Things to Do in Granada in the Summer If You're a Student

It’s 3:00 p.m. on a Tuesday in August, and Granada’s Gran Vía is almost empty. The people of Granada haven’t disappeared—they’ve done the only sensible thing at 38 degrees: find a shady spot and wait. If you’re coming to Granada to study and arrive in the summer to look for an apartment, register for residency, or simply get to know the city before the school year starts, the heat is going to dictate your schedule, whether you like it or not.

The good news is that there are plenty of things to do in Granada in the summer if you know how to read the clock: tapas at night, the Albaicín at sunset, the Sierra Nevada just an hour away, and air-conditioned museums as a backup. Let's take it one step at a time.

Between 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., temperatures easily exceed 35 degrees, and in the middle of August, it’s not uncommon for them to approach 40. Many stores in the city center close at noon and don’t reopen until mid-afternoon—just as you’d imagine. It’s not laziness: it’s common sense accumulated over centuries.

What’s different from your hometown is how the day is structured. Mornings last until around 11:00 a.m., then the streets empty out, and everything picks up again around 8:00 p.m. Dinner starts late, between 9:30 and 10:30 p.m., and the outdoor patios fill up just when the sun isn’t beating down anymore. If you’ve just arrived, the rule is simple: plan your outdoor activities for first thing in the morning or late in the afternoon, and save midday for anything with a roof and air conditioning.

In Granada, tapas are still served free with your drink, so it’s perfectly feasible to go out for dinner for 10 or 12 euros by ordering a couple of cañas per person. This is one of the reasons why Granada is affordable for students—something we break down with real figures in the budget guide for students in Granada.

Three areas, three distinct atmospheres:

• El Realejo, at the foot of the Alhambra, with classic bars and more elaborate tapas. A great area to take it easy and order two or three beers in a row at the same spot.
• The Center, with Navas Street as the epicenter of classic tapas-hopping: you go from bar to bar, order a small beer at each one, and see what tapa they’re serving. It’s usually more crowded, especially on weekends.
• The Campus Area (Fuentenueva, Cartuja), with slightly more affordable prices and a more student-oriented atmosphere than a touristy one. This is where you’ll end up having dinner on weeknights during the school year, so it’s a good idea to start getting to know the area now.

The whole point of bar-hopping is to keep moving, not to sit down at the first place you come across. Order a caña, try the tapa, and if you like the atmosphere, stick around; if not, cross the street.

The San Nicolás Viewpoint is the view you’ve already seen in photos: the Alhambra straight ahead and the Sierra Nevada in the background. It’s also the busiest spot, with guitarists, tourists, and the occasional street vendor. If you prefer something quieter, the San Cristóbal Viewpoint offers a different perspective with far fewer people.

In the summer, heading up before 8:30 p.m. lets you avoid the worst of the heat and puts you in a good spot for sunset, which in August is around 9:15 p.m. The streets of the Albaicín are steep and cobblestone, so wear comfortable shoes and bring water—no flip-flops that might break halfway up the hill.

If, after visiting the lookout point, you’re in the mood for something indoors, Calderería Nueva Street is full of tea shops with cool, air-conditioned interiors and mint tea—a simple way to wind down before dinner.

Obviously, we're not talking about skiing here: in August, Sierra Nevada is something else entirely. It's a natural park less than an hour from Granada, and in the summer it's packed with people who come to hike, not to walk on snow.

The starting point is Pradollano, the resort town, which sits at over 2,000 meters and is usually 10 to 15 degrees cooler than the city. Short, well-marked trails start from there, perfect if you have no prior mountaineering experience. If you’re looking for something with a bit more character, the Cahorros de Monachil—located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada—feature suspension bridges over the river and are a classic weekend getaway for students during the summer.

Two things to keep in mind: even though it’s cooler than in Granada, the sun beats down hard at that altitude, so sunscreen and water are essential. And it’s best to head out early—before 10 a.m.—to avoid the hottest part of the day, even in the mountains.

For those times when going out isn't a good idea, Granada has plenty of alternatives:

• Science Park, an interactive museum with plenty of space to spend two or three hours comfortably, especially if you're visiting as a group.
• José Guerrero Center, a contemporary art museum with free admission—small but with plenty of air conditioning and no lines.
• Andalusia Library, with cool, quiet reading rooms—handy if you’ve already brought something to study before the semester starts.

None of these plans require booking weeks in advance, so they work just as well for a spontaneous day out as they do for escaping a specific heat wave.

Granada has the advantage of being less than an hour away from both the mountains and the coast in opposite directions. The Costa Tropical, with towns like Salobreña, Almuñécar, and La Herradura, is a perfectly feasible day trip by public transportation. We won’t go over all the logistics of bus schedules and routes here, because we’ve already covered that in detail in the nearest beach to Granada by bus: check out that guide before planning your day.

You'll enjoy all of this much more if you're not staying in a shared apartment where it's 40 degrees and there's no air conditioning. At the StepHouse Granada residence , you’ll find air-conditioned rooms and common areas where you can escape the heat without leaving the building, plus it’s conveniently located near campus for when it’s time to get back to your routine.

Reserve your spot in the residence hall and start the school year having already gone on a tapas tour, climbed the Albaicín, and visited the Sierra Nevada at least once.

It depends on your lifestyle, but Granada remains one of the most affordable college towns in Spain. In the student budget guide for Granada , you’ll find a month-by-month breakdown with actual figures.

As for the Alhambra, yes, tickets sell out in advance, especially in the summer. The Albaicín is open to the public, but the viewpoints get crowded at sunset, so it helps to arrive early.

Yes, and it's one of the most rewarding things to do in Granada during the summer because it's much cooler than in the city. Of course, sunscreen and water are a must, even at higher elevations.