Bring the coat you would wear for a cold northern European morning, not a ski jacket. Granada in December runs from a dawn average of 1.7 °C to an afternoon average of 13.4 °C at the AEMET airport station, and the gap between the two is what catches visitors out.
Granada in December is a dry, cold month with 12.4 frost days, 7.4 rainy days, 5.6 foggy days and 146 hours of sunshine on average. Snow in the city itself is rare, and three public holidays shape the calendar: Monday 7, Tuesday 8 and Friday 25 December. The Alhambra general ticket costs €22.27, and for the 5 to 8 December weekend it needs booking well ahead.
What is the weather like in Granada in December? Cold at night and mild by day. AEMET records a December average high of 13.4 °C and a low of 1.7 °C at Granada airport, with 56 litres of rain per square metre over 7.4 days. Frost appears on 12.4 days, while snow in the city averages just 0.1 days a month.
How cold Granada gets in December, day and night
Granada’s December climate is measured at two AEMET stations in the Vega: the airport, at 560 metres, which is the reference station, and the Base Aérea de Granada at 687 metres, closer to the city. Their afternoons match at about 13 °C; their nights differ by a full degree.
| Month at Granada airport | Average high | Average low | Frost days | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 13.0 °C | 0.0 °C | 16.8 days | n/a |
| December | 13.4 °C | 1.7 °C | 12.4 days | 56 litres per square metre |
| November | 17.0 °C | 4.2 °C | n/a | 54 litres per square metre |
At the Base Aérea, December averages 13.1 °C by day and 2.7 °C by night, with 8.4 frost days and 50 litres of rain. Central Granada sits between the two stations in practice: the open Vega around the airport is where frost and fog settle most, with 5.6 foggy days against 3.2 at the air base.
What to pack for Granada in December
Packing for Granada in December means packing for the dawn, not for the afternoon: the low averages 1.7 °C and frost appears on 12.4 days. A visitor who walks out at 8:00 to catch the first Alhambra slot meets the coldest hour of the day.
- A warm coat that opens up. Afternoons reach 13.4 °C, so you will carry it by lunch and need it again after dark.
- Thin warm layers. A thermal top and a jumper beat one bulky sweater when the day swings by more than 11 °C.
- A compact umbrella or hooded jacket. December brings 7.4 rainy days and 56 litres per square metre at the airport.
- Shoes with real grip. The Albaicín and the walk up to the Alhambra are cobbled slopes that turn slippery with rain or frost.
- Hat and gloves. Needed for the Nasrid Palaces night visit, which runs from 20:00 to 21:30 on winter Fridays and Saturdays.
Nothing here calls for snow boots. The snow is up in Sierra Nevada, and a day trip there needs its own kit, covered in Sierra Nevada at Christmas and New Year.
Does it snow in Granada in December
It hardly ever snows in Granada city in December. AEMET’s averages give 0.1 snow days for the month at the airport and 0.3 at the Base Aérea, which is about one snowy day per decade at the reference station. A visitor is far likelier to wake up to fog or frost.
The snow most people picture is in Sierra Nevada, the range on the south-eastern horizon, visible from the Mirador de San Nicolás in the Albaicín on the 7.2 clear days of an average December. Reaching it without a car is covered in Granada to Sierra Nevada by bus, and it only works once the ski resort opens for the season.
Which December days are public holidays in Granada
Granada has three public holidays in December 2026, all set by the Junta de Andalucía in Decree 101/2025. Constitution Day falls on Sunday 6, so the region moves it to Monday 7; Tuesday 8 is the Immaculate Conception; and Friday 25 is Christmas Day. January 2027 adds Friday 1 and Wednesday 6.
Spaniards call a holiday joined to a weekend a puente, a bridge, and December brings a long one: Saturday 5 to Tuesday 8, four days off without taking leave. Book Alhambra tickets for those dates well before you travel. Christmas and New Year each make a three-day weekend, from Friday to Sunday, and Epiphany on a Wednesday makes none.
The odd date is 2 January, the Día de la Toma, a local holiday in Granada city in 2026. In 2027 it falls on a Saturday, and whether it becomes a local holiday again depends on the city’s work calendar; the day itself is explained in the Día de la Toma in Granada.
Are shops open on Sundays in Granada in December
Shops in Granada may open on Monday 7 December and on Sundays 13, 20 and 27 December, the dates the Junta sets in its 2026 trading calendar of 16 authorised days for the whole of Andalusia. Sunday 29 November opens the Christmas run.
Sunday 6 and Tuesday 8 December are not on that list, so the long weekend has one shopping day, the Monday. For last-minute gifts, the Christmas stalls of Plaza Bib-Rambla keep their own schedule, covered in Granada Christmas markets.
What the cold means for an Alhambra visit in winter
The Alhambra opens every day from 8:30 to 18:00 between 15 October and 31 March, with the ticket office from 8:00, and closes only on 25 December and 1 January. The C30 bus from Plaza Isabel la Católica stops at the ticket office, €1.60 for a single ticket. In December that schedule puts the first entry slot in the coldest hour of the day.
The general ticket costs €22.27 and the Nasrid Palaces night visit €12.73, the price the Patronato charges for winter evenings. A midday Palaces slot falls in the warmest part of the day; how to visit the Alhambra explains how the timed entry works. On a rainy day the Parque de las Ciencias is the indoor fallback, at €10.00 general admission.
Is December a good time to visit Granada
December is a good month for Granada if you pick the week of 14 to 23: no public holidays, the Christmas lights and markets already in place, the Parque de las Ciencias open from 10:00 to 19:00 Tuesday to Saturday, and the same 13 °C afternoons as the rest of the month.
The trade-offs are the long weekend of 5 to 8 December and the two closing days of 25 December and 1 January. Day-by-day openings over Christmas are in Granada at Christmas, what is open, and families can start with Granada at Christmas with kids.
Frequently asked questions about Granada in December
Does it snow in Granada in December?
Almost never in the city. AEMET’s long-term averages give 0.1 snow days in December at Granada airport, roughly one snowy day per decade. Snow is common up in Sierra Nevada, which is visible from city viewpoints such as the Mirador de San Nicolás on clear days, and which can be reached by bus when the ski resort is open.
What should I wear in Granada in December?
A real winter coat, warm layers and a waterproof. Afternoons average 13.4 °C, but nights fall to 1.7 °C and the airport station records 12.4 frost days a month. Add shoes with grip for the cobbled slopes of the Albaicín, and a hat and gloves for any evening outdoors.
Is December a good time to visit Granada?
Yes, especially between 14 and 23 December. There are no public holidays that week, the Alhambra keeps its winter hours of 8:30 to 18:00, the Parque de las Ciencias opens until 19:00 from Tuesday to Saturday, and the Christmas lights and markets are already up. Avoid building a short trip around 25 December.
What is the 2 January holiday in Granada?
It is the Día de la Toma, and in 2026 the Ayuntamiento de Granada made it a local holiday. In 2027 it falls on a Saturday, when the Alhambra opens from 8:30 to 18:00 with a night visit and the Parque de las Ciencias also opens. Check the city’s work calendar before counting on any closures.
Granada in December is a frost city, not a snow city: dress for the dawn and enjoy the afternoon.