Day trips from Granada
 

We are making plans for a March trip to southern Spain for 2 weeks. We plan to stay 4 days each in Seville, Cordoba, and Granada. We have reservations for 4 nights in the Parador in Granada. How many days should we spend at the Alhambra? Are there places we could go just for the day and come back to the Parador at night? And finally, what is the weather likely to be in late March? Thanks!

The time that you can spend in the Nasrid Palaces of the Alhambra is fairly limited; you can stay within the Alhambra precinct for longer (and the parador is, of course, located within the Alhambra precinct). You can get all the information here:

http://www.alhambra.org/eng/index.asp?secc=/inicio

And although the Alhambra is unlikely to be overrun in late March, it would probably be wise to buy or reserve your tickets in advance.

You really should complement a day visit with as much time as allowed in the Nasrid Palaces with a night visit of the palaces; they are magical by moonlight. One morning or afternoon and one evening should cover the Alhambra; there are other places - the Cathedral and Royal Chapel, for one - that can be visited in Granada.

And the view of the Alhambra at sunset from the mirador on the Albaicin is supposed to be superb.

One day trip could take you to Jaen and Ubeda, a wonderful example of a pure Renaissance town.

You can look up historical weather records for Granada (and other Spanish cities) at

www.weatherbase.com

A great day trip would be to the Alpujarras region, especially Bubion and Capileira. You can easily drive there in the morning spend the day and get back to granada by evening. It is a beautiful area.

bargem:
I've been to the Granada area a number of times at that time of year. I think, as above folks have stated, that a day at the Alhambra should be enough. People always say to see the Alhambra at night, but at that time of year, I think it's kind of cold to be walking around outside at night. We've spent a number of hours just walking around the Albaicin, up behind the Plaza, up and down narrow, residential streets, enjoying the feel of the old city, architecture, views, etc. DO NOT TRY TO DRIVE UP THERE YOURSELF! WAY WAY WAY TOO NARROW for any American driver to attempt. Walk or take the local bus. Cheap and frequent. Stops in the Plaza.
The weather can certainly vary and we've had very pleasant summer-type weather during the days, but most evenings we've had the wood-stove going in the house we rent. I think the weather is comparable to a New England spring day, where you'd want a light jacket in the early mornings, get down to shirtsleeves by mid-afternoon, and want a fleece-type covering in the evenings. But it certainly varies.
The suggestion to drive up to Capileira and Bubion is a good one but I would add that the drive is up hairpin-turn roads with no breakdown lane, no shoulder, and no guardrail. Also, it is likely to be colder at that altitude and can be foggy if the weather isn't cooperating. That said, the sights and views are fantastic.
The coast is about an hour away, and you could drive to Nerja (the caves are worth a visit), and Salobrena was a nice town with some worthwhile buildings and sights to see. Go take a look at a Spain guidebook and you'll have a better idea of what might interest you.

The drive from Granada to Capileira is quite easy, although having a car whilst in Granada is not a good idea.
Capileira can be a bit cold but is a lovely place.