Hotels near Monasterio de la Cartuja

A short C5 microbus ride northwest of the centre, the Carthusian Monastery of La Cartuja looks plain from the outside but contains one of the great Spanish baroque interiors. Built between 1506 and the late 18th century, it is famous for its sacristy - a small chamber dripping with twisting marble columns, polychrome stucco angels, and inlaid tortoiseshell-and-silver cabinets, completed in 1764.

The church itself blazes with 17th-century Granadan painting (works by Sánchez Cotán hanging in the refectory) and elaborate gilt retables. La Cartuja is much quieter than the Alhambra or cathedral - on a typical morning you might share the sacristy with five other people. Allow 45 minutes inside plus 15 minutes' bus travel each way.

Pro Tip: Combine La Cartuja with the nearby Monasterio de San Jerónimo (where Spanish military hero El Gran Capitán is buried) - both are en route, and a single morning loop hits two of the city's most overlooked monuments.