Granada practical information

Cards are accepted at most hotels, restaurants, and shops, but not everywhere. Smaller tapas bars, market stalls, and businesses in the upper Albaicín often prefer or require cash. ATMs are easy to find on Gran Vía and around Puerta Real. There are fewer of them once you climb into the Albaicín, so withdraw cash before heading uphill.

Tipping is not mandatory in Spain, but it is appreciated. In restaurants, 5–10% for good service is the local norm; many Granadinos simply round up or leave the coins from their change rather than calculating a percentage. For taxi rides, round up to the nearest euro. At bar counters, leaving 10–20 cents on the counter for a round of drinks is normal.

You will not be chased or made to feel awkward if you don't tip. The practice is genuinely discretionary here.

Granada is generally safe. Violent crime targeting visitors is rare. The main risk is petty theft: pickpockets operate in the Alhambra queue area, on bus C30, and in Plaza Nueva during the evening rush. Keep your bag in front of you in crowds, don't leave phones on café tables, and be wary of people who approach offering unsolicited help (a known distraction technique). The Albaicín after 22:00 is quiet but its narrow streets are poorly lit; stick to main paths and go with others if you can. For a fuller picture, see the is Granada safe guide.

Call 112. It works for police, ambulance, and fire, and English-speaking operators are available. For medical-only emergencies, 061 is the Andalusia health line. The main public hospital is Hospital Universitario Clínico San Cecilio. Emergency entrance: Avenida de la Investigación s/n, 18007 Granada (this differs from the main campus address on Avenida del Conocimiento). The emergency department is open 24 hours. For minor issues, pharmacies (farmacias, marked with a green cross) are on most major streets; every pharmacy window lists the nearest duty pharmacy open overnight.

In the main tourist corridor (the Alhambra ticket office, hotels, restaurants near Plaza Nueva, tour agencies) English is widely spoken. In neighbourhood tapas bars and local shops away from that corridor, you will get further with a few Spanish words. The locals are patient: even por favor, la cuenta, and ¿habla inglés? go a long way.

The main municipal office is in Plaza del Carmen s/n (inside the Ayuntamiento), open Monday–Saturday 9:00–19:00 and Sunday/holidays 10:00–14:00. The Junta de Andalucía office on Calle Santa Ana 4 (near Plaza Nueva) runs Monday–Friday 9:00–20:00 in summer, with Saturday and Sunday morning hours also available. The Provincial office on Calle Cárcel Baja 3 is open Monday–Friday 9:00–20:00, Saturday 10:00–19:00, Sunday 10:00–15:00. All three give out free city maps and help with Alhambra booking questions.

The old UK EHIC no longer works in Spain. UK visitors should carry a GHIC (Global Health Insurance Card), which replaced the EHIC for UK nationals after Brexit and gives the same entitlements at Spanish state hospitals. Private treatment is not covered, and neither is repatriation or trip cancellation. Travel insurance is strongly recommended alongside the GHIC.

The main pedestrian streets (Gran Vía de Colón, Calle Reyes Católicos, Acera del Casino) are flat and largely accessible. The Alhambra has a dedicated accessible route and wheelchairs available on request; book in advance through the Patronato. The Albaicín is the challenge: steep cobbled lanes, few ramps. The free mechanical lifts (ascensores) at Carrera de la Virgen and San Agustín provide step-free vertical access from the lower city to the upper neighbourhood, and the C31/C32 minibuses reach the quarter without requiring any climbing on foot.