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Granada information for independent travelers,

Hello from Granada,

Boy, what a difficult city about which to find information. I spent hours a few months ago trying to find the bus routes to the Alhambra, and other tourist sites. Here is what I have learned since I have arrived in Granada.

#1. Any references to bus lines C1, C2, C3, or C4 are correct EXCEPT those aren't the numbers being used. These useful busses are now the C30, C31, C32, C34. I am too messed up after today's navigating to remember how the two numbering systems match up. Last night even our host said we should use bus C1.

#2. Once on the bus there is no map of the srops, nor is there an electronic read out of the next stop. The only way to know where you are is to count the stops. Each stop has a sign with all the stops listed with the current stop printed in red. The font is about 7. Plus these signs face walkers on the sidewalk and your line might be facing away from you.

#3. The tourist offices, if you can find them, DO NOT have city maps with bus lines drawn on them. If you want bus maps, I only found one set of bus maps on line for the basses I have mentioned. They are funky, blurry, and really primitive. But they are accurate.
The tourist offices DO NOT have useful maps of the Alhambra. I guess you get one at the gate of the Alhambra and then can spend your time planning which gate you should have gotten off at.
I found a tourist office today across the street from the "northish" side of the cathedral. Rick does not show this one. All tourist offices I have encountered in Spain seem to be hidden or dusguised. Look for a blue 'i' on a white field of a circle. These signs are usually flat against the side of the building or one of its windows.

#4. Beware of the maps you do get about Granada. Many don't conform to the standard of north being at the top of the map (even online). The 'city map' from the TI has north at about 45 degrees off center. This may explain why any two maps may show the Alhambra in a different setting. One map, it is to your right, the next map it is down and to your right.

#5. The audios at the cathedral are dreadful. And if you use them, take a photo of the map on a white stand inside the cathedral near the entrance. It has the places of the audio located. Otherwise, the audio will say, "now move to spot #6" and you will have no idea where that is. The numbering in the cathedral is a bit of a maze.

#6. Beggars are everywhere. Decide when and how much you will give each day, or you will be broke.

Wayne iNES

Posted by
4656 posts

Sorry it has been so difficult. I guess I didn't see any request for bus routes. Here's the one I used. Might not salvage much now, but just in case...http://www.lovegranada.com/transport/granada-bus-map/
Personally, I don't care where North is on a map as I don't know where it is on the ground.
Hope you can salvage the rest of the visit.

Posted by
384 posts

Hi,
I'm sorry you are finding your visit to Granada a little stressful. We were in Granada for 9 days a couple of weeks ago and I just wanted to add our impressions which weren't so negative...
First of all, we didn't encounter any beggars or people stopping us to ask for money. As in most European cities there was occasionally someone sitting on the side of the street with a dog or a message written on cardboard hoping for money but we absolutely did not experience anyone hassling us at any time.
Obviously it depends on how much time you've got but if you are a normally fit person and stay near the centre, for example we were in the Realejo district, you can reach pretty much anywhere on foot in 20 minutes at the most so I didn't use the buses.
All maps of Granada show the Alhambra so it's pretty easy to see which way it's oriented once you figure out where that is.
There is a tourist office in the centre which is easy to find - first look for the Cathedral - it's enormous and signposted from everywhere. Then looking towards the cathedral follow the left side of the cathedral and you will find a tourist office on your left after a few minutes walk. They provide maps of Granada and also the Alhambra brochure which includes a map of the Alhambra, I'm sure because we got ours there. You may have to ask for both specifically. They can also tell you which bus to take according to where you want to go.
We used the Cathedral audioguides and found them interesting. It's a useful tip Wayne to take a photo of the map at the entrance, we didn't think of that but generally managed to wander in the right direction.
Hope you enjoy the rest of your stay... we loved Granada!

Posted by
4656 posts

To add some more positivity, as Granada is a hilly town, I found it easy to get around because so many landmarks were visible
I found Seville took longer to get my bearings. No beggars or street people Nov 2017. I print most of my stuff before leaving home and rarely use a TI. Also sectioned up RS guide book per city.....but his maps for Granada aren't great.
One thing I never figured out was the bus timetable as it seems they are recorded by calling the bus kiosk number so I jotted notes from website I linked above.

Posted by
2047 posts

Actually, I didn't notice any more beggars in Granada than in Seville or Madrid or Barcelona. And one doesn't need to give them money, as usually it's why they set up shop near tourist areas.

As for maps, I was lucky enough to have a wonderful host at my hotel who provided a great map color coded and description of buses. As I recall, there were maps from the tourist office that provided the routes. I'm not sure why they don't provide them now.

As far as useful maps of the Alhambra, I'm not quite sure what you mean. There used to be a bus that would drop you off by the famous gate. Sorry you're not having a great time. Sometimes the little things can irritate on a trip.

Posted by
1194 posts

Hi,
Thanks, that is a pretty darned good link. I saw it before. Now that I know neither I nor anyone else should not be looking for C1, C2, C3, or C4 bus lines it is useful.

Maps...what an archaic idea. Just put your nose in your phone and follow the arrow. It is not just the future, it is now. I am an anachronism (sp).

Wayne, thanks for the link.

Posted by
1194 posts

Wow, alot of people interested in Granada. That is great.

My wife and I are seasoned non-tourist group travelers. Went on one tour, once. Been doing it on our own for 34 years from Istanbul to Auckland.

The beggars are not nearly as aggressive as the carpet salesmen in Istanbul, but they have been the most aggressive in our experience. And a good number of them. Most big cities have beggars, but this is a bit too much.

It may sound like were are not having a good time (maybe it was that strange font that magically appeared), we are fine. I wanted future trip planners to be aware of the bus number changes, the oddity of the maps, the lack of informaton available at the TIs.

If a person sticks to the high traffic locations, really all you have to do is get off the bus when all the other tourists do. And that is a good tip, when in doubt get off the bus when tourists do.

Into the Alhambra tomorrow.

Wayne iNES

Posted by
28092 posts

I sympathize about the bus situation. I live in a large city with both buses and a subway system. Prior to the opening of the latter I spent a lot of time on the former. Still, when I'm in a strange city, I am reluctant to tackle the local city buses if I don't have to--meaning that unless time is really tight I will happily walk 2 miles rather than go to the effort of finding the correct place to wait for the bus I need and figuring out where to disembark.

Slowly but surely fancier buses (and trams) are being introduced that boast electronic displays tracking the bus's progress along its route. When I'm unlucky enough to end up on an old-style bus, I usually resort to the You Are Here dot on my smartphone, paper maps having proven inadequate for bus-tracking purposes, much as I normally prefer them.

I'm with Wayne on the discombobulation that can result from having two maps with different orientations. I don't have to spend much time at all with a map before a vague impression of it gets lodged in my head. Give me another map where down is suddenly up, and I really struggle.

Posted by
16 posts

Thanks for the post! We just arrived in Granada, connected to Wifi and I came here to see if we were being crazy for getting so turned around!