Mirador de San Nicolás, Alhambra viewpoint

The Mirador de San Nicolás, the most famous viewpoint in the city is an absolute must see in your route around Granada.

This place is located in the neighbourhood of Albaicín, situated right opposite the Alhambra.

(View of the neighbourhood of Albaicín and of the Mirador de San Nicolás viewpoint indicated by a red arrow, taken from the Alhambra)

How do I find it? Well, that is a good question. I have lived in Granada for 9 months, and during this time, I have been able to go up to this viewpoint around 15 times. I would say that in the 15 times I have been there I have got lost on the way at least 5-7 times. And 5 of those times were not at the beginning of my stay (when people took me there, and knew the route well), the other times were when I have wanted to "improvise" and "try to take a shortcut". It is true when they say that all roads lead to Rome, but the problem is that some are longer than others. You can get to the Mirador de San Nicolás in several different ways. It is best to visualise the route on Google Maps.

• From the Calle Elvira Street (Parallel to Gran Vía, next to the Plaza Nueva Square going up one of its hills with the teterías (Arab tea houses) and the Arabic stalls.
• From the Paseo de los Tristes via one of its really narrow streets (an area next to the river, where you can see the Alhambra and which leads onto the Plaza Nueva).
• From the Cuesta del Chapiz hill, right at the end of the Paseo de los Tristes.

Once you have decided upon a route to take, I would recommend avoiding the peak times, such as midday or at 6 in the evening. It is always busy, but even more at those times, because that is when the organised trips with millions of people come, meaning that it can be difficult to find a space to properly enjoy the viewpoint.

I also recommend, if it is possible, to see the sunset from there. It is beautiful seeing how the sun reflects red over the Alhambra and how bit by bit the landscape changes into the darkness of the night. This is when the lights of the palace turn on, and again, the Alhambra lights up Granada from above.

Finally, I would like to add, that if you see that the viewpoint is really packed, right next to it there is a mosque which has a small garden and viewpoint, and is barely 10 metres away from the Mirador de San Nicolás, and is free entrance. (I assume that on a Friday, when they have a worship service, it would be more crowded).