The Best Cafés and Coffee Shops in Granada, Spain

One of the most well-appointed cafés, bars and nightspots in Granada, Camborio sits right opposite the Alhambra, across the valley in the Gypsy flamenco neighbourhood of Sacromonte. Split over several levels –some for a chilled coffee or beer, some for dancing until the small hours – the views of the Alhambra from this popular student hangout are jaw-dropping. Camborio is known more as a nightclub and late-night bar amongst locals, but it opens in the afternoons too and does a decent (and decently priced) coffee, making it a great place to stop for a break as you explore the charming neighbourhood on its doorstep.

From the outside, this hotel is a monstrosity, a big orange blight on the hillside – but it gets much better inside. Because it’s already at the same elevation as the Alhambra itself, whose exterior, you sense, the hotel’s designers tried to emulate, the ground-floor café/bar boasts a balcony with incredible views of the southern half of Granada and the mountainous landscape beyond. This is one of the best spots in Granada for a coffee and slice of cake, or for early evening drinks as you watch the sun set. By Granada standards it’s not cheap – about €4 for a coffee and €12 for a sandwich that would be free as a tapas elsewhere – but the views justify the prices.

Hiding behind a battered old wall at the top of Albaicin, squeezed in among the barrio’s scruffy rooftops, is the best café in the neighbourhood. From the plush white sofas on its open-air terrace, you can enjoy a staggering perspective on the Darro Valley and the Alhambra; in fact, so unspoilt and direct is the view that the mighty Arabic fort seems to have been erected on the hillside opposite solely for the benefit of El Balcon’s clients. It’s the kind of setting – vast, humbling, unchanged in centuries – that makes profound conversations about life and love almost compulsory. The outside terrace is ideal for a mid-afternoon coffee break (on the white sofas, of course), while a restaurant on the lower level offers a full lunch and dinner menu.