How to Visit the Alhambra

The Alhambra, the dramatic fortress and palace high on a hill above Granada, is in high demand year-round and tickets sell out months in advance. I learned this when when planning my trip to Granada, as I looked into purchasing tickets only about a month out, thinking that would be enough time. It was not. I was surprised to find that all of the daytime tickets to the Nasrid Palaces were already sold out. There was the option of visiting in the evening, which can be a beautiful time to view the site, but the downside would be several areas (Alcazaba, etc) are closed at that time. As I line out in my guide, there’s several other options in case the tickets are sold out, including booking tours and going through your hotel to have them book your Alhambra visit last minute - sometimes this will work even the same day.

I decided to go for the option of buying a Granada Card, which at 40 Euros was more expensive than just the 14 euros the Alhambra ticket is, but once the various other sites and options for bus tickets are factored in, seemed like a very economical deal. You have to chose a time to visit the Nasrid Palaces. Experience has taught me that in-demand sites are best visited at the very beginning or end of the day, to avoid hordes of bus tours. Given that Granada is pretty hot by late June (when I visited), I opted for the 9:30am reservation.

When buying your Alhambra tickets, there are various options that offer entrance to different areas of the Alhambra. Here’s a quick breakdown of what each area entails:

Areas of the Alhambra

Nasrid Palaces - The Palaces are the highlight of the Alhambra, the only timed ticket, and the one that (for good reason) sells out first. The Palaces cover all of the elaborately carved rooms of the complex where the royal family lived and ruled for hundreds of years. You’re able view the intricately designed walls, tiles, pools, and more. There are ticket options to see it both in the daytime and evening. Either is worth it, though keep in mind the evening ticket won’t allow you to see all the areas of the Alhambra unless you purchase the Alhambra Experiences. Try to book early or late. There will be crowds all day, but they’ll be more bearable when less in demand.

The Gardens - Exiting the Nasrid Palaces, you’ll find yourself in an complex series of gardens where it’s easy to get lost amongst the fountains, trees, and stairways to view the gardens from above or below. This can be viewed in the daytime or evening depending on your ticket.

The Alcazaba - The fortress where the soldiers lived. It was built in the 13th-14th centuries. Most of the living quarters have worn away. You can walk along the thick walls, climb the high towers, and see the outlines of where the hundreds of soldiers used to live. This is only viewable in the daytime.

Generalife - Far from the Alcazaba, but close to the main ticket office and the parking area, this is the summer palace of the sultans, filled with long water fountains and gardens. These can be seen in the daytime or evening depending on the ticket you buy.

Here’s a fun fact: You can visit some areas of the Alhambra without tickets. If you’re feeling super cheap, and don’t mind not getting to see the interior of many of the buildings, you can go through the Justice Gate without anyone asking for your ticket. From there you can see the Carlos V Palace, the chapel, and marvel at the views over Granada. You’re missing out on the awe-struck factor of seeing the more impressive buildings in detail, but I felt it was worth mentioning.

This view can be had without the price of admission to the surrounding buildings! One of the towers of the Alcazaba to the left.

Visiting the Alhambra

So, here’s what I did: 8:45AM, I got my tired, achy body out of my hotel and followed Google’s directions to get up to the entrance. There are buses and trams that go there as well, but I was both unsure of where the stops were, and also certain that the walk would be fairly easy. I followed the path uphill, through picturesque medieval streets, and into the park. From here, there is no signage. Nor were there any other people at 8:55AM. Take the path to the left going straight uphill. You won’t see any signage for awhile, and the hill gets fairly little steep. This is where going early (or late) helps with the heat. The park itself is lush and provides plenty of shade.

The same pathway up to the Alhambra shortly before 9am, and then later at 12:30pm, to give you an idea of how crowded it can get later in the day

Eventually I started seeing the walls of the Alhambra to my left. I got to the base and was still confused by the lack of signage. Specifically the lack of a sign saying ‘Enter Here.’ The main entrance is further on from where I came up, and I can only assume there are maps there. I followed a group of people up through the Justice Gate and into the Alhambra. Here is where I discovered no one checks for tickets on the outskirts of the complex!

I hadn’t remembered to download a podcast audio guide beforehand, which is possible to do for cheap. As the rooms and buildings really do need some context to understand, I paid the 6 euros to rent the on-site audio guide. A few minutes before 9:30, I lined up with everyone else at the entrance to the Palaces and went in.

The audio guide is very heavy on the architecture and a little light on the historical significance, and I utilized it only part of the time. The rest of the time I followed a time-honored tradition of ‘casually’ listening in to the tour guides leading groups around, until they start giving you looks of ‘hey you aren’t one of my charges.’

This is me pretending I'm staring at the intricate carvings and not listening in on the guided tours

A fun trivia fact for those who know US historical literature. There is a suite in the Nasrid Palaces dedicated to Washington Irving. Very little is explained about this in the audio guide, so I had to look it up. The writer, famous for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, was traveling through Granada and asked the then-governor if he could see the Alhambra. Celebrities then and now get special permissions, and Irving was able to stay there for a short time. He wrote a book about his experiences, and they returned the favor by naming the suite he stayed in after him!

After winding through the Nasrid Palaces, I found myself in the sumptuous surrounding gardens, where I was delighted to discover I had left the various tours behind and could wander on my own. I don’t know about anyone else, but when I find myself alone in a historic place, I like to imagine being there at its heyday, swanning around as if I was a historical princess surveying my domain. And occasionally being seen by another person entering the room, whose skeptical looks I translate into their last act as a peasant.

From there, I went back towards the Justice Gate and visited the Alcazaba. This site involves a lot of stairs (be forewarned) if you want to see the full grounds. It’s a little more sparse than the Palaces, as it was used to house soldiers, not royals. I did enjoy seeing the site of the ‘Arms Square’, which used to have rooms for the soldiers living, cooking, eating, etc. Even a prison. Most of the rooms were worn away over the years, but the footprint is still there, so you can see the outline of where the structures used to be. It looks like a 3D maze when you walk through it. I was also surprised that to the rear of the Alcazaba are another set of very beautiful gardens - definitely check those out, especially in spring.

After seeing a few of the other buildings, the clock hit noon and the grounds were noticeably more full. I ended up skipping the Generalife, as my feet were hurting the tour groups were many at this point. After a stop through the bathrooms (housed in one of the medieval buildings, naturally) I was about to leave, but did find one other interesting bit of trivia:

Did you know there is a colony of feral cats that live at the Alhambra? And that are employees specifically in charge of feeding, caring for, and neutering these cats? I saw several signs asking people not to pet the cats. Alhambra cats! I feel they need their own Instagram feed….

Alhambra cats deigning to drink out of historic fountains

On my way back down, there were now dozens of people walking up that hill. Again, go early or late to avoid these people. On the plus side, no signage was needed at that point. Once you get out of the park and onto the street, you’ll see several artisan and souvenir shops now open that sell a variety of textiles, ceramics, as asornate (or fake ornate) lacquered wooden boxes. Known as teracea, it’s beautiful and definitely worth stopping by to pick out items to take home. Cuesta de Gomerez, the street that leads into the park, has some of the cheaper options. If you want bigger pieces, I would talk to your hotel about which studios to visit.After purchasing a few small boxes, I headed back to my hotel, exhausted and ready to take up Granada on its many baths and spas.

Hope you found my itinerary helpful!

You may also like my Suggested Granada Itinerary or Granada Travel Overview. Also check out my own 3 Day Experience in Granada

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What to expect and what to do when you want to visit the Alhambra in Granada. Includes tips booking in advance, details on the Nasrid Palace and gardens, audio guides, and more!