Shopping in Granada

Granada is a great city for shopping as it is compact in size and there are plenty of great shopping options - all within walking distance of the city centre. Whether it be souvenirs, local produce, clothes, books or pottery you’re after, there is something to please everyone.

Image credit: Nicolas Vollmer

Hours

Most shops in Granada are open Monday to Friday in the morning from 10.00am to 14.00pm and in the afternoon/evening from 17.00pm to 20.00pm. On Saturdays they are only open in the morning 10.00am to 14.00pm and they are mostly closed on Sundays - although you can find some small convenience stores and Opencor supermarket open on a Sunday. Larger stores and supermarkets tend to be open all day 10.00 to 22.00 Monday to Saturday.

Gift ideas

If you’re shopping in Granada for something to take home as a gift, there are plenty of local products worth considering:

• Local olive oil
• Local chocolate, biscuits and pastries
• Granada wine
• Ham
• Spanish scarves and fans
• Baskets
• Leather goods
• Pottery
  (Please check food import restrictions if you are travelling outside the EU)

Traditional or Artisan Shopping

The Albayzin

If you are visiting Granada then make sure you don’t miss out on the Albayzin. With its ‘Moorish’ influence and narrow cobbled streets, it’s the perfect place for wandering round and browsing the Arabic style shops. Lose yourself amongst the interesting buildings and small squares with coffee shops and restaurants. Be warned that the streets are quite steep and can get slippery when wet - so do wear appropriate footwear.

Fajalauza Pottery

Potters settled in Granada in the late sixteenth century and the city has been an important area for Fajalauza pottery production ever since. The main area for production was the north of the Albayzin next to the Fajalauza Gate. The pottery is decorated in a distinctive style with strong blue and green colours and motifs of birds, flowers and pomegranates. There are many shops around Granada offering the Fajalauza style pottery.

Alcaiceria

Right next to Granada Cathedral this bazaar style market was once a silk market, however was damaged by fire back in 1843. It still retains its old style charm and has a variety of Arabic shops selling herbs, spices, perfumes and textiles, plus the usual souvenir type items.

Calle Calderería Nueva and Calderería Vieja

A narrow street near to the Plaza Nueva, Granada Cathedral and the Alcaiceria this is another interesting street to explore. Again it has the usual Moroccan and Arabic style shopping with plenty of tea houses and some restaurants if you fancy some refreshments whilst you are shopping in Granada.

Clothes Shopping

Granada is great for clothes shopping. There are all the usual department stores such as El Corte Ingles and chain stores such as Mango, Zara, H&M, Esprit, Kling and Aire Andaluz. There are also plenty of great little independent shops offering and great fashion at bargain prices. Check out Oh Oh July for real vintage clothing.

Supermarkets

You will find branches of Mercadona, and Carrefour across the city. El Corte Ingles also has a food hall if you are looking for something special. Alternatively Mariscal is a fantastic delicatessen and Al Sur de Granada is a great for local wine and cold meats. Opencor is owned by El Corte Ingles and has a smaller range than El Corte Ingles but at higher prices due to its convenience nature. It can be useful on a Sunday or when other shops are closed. 

Image credit: Andrew Nash

Bookshops

If you are a fan of bookshops, then Granada won’t disappoint you. Named a UNESCO City of Literature in 2014 Granada is an important literary centre. La Tienda-Libreria de la Alhambra is a bookshop located on Calle Reyes Católicos near to Granada Cathedral and El Ladron de Agua Hotel and is a great place to visit and the staff there are really helpful. Other bookshops worth visiting are the Libreria Bakakai on Calle Tendillas de Santa Paula and the Liberia Babel on Calle San Juan de Dios.

There is also a fascinating library here at the Hotel Ladron De Agua. We are lucky enough to have an original edition of the Forgotten Memories of Granada, written by the famous Spanish poet Juan Ramon Jimenez and kindly donated by his family. It contains two unpublished poems; Truce and October as well as seven main poems. We also stock a range of books and guides to Granada in Spanish and you are welcome to visit and have a browse.

Pharmacies

There are plenty of pharmacies in Granada. We recommend these central pharmacies which are open 24 hours a day if you need something in an emergency.

• Farmacia Zarco Rios, 2 Calle Puerta Real de España, 18009 Granada + 34 958 263 113
• Farmacia Martín Valverde, en Reyes Católicos, 5, 18001 Granada +34 958 26 26 64

If you are planning on sightseeing and shopping in Granada, why not make your visit truly special and stay with us here at El Ladron de Agua. You will find yourself in the heart of Granada with great access to everything Granada has to offer. An oasis of calm in the heart of the Moorish Quarter, this really is the place to explore and unwind.

We hope that you enjoyed learning more about the shopping opportunities in Granada. If you would like to know more about things to do and places to see, check our main blog page out. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook for regular Granada updates. See you in Granada!