Of all the photo-worthy spots in the magical city of Granada, The Mirador San Nicolás is perhaps the most famous. Bill Clinton, during an official visit to the city in 1997 remarked that El Mirador San Nicolás offered “the most beautiful sunset in the world”, and ever since it has become a must-see for visitors to this most spectacular of Andalusian cities.
From here you will be able to see the famous Alhambra in all its splendor. The beauty of this viewpoint is undeniable: the Alhambra and the Generalife face to face, the city at its feet, and the Sierra Nevada behind.
The charm of its surroundings, in the heart of the Albaycín neighborhood, with its cobbled streets, its tapas bars, and its colorful residents, make the experience all the more special.
Average Score for Mirador de San Nicolás
If you plan to enjoy a walking tour in Granada, it makes sense to book one where you can be guided at the best time of the day to the Mirador de San Nicolas. Our favorite option is this tour with excellent reviews and a very complete itinerary. GRANADA SUNSET TOUR OFFER
If you are looking to do things efficiently and inexpensively, and in a way, as the locals do, then your best option is to take public transportation. There are two buses that arrive at the Mirador de San Nicolás: C31 and C32 and both lines go through Plaza Nueva, Paseo de los Tristes and Carrera del Darro in the center of downtown Granada. The C32 also has stops at the Alhambra and the Realejo neighborhood, so you can hop on either of these to go to the Mirador de San Nicolás. You can also take Red Alhambra minibusses parked at the viewpoint. Also, the C34 leaves from Plaza Nueva, which is also a minibus, and goes to Sacromonte. Sacromonte.
Just as a heads up, these buses tend to be on the small side and only carry about 20 people. They usually are packed and you might have to watch several drives away, filled to capacity before you can get on.
The C34 bus tends to be less crowded but you have to get off when you see the statue of gypsy Chorrojumo, in the middle of the Cuesta del Chapiz, just before the bus turns right at the Placeta del Peso de la Harina.
The church of San Nicolás occupies the entirety of a block, made up by, to the north, Calle Espaldas de San Nicolás, to the east, by the extension of Cuesta de las Cabras, to the south, by Plaza Mirador de San Nicolás, and to the west, by the Plaza del Cementerio de San Nicolás where the cistern is located.
It consists of a single central nave with a rectangular floor plan, with several attached side chapels (five on each side in total) separated by the start of the four-pointed diaphragm arches that hold up the roo.
In the area of the chevet or main altar, you can still see the vestiges of the Gothic ribbed vaults that covered this space. According to professor Barrios Rozúa, these vaults may not be the original ones and may have been rebuilt during the nineteenth century after the church was apparently struck by lightning and partially damaged.
And this wouldn’t be the only time the church would face devastation. In 1932 there have been several arson attempts against the church. One night the roof of the presbytery area a fire was set that left the temple severely damaged. There were two other churches in Granada that suffered similar attacks that same night. The priceless Mudejar style ceiling was thus lost. The vault remained in place three more years after the fire until it finally gave way to the load and collapsed.
Granada offers the possibility to stay at hotels with amazing views of the Alhambra. We share below three great options from our Granada hotels guide.
Shine Albayzín – ReviewThe Shine Albayzín hotel is a designer hotel located in an XVI century palatial estate located on Darro street in Granada.All rooms at the Shine Albayzín are situated around a typical Andalusian interior patio.The superior rooms enjoy views of the Alhambra and the Darro River. All are
Hotel Santa Isabel La Real – Review This attractive hotel is located in the historical city center of Granada, it is housed within a historic estate that has been refurbished.The hotel enjoys fantastic views of the Alhambra and is ideally located to properly experience this area of Granada, with its
Hotel Mirador del Jazmín – Review The hotel Mirador del Jazmin is a traditional XVI century villa style hotel with amazing views of teh Alhambra and lots of charm. A great option due to its location, character and views. The breakfast is of high quality too and gets you ready
if you are planning to enjoy a city break in Granada, the Mirador de San Nicolas and the Alhambra are clear must-do things. But there are so many other attractions that await you. We share two of our favorite things in Granada below.
The Cathedral of Granada is one of Spain´s most remarkable cathedrals. Yet, it is not easy for any of the best tourist attractions in Granada to “live” by the shadow of the Alhambra. The cathedral offers a fantastic combination of styles and even though it was never finished (it was meant to have 2 towers while only one of them was half-finished) But its main interest is the Royal Chapel, the place where the Catholic
Flamenco shows in Granada – Ultimate Guide Those with a taste for excitement, have to go to one of the zambras in Sacromonte or to see a flamenco show in the famous Albaicín and enjoy a pleasant dinner in a Flamenco restaurant in Granada. The zambra is the flamenco music style that was born in Sacromonte. It’s Arab in origin from the 15th century when the Moors, who had been expelled from Granada, settled here
