# Sacromonte, Granada > Sacromonte is a Granada district on the hillside facing the Alhambra, where homes are dug straight into the slope. Whitewashed cave façades, cacti and footpaths climb above the Darro valley. It's the home of Granada's flamenco, with evening zambra shows held in the caves. By day, visit the cave museum and climb to the abbey. Wandering is free; allow 2 hours by day or an evening for a show. Web page: https://yesgo.io/spain/granada/sacromonte - City: [Granada](https://yesgo.io/spain/granada), Spain - YesGo score: 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 2 h - Opening hours: District always open; shows in the evening - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: District free - Flamenco shows: Evenings, ticketed - Cave museum: Daytime, ticketed - Time needed: 2 hours or an evening - Shoes: Comfortable: uphill paths - Location: Beyond the Albaicín, along the Darro - Coordinates: 37.18083, -3.59278 - Facts checked: 11.11.2026 ## Key facts - **16th c.** — cave homes began to be dug (source: English Wikipedia) - **Zambra** — Granada's own flamenco style (source: English Wikipedia) - **Lorca** — celebrated it in his Gypsy Ballads (source: English Wikipedia) - **Free** — to wander the district (source: English Wikipedia) ## About Sacromonte Sacromonte is a traditional district on Granada's eastern edge, on the hillside and in the Valparaíso valley directly opposite the [Alhambra](https://yesgo.io/spain/granada/alhambra). Officially it's part of the [Albaicín](https://yesgo.io/spain/granada/albaicin) district, but it looks quite different: instead of houses with gardens there are **caves** carved into the soft slope, dug from around the **16th century**. The district is known as the home of Granada's Gitano community and the birthplace of local flamenco. The poet Federico García Lorca celebrated it in his Gypsy Ballads. Its name, the Sacred Mountain, comes from the abbey at the top of the hill, built in the late 16th century. ## How the cave houses work To build one, people cut a vertical face into the hillside as the façade, set an arched doorway in it, then dug as many rooms inward as the ground allowed. No two caves are alike, as each follows the shape of the hill. The fronts are whitewashed, with pots of flowers and cacti by the door. Inside, the caves keep a steady temperature all year: cool in summer and warm in winter. Many are still homes, while others have become restaurants, workshops and flamenco stages. To see how people once lived, visit the **Sacromonte Cave Museum**, a group of furnished caves showing household goods, crafts and daily life in the district. ## What to see in Sacromonte - **Cave houses** — whitewashed fronts on the hillside. - **The Cave Museum** — daily life, crafts and a garden view. - **A zambra show** — flamenco in a cave at night. - **Sacromonte Abbey** — at the top of the hill. - **Alhambra views** — from paths above the Darro valley. - **Camino del Sacromonte** — the district's main street. > **Choosing a flamenco show** Zambra shows run in the caves every evening, usually in several sessions. Space is tight, with the audience seated along the walls a metre from the dancers, so book ahead. Many venues offer a transfer from the centre, handy if you'd rather not walk up in the dark. ## Zambra, Sacromonte's flamenco **Zambra** is Granada's own flamenco style, born in the Sacromonte caves. It's performed in a tight space: guitarists and singers sit by the wall while dancers in long ruffled dresses step into the middle, almost brushing the audience. Guitar, hand claps and heels echo off the vaults, nothing like a show in a big hall. Performances start late, usually after 9pm, and last about an hour. Many visitors come early to stroll the district at sunset and then stay for the show. It's one of Granada's most atmospheric experiences. ## How to get there 1. Minibus **C34** from Plaza Nueva along Camino del Sacromonte. 2. On foot via Carrera del Darro and Paseo de los Tristes, about 20 minutes. 3. Many flamenco shows include a transfer from the centre. 4. To the abbey, uphill on foot or by taxi. ## Tips for your visit By day, come to Sacromonte late in the afternoon once the heat eases, as the hillside paths are exposed to the sun. Bring water and good shoes. The museum and abbey open by day and the shows at night, so they combine well: museum and a sunset walk, dinner, then flamenco. Remember that many caves are people's homes. Don't peer through open doors or photograph residents without asking. The far paths above the district are quiet, so walk them by day and not alone. With children, Sacromonte is best by day for the cave museum, the cacti and the Alhambra views. Evening flamenco shows run late, and little ones may struggle to last to the end. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Book a zambra show - [ ] Visit the Cave Museum - [ ] Find an Alhambra view from the path - [ ] Climb to the abbey - [ ] Walk Camino del Sacromonte at sunset ## Places in Granada: compare and choose Places in Granada rated by YesGo. - [Alhambra](https://yesgo.io/spain/granada/alhambra) — YesGo score 60/100 (Yes, go) · 3 h · Paid - [Sacromonte](https://yesgo.io/spain/granada/sacromonte) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free; shows paid - [Albaicín](https://yesgo.io/spain/granada/albaicin) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Free - [Generalife](https://yesgo.io/spain/granada/generalife) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · On the Alhambra ticket ## Don't mix it up Sacromonte is the district of caves and flamenco further up the Darro valley; the Albaicín is the neighbouring old quarter of white houses and the San Nicolás viewpoint. ## Tips - Book shows ahead. - Cave museum by day. - Sunset on the paths above. - Caves are people's homes. ## Questions ### What is there to see in Sacromonte? The cave houses, the Cave Museum, the abbey and views of the Alhambra. ### Where can I see flamenco in Granada? At a zambra show in the Sacromonte caves, in the evening. ### How do I get to Sacromonte? By minibus C34 from Plaza Nueva or on foot along the Darro. ### Is Sacromonte safe? Yes, in the main part; walk the outer paths by day. ### How long do you need in Sacromonte? About 2 hours by day, or an evening with a flamenco show. ## How we checked Facts from English Wikipedia. Show and museum prices and times weren't confirmed with an official source — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Sacromonte - Granada tourism portal, granadatur.com --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.