part of a UNESCO World Heritage site (along with the nearby neighborhood of Sacromonte, covered below), Albayzín dates back to the fourteenth century and was built as a defensive town and thrived as one of the centers of Granada under Muslim rule.

Entering the Albayzín is simple enough – from Plaza Nueva it’s just a matter of walking north (uphill), or proceeding east along the Rio Darro (to the Paseo de los Tristes, covered below) and turning north on any of the side streets.

However if coming from the Cathedral or anywhere else in central Granada, the best entrance is via Calle Calderería Nueva (near bus stop Gran Vía 1), a stepped cobblestone street lined with Arabic restaurants, tea shops, bakeries and shops selling imported goods from North Africa.

However once inside the Albayzín you’ll find the layout of the streets very confusing, with many steep sections and stairways – though this is indeed part of the charm of the neighborhood, always with a new path to explore or a hidden surprise waiting to be discovered.

However, if the climb or the confusing layout sound like too much, you can also take the 31 or 32 minibuses to the top of the hill from Plaza Nueva (the 32 also offers a direct connection to the Alhambra).