Granada Tour from Seville

Are you considering visiting Granada on your next trip to Seville? Without a doubt a tour is the best way to carry out this adventure. Today I will tell you everything you need to know about this excursion and the destination you are hoping to visit.

Katherine Betances

Katherine Betances

7 min read

Granada Tour from Seville

Grenada. | ©Chris Yunker

Granada is only 212km from Seville, which is a 2h 30min drive. A trip from the Andalusian capital to this magical destination is one of the best things to do in Seville, provided your travel itinerary allows it.

Today I'll explain everything you need to know about the tours to Granada available to travellers, but if you want to know about other interesting excursions to complement your trip to Seville, take a look at the following alternatives.

The best option

Granada Day Trip from Seville with Alhambra Tickets

Get to know Granada in one day from Seville

Enjoy a tour of Spain's most famous Moorish monument and many other architectural wonders in Granada on a guided tour with private transport from Seville.

One of the most popular tours in Seville. The operating company takes a group of travellers in private transport from Seville to the city of Granada. This tour includes hotel pick up, specialized guides and of course the entrance to the monuments of the citadel of the Alhambra to know all the wonders that are here as its gardens and palaces.

The Seville-Granada tour departs early in the morning to make the most of the day and returns to the city in the evening, so you should set aside about 12 hours of your itinerary for the adventure.

Recommended if... you are on holiday for a few days in the city of Seville and want to see some of the highlights of southern Spain. This tour allows you to do so without wasting time planning the details of the trip.

1. How to book an excursion to Granada from Seville

Granada Spain| ©Charlie Marchant
Granada Spain| ©Charlie Marchant

When it comes to booking excursions to Granada from Seville, you should know that in the city you will find numerous local tour operators offering this type of experience. Many of them are hosted on search engines such as Hellotickets.

Just enter the name of the city in the main search engine to find all the activities and excursions you can do from this destination.

My advice before choosing a provider is to always read very carefully the details linked to the experience and not immediately opt for the cheapest alternative.

It is very common to find companies that charge only a few euros more but offer facilities such as hotel pick-up, refreshments or entrance tickets to attractions, which will totally compensate for the extra price you may pay.

Once you have selected the tour, you just follow the regular checkout process which involves entering the number of participants, your personal details, and the information concerning payment for the tour. The booking is automatically registered and confirmed by email.

Book a tour to Granada

2. How much does a trip to Granada from Seville cost?

At a viewpoint in Granada| ©Chris Yunker
At a viewpoint in Granada| ©Chris Yunker

With a base price of around 135€ per adult traveller, children aged 3 to 11 years pay a reduced rate of 80€ on average; and infants aged 0 to 2 years approximately 10€ per child.

This price includes return transport between the two cities, for group excursions the tour takes place on board a panoramic bus equipped with comfortable seats and air-conditioning.

Additionally you will be accompanied by an experienced guide for your Seville-Granada tour as well as for your tour inside the monuments.

Regarding the monuments in Granada, entrance fees to sites such as the Alhambra may or may not be included. Depending on the company you choose, lunch may be covered in the price or you can add it if you pay an additional 20€.

3. Timetables of the excursions to Granada from Seville

Through the streets of Granada| ©martin_vmorris
Through the streets of Granada| ©martin_vmorris

Although this is an aspect that may vary slightly depending on the company you choose, generally tours to Granada depart from the city of Seville very early in the morning, largely due to the distance of over 200 km that separates the two destinations.

Be prepared to leave Granada between 07h and 08h and return to the city after sunset. Excursions from Seville to other nearby destinations in Andalusia, usually take as a meeting point the central areas around the most famous hotels in the historic centre such as: Hotel Becquer, Plaza del Duque near Antiguo Hotel Derby or the basic Hotel Doña Manuela.

It is important to coordinate this in advance with your service provider and to be at the meeting point at least 10 minutes before the pick-up time.

4. Duration of the excursions to Granada from Seville

Architecture of Granada| ©Charlie Marchant
Architecture of Granada| ©Charlie Marchant

Although both cities belong to the autonomous region of Andalusia, the distance between both destinations makes it advisable to dedicate at least a full day's itinerary to see the highlights of the city; between 10 and 13 hours depending on the company you hire.

