Spain sees in the new year by swallowing a grape on each of the twelve chimes of midnight, and in Granada the crowd gathers for them in Plaza del Carmen, in front of the town hall. Entry is free, but in 2025 the city police force capped the square at 3,500 people and opened only two gates, both on Calle Reyes Católicos.
For a visitor the night is shaped by three hard times. The Metro de Granada makes its last run at 21:15, the gates open at 22:00 and the trains come back at 1:00. The Alhambra, the reason most people are in town, is closed on 1 January.
Where do people celebrate New Year’s Eve in Granada? In Plaza del Carmen, in front of the Ayuntamiento de Granada, free of charge. In 2025 the square held up to 3,500 people, with gates on Calle Reyes Católicos from Puerta Real and Plaza Isabel la Católica opening at 22:00. Grapes were handed out from 22:30, the chimes rang at 23:59 and the party ran until 2:00.
How the twelve grapes work in Plaza del Carmen
The twelve grapes are a Spanish New Year ritual: one grape per chime, eaten in the twelve strokes that close the year. In Plaza del Carmen the Ayuntamiento de Granada hands out grape bags inside the square, and in 2025 that distribution ran from 22:30 to 23:30, before the chimes at 23:59.
That timing matters more than it looks. Anyone who arrives after 23:30 will not get a bag from the city and should carry their own twelve grapes, peeled and seedless if possible, because the chimes are fast. The party carried on with music until 2:00, and the Policía Local de Granada set the 2025 plan with fire crews on hand for fireworks and two medical ambulances on Reyes Católicos.
Plaza del Carmen is a standing crowd with no seats and no reserved area. It suits people who want to see the new year in with locals rather than in a hotel ballroom, and it suits children if you stay near the Calle Navas exit.
How to get into Plaza del Carmen and what time to arrive
The square is cleared at 21:00 and the two gates open at 22:00, when Reyes Católicos also closes to traffic. The south gate, by Puerta Real, sits 74 metres from the square; the north gate, from Plaza Isabel la Católica, is 168 metres away. Calle Navas and the other side streets are exits only, so you cannot slip in that way.
Arrive before 22:30: between 22:00 and that time you get inside with time to collect grapes, and you should plan on 4 hours on your feet if you stay until the end. Once the square reaches 3,500 people the gates close for good, and leaving to find a toilet or food means you may not get back in. The hour between the clear-out and the gates is the moment for a late dinner at a tapas bar where the tapa comes free with the drink.
Getting back to your hotel when the metro stops early
Granada has a single light-rail line, the Metro de Granada, and the Metro sets its last New Year’s Eve run at 21:15 from Albolote and Armilla. It restarts at 1:00 on 1 January and runs straight through to 23:00. The stop for the square is Recogidas, about 10 minutes walk away, so after 1:00 the train is a real option for hotels along the line.
Most visitors stay in the centre and walk. The taxi rank closest to the square is at Puerta Real, 198 metres away, and a second one waits at Plaza Nueva, 375 metres up Reyes Católicos. Radio Taxi Genil takes calls on 958 13 23 23, and booking before midnight beats queuing with 3,500 people leaving at once.
City buses are not a reliable fallback, even though a single ticket costs only 1.60 euros paid to the driver. In 2024 every Transportes Rober line moved its last departure to 20:30 apart from the N8 at 21:00, and the holiday timetable for this year comes out in December. If your hotel is up by the Alhambra, the walk from the centre is steep; the bus and walking routes to the Alhambra show what that climb involves.
Gala dinner or the free square, and what each costs
The square costs nothing. The hotel option with a published price is the Barceló Granada Congress, which charges 230 euros per adult and 80 euros per child for its gala, from 20:30 to 3:30, with dinner, grapes, party favours, open bar, a DJ and a late snack. Transport is not included and the dress code is smart.
| Option | Price | Hours | What you get | Getting back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plaza del Carmen | 0 euros | gates from 22:00 to 2:00 | grapes, chimes and street party | walk, taxi from Puerta Real, metro from 1:00 |
| Barceló Granada Congress gala | 230 euros adult, 80 euros child | 20:30 to 3:30 | dinner, open bar, DJ and late snack | Recogidas metro, 364 metres away, running again from 1:00 |
The gala wins for families and for anyone who wants a seat and a warm room. The square wins on atmosphere and cost, and it pairs well with an early dinner in the centre before walking to the gates for 22:00. Carmen restaurants in the Albaicín with Alhambra views do not post their New Year menus, so ask the price when you book.
What is open on New Year’s Day in Granada
The Alhambra is closed on 1 January, because the Patronato closes the monument on that day and on Christmas Day, its two Christmas closures, and on 1 January 2027 that also wipes out the Friday night visit. The metro runs all day until 23:00. The monument reopens on Saturday 2 January, which is Día de la Toma, when the Torre de la Vela bell is rung.
If you only have two days, put the Alhambra on 31 December or 2 January and keep 1 January for a slow walk. Bars in Calle Navas, which close at 3:00 on the eve of a public holiday, are the obvious first stop for a late lunch.
Three things to sort out before 31 December in Granada
Three decisions shape a Granada New Year’s Eve, and all three are easier to settle before you travel than on the night itself, when the metro has stopped at 21:15.
- Your way home. If your hotel is more than a 15-minute walk from Plaza del Carmen, decide now between the 1:00 metro, a taxi booked on 958 13 23 23 or a gala with transport arranged.
- Dinner before 21:00. The square is cleared at 21:00, and a late dinner in the centre fits in the hour before the gates open at 22:00.
- Your Alhambra day. With the monument shut on 1 January, book 31 December or Saturday 2 January, which also has a night visit from 20:00.
For the rest of the holidays, here is where to eat at Christmas in Granada, date by date.
New Year’s Eve in Granada, questions visitors ask
Is New Year’s Eve in Plaza del Carmen free?
Yes. The Ayuntamiento de Granada runs the Plaza del Carmen party with no ticket and hands out grapes inside the square, from 22:30 to 23:30 in 2025. Entry is first come, first served until the square reaches 3,500 people, after which the Policía Local de Granada closes both gates on Calle Reyes Católicos.
Is the Alhambra open on New Year’s Day?
No. The Alhambra closes on 1 January and on 25 December, its only two closures of the year. On 1 January 2027, a Friday, there is no day visit and no night visit. It reopens on Saturday 2 January with normal winter hours, 8:30 to 18:00, plus a night visit to the Nasrid Palaces from 20:00.
How late does the Granada metro run on New Year’s Eve?
The last Metro de Granada departure from the Albolote and Armilla terminals is at 21:15 on 31 December. Service restarts at 1:00 on 1 January and runs without a break until 23:00 that day. The nearest stop to Plaza del Carmen, Recogidas, is a 10-minute walk away.
What do you do with the twelve grapes in Spain?
You eat one grape on each of the twelve midnight chimes, so the last one goes down as the new year starts. In Granada the chimes ring out over Plaza del Carmen at 23:59, and the city hands out grape bags in the square before then.
In Granada the party is free; the expensive mistake is staying in the square past 21:15 without a way home.