Granada may not be one of the most generally recognizable cities in Spain among tourists, but the city has a special landmark that puts it on the map: the Alhambra. This phenomenal attraction is an important part of any Granada itinerary, so making the most of your time at the Alhambra will do a lot to help you enjoy your time in the city. Planning your visit is key to getting the most out of the experience, and much of that is making sure you get the Alhambra tickets that work best for you.
- The best ways to get Alhambra tickets
- 1. Queuing at the ticket office (not recommended)
- 2. Book online (recommended)
- 3. Book a guided tour
- 4. Buy a Granada Card
- Useful information for visiting the Alhambra
- Alhambra opening hours
- What is the best time to visit the Alhambra?
- How to get to the Alhambra
- How do tickets for the Alhambra work?
- How much do tickets for the Alhambra cost?
- Hotels Near the Alhambra in Granada
- Safety at the Alhambra
- Visiting the Alhambra with a disability
- Interesting facts about the Alhambra
- What is the Alhambra?
- When was the Alhambra built?
- How old is the Alhambra?
- Who built the Alhambra?
- Why was the Alhambra built?
- Where is the Alhambra located?
To help you with your planning, we have created this guide on how to buy tickets for the Alhambra in Granada, Spain.
For those in a hurry – How to buy Alhambra tickets: unless you enjoy spending your vacation waiting in long lines, we highly recommend that you book your skip-the-line Alhambra tickets in advance here or book a guided tour of the Alhambra. Of these two, the guided tour is the better option as you can learn the history of this beautiful palace from an expert guide.
The best ways to get Alhambra tickets
Since it is Granada’s most popular and iconic attraction, there are several ways to buy Alhambra tickets. Some people are not aware of all the options available to get tickets for the Alhambra, so we have listed them below to help you find the right one for you.
As with any famous tourist attraction, the worst way to buy Alhambra tickets is to wait until it is the day of and queue at the ticket office. Not only will you have to wait in line to purchase your Alhambra tickets, but you risk missing out if all the time slots for the Nasrid Palaces are already sold out. Ticket lines can easily take more than an hour, so even if tickets are not sold out, you are wasting valuable holiday time just waiting in line.
A much smarter option for getting tickets to the Alhambra Palace is to go online and book the Alhambra tickets in advance. Skip-the-line Alhambra tickets can be purchased online up until the day before your visit and will give you a much better chance of not missing out. Not only do they save you time waiting in line, but they also help you plan your day better as you will already know the time slot for your visit to the Nasrid Palaces.
Tickets can be purchased through the official Alhambra website; however, these tickets are personal, non-transferable, and non-refundable. That’s why we recommend booking your tickets through this link, which allows you to cancel up to 24 hours in advance and receive a full refund. It should be said that these tickets are a bit more expensive but give you peace of mind that you can get your money back if your plans change.
No matter where you go, be sure to book your tickets as far in advance as possible to ensure you get exactly the ticket you want.
To truly understand and appreciate the significance and history of the Alhambra, we recommend considering taking a guided tour for your visit. Unfortunately, Alhambra guided tours are not offered through the official website, so the only way to arrange one is to book through a link like this.
This type of tour comes with an expert guide who will show you around and skip-the-line Alhambra tickets to really help you get the most out of the experience. With a tour, you can choose to join a small group tour or have a private tour all to yourself.
The Alhambra is not the only sight in Granada worth seeing, so you will likely be doing a nice bit of sightseeing during your visit. In that case, you will definitely want to look at the Granada Card and see if it is right for you.
This special city pass includes access to a range of major Granada attractions, including Granada Cathedral, the Royal Chapel, and Casa De Zafra, as well as travel on the city’s public transportation. There are also versions of the Granada Card, namely 48 and 72-hour versions, which include full tickets to the Alhambra without a guide.
Whether the Granada Card is right for you depends on how much sightseeing you have planned. If you plan to do a lot, you might end up saving quite a bit of money on entrance tickets and transport costs.
Useful information for visiting the Alhambra
Alhambra opening hours
The Alhambra is open every day of the week during the day but is only open at night on certain days of the week. The site is closed on December 25 and January 1.
Opening hours differ for high and low seasons, with high season from April 1 to October 14 and low season from October 15 to March 31. During high season, daytime opening hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., whereas in low season they are from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Night tours of the Alhambra take place from Tuesday to Saturday in high season and only on Friday and Saturday in low season. Opening hours during high season are from 10:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., and during low season from 8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The ticket office closes 45 minutes before the attraction closes.
What is the best time to visit the Alhambra?
Not only are there better tickets to get than others, but there are also better times to visit the Alhambra than others. Knowing the best times to visit can help you plan your visit, but ultimately, the best time to visit is when you are able to get tickets.
Granada is best visited during spring and autumn, when there is a balance of good weather and fewer tourists. The same applies to the Alhambra, with visiting periods from April to June and from October to November. However, if you seek the quietest time of the year, consider coming in winter.
The Alhambra is generally quietest first thing in the morning when the site opens, as it is before the tourist groups arrive. Another good time is mid-afternoon, during the local lunch hour. Although the Alhambra night tours are generally quieter compared to daytime visits, some visitors find the night visit experience somewhat diminished due to the way things are lit.
How to get to the Alhambra
Visitors wishing to reach the Alhambra once in Granada will find they have a couple of options to get to the tourist attraction from the city center.
For those who don’t mind stretching their legs, the easiest way to reach the Alhambra is on foot. From a central point like Plaza Nueva, simply climb Cuesta de Gomérez up to the Puerta de las Granadas and then follow the signs along the pedestrian path. The walk should take about 15 to 20 minutes.