As a consequence of the time it takes to complete the experience, I certainly recommend it for travellers who will be in Seville for at least 3 days or more.

Excursions from the Andalusian capital usually start from a central location in Seville's old town, but many offer direct hotel pick-up as long as the hotel is centrally located.

Book your excursion to Granada

5. What will I see on this type of excursion?

The Alhambra| ©bernjan
The Alhambra| ©bernjan

Located in the far south of Spain, Granada is one of those unique places in the world that is worth visiting at least once in a lifetime.

Characterised by its bohemian atmosphere, this city was part of the Mulsuman reign for at least 800 years so the influence of Moorish architecture in Granada is, to say the least, fascinating.

The Alhambra: A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is a fortified citadel and one of the greatest examples of Islamic art in Spain and possibly Europe. Inside the Alhambra you will be able to visit

  • The Nazari Palaces: Comprised of four important palaces: the Mexuar, the Comares Palace, the Palace of the Lions, and the Palace of the Partal.
  • The Generalife Gardens The summer residence of the Sultans of the Alhambra is a historic palace with beautiful gardens located not far from the Alhambra.
  • El Barrio Albaicín: The oldest quarter of Granada, it is one of the most touristic areas of the city.

6. Is it worth a trip from Seville or is it better to visit Granada on my own?

The Nazari Palaces in Granada| ©Graeme Maclean
The Nazari Palaces in Granada| ©Graeme Maclean

When faced with the question of whether or not to pay for an organised excursion to Granada from Seville, the answer is in the vast majority of cases positive, for a number of reasons.

Firstly, Granada is a small city whose main attractions can be seen and toured in a single day trip, but organising a detailed trip from Seville on your own can be unexpectedly inconvenient.

All of these inconveniences are easily solved if you opt for an organised tour.

If you are visiting Granada with the intention of seeing the Alhambra, like most travellers, it is important to bear in mind that this attraction has a limited capacity for visitors.

It is not advisable to delegate the purchase of tickets to this monument on the day of the tour; by booking your tour in advance you avoid this additional worry; this is especially important if you are visiting the Andalusian region during peak tourist seasons such as the summer in Seville.

Book your excursion to Granada

7. Best time to visit Granada from Seville

Autumn in Granada Spain| ©Charlie Marchant
Autumn in Granada Spain| ©Charlie Marchant

Granada is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities in Spain, as well as one of the most visited destinations not only in the country but also in the rest of Europe. Before planning your visit, take into account the following aspects.

  • The best timetable; when it comes to the best timetables take into consideration that at weekends throughout the year the city is crowded with visitors, so visits to important monuments such as the citadel of the Alhambra should be scheduled, whenever possible for early in the morning and on weekdays.
  • The best time of the year to visit Granada from the Andalusian capital is in spring in Seville, usually between April and May. During these months the number of tourists is noticeably lower than in summer, yet Granada's garden areas are at their peak of splendour.

8. Tips for an excursion to Granada from Seville

Generalife Gardens in Granada| ©sharon_k
Generalife Gardens in Granada| ©sharon_k

If you want to make your trip even more memorable, take into account the following list of tips when organising a visit to the city of Granada.

The Alhambra is a huge site

Even if you have a map of the attraction, you will soon realise that the Alhambra is bigger than you might imagine at first glance. The best way to visit this monument is, obviously, with a guided tour where a specialised guide will take you through all those elements that you should not miss during the excursion.

Plan your itinerary carefully

This point is especially important if you decide to visit Granada on your own and skip the option of an organised tour. Take into consideration that many of the attractions require special time to visit.

If you want to have time for everything, check the opening times of the Alhambra and the other monuments in advance of your visit.

Consider the food options

You are allowed to eat in the garden areas of the Alhambra, which is why some visitors bring a snack for a break during the tour. However, my recommendation is always to take advantage of your visit to eat local food; in the area surrounding the important monument you will find numerous options including restaurants and bars serving Andalusian food.

Book in advance

Remember that the Alhambra is a limited capacity attraction, so it is advisable to book your tickets as far in advance as possible.

Note that when booking an organised tour, entrance tickets to this and other monuments are generally included so you avoid this kind of inconvenience.