Tips to visit Sacromonte

Granada is famous for the Alhambra, the Albayzín... and, of course, the Sacromonte. Much is said about its gypsy charm, its “duende” (similar word for “charming”, but very typical from the city), its cave houses.

Sacromonte is nestled in the Valparaíso mountain; It is thought that there were already very old settlements, but mainly gypsies began to settle it in the 15th century. Being located in the middle of the mountains, the easiest and fastest way to build were cave houses, which offer thermal stability throughout the year (the temperature si approximately 20º); They consist of a kitchen at the entrance, a dining room/living room, a bedroom and, in addition, a stable that is sometimes connected to the house itself.

As you know, at Gazal Tours we are committed to responsable, slow, and respectful tourism; That is why we want to dedicate this article to discussing some points that we recommend you take into account if you want to go when visiting the neighborhood.

- Be conscious of what you visit: Sacromonte is a neighborhood where people live, work, and study. It is not an amusement park, nor a place that is there to serve as entertainment for the visitor. The visit can be done individually, or in a guided group.

- If you are looking to visit the neighborhood in a group, we recommend avoiding tours that overcrowd the neighborhood, blocking and congesting streets. Keep in mind how uncomfortable it is for the people who live there to have to dodge groups of thirty people continuously. Not only that, many of these organized groups do not use a corresponding audio system, so a lot of noise pollution is produced which, of course, is also very annoying for the neighbors.

- If you go to the neighborhood on your own, we recommend that you inform yourself in advance of what you can visit. The cave houses are, for the most part, private properties. We recommend taking the C34 bus in Plaza Nueva to get to the Abbey, which is an unknown gem for many. From there, you can walk along the Camino del Sacromonte, which has spectacular views of the Alhambra, nature... until you reach the Cuevas del Sacromonte Museum, where you can learn about what life was like in the neighborhood, its geographical environment and much more thanks to his ethnographic perspective.

- Local consumption: you can stop by a craft store to take home an authentic souvenir from the neighborhood, or stop for a drink at one of its tablaos or bars.

And of course, if you want to visit this emblematic neighborhood with us, do not hesitate to contact us!!