Iglesia de San Nicolás

Iglesia de San Nicolás tickets: which one to buy

The Church of San Nicolás stands at the top of the Albaicín, the old Moorish quarter of Granada, southern Spain, beside the Mirador de San Nicolás, the most famous viewpoint in the city, which looks across the Darro valley to the Alhambra with the snowy peaks of the Sierra Nevada behind. Most visitors come for the view, which is free and open at all hours, and the church itself can be visited at certain times, sometimes with a small fee, including its bell tower, which offers an even higher view.

Walking tours of the Albaicín, a UNESCO World Heritage Site together with the Alhambra, pass the church and the square, together with the narrow whitewashed lanes, the carmen houses with walled gardens, the Great Mosque of Granada next door and the Plaza Larga. Buses C31 and C32 climb from the Plaza Nueva to the viewpoint, which is useful because the walk up is steep. The square is crowded at sunset, when musicians play flamenco guitar and street vendors sell jewellery, so keep an eye on your belongings. Restaurants with terraces near the viewpoint also look across to the Alhambra.

Visiting Iglesia de San Nicolás: what to see

After the Christian conquest of Granada in 1492, many mosques in the Albaicín were replaced by churches, and the Church of San Nicolás was built in the early sixteenth century, in the Mudéjar style, which combined Christian building with Islamic craftsmanship. The church has a single nave with a wooden ceiling carved in the Mudéjar tradition, and a simple exterior of brick and stone. It was badly damaged by fire in 1932, during the unrest of the Second Spanish Republic, and it was later restored, although much of its original decoration was lost. Its bell tower rises above the square and can be climbed when the church is open.

Beside the church, an old water cistern recalls the many cisterns that supplied the Albaicín's houses, and there are fountains and cisterns in the lanes around. The Mirador de San Nicolás, the square in front of the church, was made famous by the photographs of the Alhambra taken from it, and it has been praised by visiting writers and politicians. The Great Mosque of Granada, opened in 2003 beside the square, has a garden with a view over the same panorama and is open to visitors. The church belongs to the parish of the Albaicín and hosts occasional services.

Iglesia de San Nicolás opening hours and the best time to go

The viewpoint is open at all times, and the church opens at set hours, often in the morning and afternoon. Sunset is the most popular time, when the Alhambra glows red, and the square is packed; early morning is quiet, with soft light on the palace. Summer is very hot in Granada, and spring and autumn are the best seasons, with snow on the Sierra Nevada in winter and spring. Holy Week processions pass through the Albaicín. Allow about half an hour for the church and viewpoint, and more if you want to wait for the sunset.