If you don’t feel like walking up the hill to the site, the other option is to take a bus. There are three local buses that travel close to the Alhambra, two of which stop at Puerta de la Justicia right at the entrance. These are the C30 from Plaza Isabel la Católica in the city center and the C32 from the Albaicín neighborhood.
The final bus option is the C35, which also runs from Plaza Isabel la Católica but stops instead at the official parking lot for the Alhambra, just a few steps from the ticket office. Single-ride bus tickets in Granada start at €1.40.
How do tickets for the Alhambra work?
To get the most out of your visit to the Alhambra, it is important that you understand how tickets for the Alhambra Palace work. The types of tickets available include access to various combinations of attractions at different times of the day, so we recommend buying Alhambra tickets that suit how you wish to visit it.
There are four main sections of the Alhambra that require tickets for entry: the Alcazaba, the Generalife, the Gardens, and the Nasrid Palaces. TheGeneral Alhambra ticket covers access to all four of these attractions, while the Gardens, Generalife, and Alcazaba ticket excludes access to the Nasrid Palaces.
Visits to the Nasrid Palaces require a specific half-hour time slot during which entrance and visiting are allowed. If you miss this time slot, you will not be allowed to enter.
A special aspect of the Alhambra is that it is possible to visit some attractions at night. There are night tours of the Nasrid Palaces that you can combine with the Gardens, Generalife, and Alcazaba ticket if no daytime time slots are available. It is also possible to visit the Gardens and Generalife at night.
Tickets booked online come with a QR code that must be shown in paper form or digitally on a smartphone; this includes free tickets for children under 12 years old.
How much do tickets for the Alhambra cost?
The cost of tickets for the Alhambra Palace through the official website depends on the parts of the complex you choose to visit. There are various types of tickets, but we will cover the prices of the most common tickets for the Alhambra Palace and its attractions. The prices indicated do not include the small fee and tax added to the ticket price.
The all-inclusive Alhambra General ticket for a daytime visit costs €14 for adults, while the Gardens, Generalife, and Alcazaba ticket costs €7 for a daytime visit. Night tickets for the Nasrid Palaces cost €8 for adults, while a night visit to the Gardens and Generalife costs €5. The Palace of Charles V, the Alhambra Museum, and the Mosque Baths all have free public entrance.
EU citizens over 65 years old, EU citizens with youth cards, visitors with certified disabilities, and youths aged 12 to 15 can get various ticket discounts. Children under 12 enter free.
Hotels Near the Alhambra in Granada
If visiting the Alhambra is one of the main reasons you go to Granada, then you might want to stay nearby. Granada has plenty of places to choose from, many of which are conveniently close to the city’s most famous landmark. However, here are some suggestions to help you get started.
For a special stay of luxury and refinement, choose the Hotel Alhambra Palace . This five-star hotel is located right beneath the Alhambra and boasts beautiful rooms and attentive service.
An excellent hotel that puts you close to the Alhambra without a huge price is the Hotel Alixares. This four-star hotel boasts an outdoor pool and breathtaking views that won’t break your budget, and it’s only a short walk to the Alhambra ticket office.
Granada hosts a wide range of budget options, with Hostal la Ninfa one of the closest to the Alhambra. This charming hostel is situated at the foot of the hill and is only a 10-minute walk from the entrance.
Safety at the Alhambra
Even if you arrange tickets for the Alhambra Palace that allow you to skip the line at the ticket office, you will still have to deal with the security check line. To ensure this process goes as smoothly as possible, it is helpful to know what you can and cannot bring inside the Alhambra complex.
Backpacks and bags are carefully inspected at the security checks. Bags larger than 40 cm by 40 cm cannot be brought in and must instead be deposited at the free lockers at the access pavilion and the Puerta del Vino. Small backpacks allowed must be worn on the front to avoid any accidental contact with the walls.
Strollers are not permitted inside the Alhambra. Instead, visitors can store the stroller and use a rented child carrier backpack to carry the child around during the visit.
Visiting the Alhambra with a disability
Several measures have been implemented around the Alhambra to assist visitors with disabilities.
These measures include touchpoints that communicate details of the complex for people with visual disabilities, audio guides with audio descriptions, and a sign language audio guide service for people with hearing impairments. Accredited assistance dogs as well as therapy and social support dogs are allowed in the Monumental Complex.
Wheelchairs are available for loan at the entrance pavilion. Since it is still not possible for visitors using a wheelchair to access all areas of the Alhambra without inconvenience or obstacles, a dedicated itinerary is provided.
Interesting facts about the Alhambra
What is the Alhambra?
The Alhambra is a historic fortified complex housing palaces and gardens.
When was the Alhambra built?
Although the entire complex was built in multiple phases, the most significant construction period was from 1238 to 1358.
How old is the Alhambra?
The oldest parts of the Alhambra are nearly 800 years old.
Who built the Alhambra?
The Alhambra was built under Ibn al-Aḥmar, the first ruler of the Emirate of Granada who founded the Nasrid dynasty.
Why was the Alhambra built?
Ibn al-Aḥmar ordered the construction of the Alhambra as a residence and citadel from which he could govern the Emirate of Granada.
Where is the Alhambra located?
The Alhambra sits on La Sabika, a hill east of central Granada, atop the foundations of an ancient fortress.
Now that you have all this information at your disposal, planning your trip to Granada and the Alhambra should not be difficult. We know that you will definitely have a much better experience if you take the time to plan ahead and save time and effort.
