Visit the Alhambra in Granada: Guided tour and entrance tickets

Visit the Alhambra is certainly the number one essential activity of a road trip in Andalusia. Located in the city of Granada, this complex, made up of palaces and sumptuous gardens, plays a role of primary importance in the fame of the city of Granada, but also of the whole region of Andalusia. Like many places in Andalusia, like the Alcazar of Seville or the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba, the Alhambra is the result of a mixture of styles specific to Andalusia.
Let's go today to discover this impressive place during a visit to the Alhambra in Granada. In this article, I will tell you more about the history of this place but above all, about how to visit the Alhambra in Granada with practical information to organize your stay and get tickets to visit the Alhambra. A visit to plan several weeks or even months in advance under penalty of not being able to visit this exceptional place.

Visiting the Alhambra in Granada:

• Entrance tickets to visit the Alhambra and guided tours
• Practical advice for visiting the Alhambra in Granada
• What to see on a visit to the Alhambra in Granada: Alcazaba, Nasrid Palaces, Generalife and garden
• Viewpoint on the Alhambra: where to take pictures?
• Where to sleep to visit the Alhambra?
• History of the Alhambra in Granada
• My opinion on visiting the Alhambra in Granada

Guided tour of the Alhambra:
Buy your guided tour in French of the entire Alhambra including the Nasrid Palaces. Book a visit

Entrance tickets to visit the Alhambra and guided tours

Before telling you about the Alhambra and all there is to see inside, I suggest you talk about the crucial stage of your visit to the Alhambra: buying tickets for the Alhambra. This is where things get slightly "complicated".
Here are several points to keep in mind when booking your visit to the Alhambra.

• The number of entries is limited for each day
• There are more people wanting to visit the Alhambra than tickets on sale
• It will take you several weeks or even months in advance to buy a ticket for the Alhambra
• A small part of the Alhambra is accessible for free and without a ticket
• A guided tour is not mandatory to visit the Alhambra but strongly recommended
• Audio guides are available for 6€ inside the Alhambra (it is not necessary to book them in advance)
• There are two types of tickets: day or night, with the Nasrid Palaces or not. We will see this in detail a little further down.
• IT IS POSSIBLE, BUT COMPLICATED AND RISKY, TO GET TICKETS FOR THE ALHAMBRA AT THE LAST MOMENT

Which ticket to choose to visit the Alhambra?

• Self-guided tours of the Alhambra: single entry
• Guided tours of the Alhambra: entry + guide
• Sold out tickets on the official website of the Alhambra?
• Last minute ticket?
• Opt for a city pass

Self-guided tours of the Alhambra: single entry

I'm going to start this part by showing you the different self-guided tours that you can do. These tours are without a guide. If you opt for a visit to the Nasrid Palaces, then you will have to choose a schedule to visit this place. Indeed, the entries are limited and therefore you will have to respect the schedule chosen. For the rest of the Alhambra, tickets are generally valid for one day, leaving you free to organize your day. If you wish, you can pick up an audio guide from one of the booths inside the Alhambra.

These tickets are crowded and it can be difficult to get hold of them. It is sometimes necessary to book your tickets several months in advance, especially if you want to visit the Nasrid Palaces. In case you have not had a ticket, other choices are available to you, such as opting for a guided tour. This is what we are going to see right away!

Guided tours of the Alhambra: entry + guide

The guided tour has several advantages. It will potentially be easier to find tickets and you will, of course, benefit from a guide who will walk with you through the Alhambra's walkways, gardens and palaces. Here are the two main guided tours in French allowing you to discover the Alhambra in a privileged way:

Sold out tickets on the official website of the Alhambra?

If the official website of the Alhambra no longer offers tickets to visit the site, you will be able to turn to ticket sales platforms. These may offer you the possibility of visiting the Alhambra, or at least part of it:

Last minute ticket?

Here is another option available to you to acquire the precious sesame that will open the doors of the Alhambra to you. In the event that no more tickets for the Alhambra are on sale on the official site or on third-party sites, then a very last solution is available to you. However, if you are planning a trip to Granada several weeks or months in advance, don't bet on this solution, which may prove to be ineffective even if it worked for me.
Every evening at midnight, the official website of the Alhambra puts some tickets back on sale following cancellations. It is therefore possible to buy tickets at midnight for the following day. This is what allowed me to visit the Alhambra.
Please note that tickets are only on sale for a few minutes. For my part, the time to buy my two tickets was enough to exhaust all the tickets put back on sale that day. I made the purchase at midnight sharp, a few minutes later no more tickets were available.

Opt for a city pass

Now let's talk about the last possibility you will have if you want to get tickets for the Alhambra in Granada: opt for a city pass. I will present here two city passes that will allow you to access the Alhambra: the city pass of the city of Granada and the city pass of Andalusia.

Discover the Granada Pass

Let's start with the city pass dedicated to the city of Granada. This allows you to access various advantages such as:

• the Alhambra : the pass includes a skip-the-line ticket to visit the Alcazaba, the Nasrid Palaces and the Generalife.
• an audio guide to visit the Alhambra
• a Flamenco show
• an audio guide app to visit Granada
• reductions on other visits

This pass is offered at the price of €54 per adult. Special rates are offered for over 65s and young people. It is free for children under 7 years old.
Regarding the duration of validity, there is not really one. At the time of booking, you will need to select the time slots for the tours and the flamenco show.

Interested in this pass? Just click here to find out more: see the Granada Pass.

Choose the Best of Andalusia Card

This other possibility will interest you if you visit Andalusia, and not only Granada. Indeed, the Best of Andalusia card allows you to visit several places in the region:

• the Alhambra : skip-the-line ticket for a visit to the Alhambra including the Nasrid Palaces
• an audio guide to download to visit the city of Granada
• the Alcazar of Seville : skip-the-line ticket for this emblematic place
• an audio guide to download to visit the city of Seville
• Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba : guided tour of the mosque-cathedral

For this pass, it will cost 65€ per person. Always with special rates for over 65s and young people.
Like the Granada pass, you will need to select your visit slots for each of the locations at the time of booking.

Are you planning a visit to Andalusia? Then you need the Best of Andalusia card. Click this link for more information : view map Best of Andalusia.

Practical advice for visiting the Alhambra in Granada

Let's continue this article with some practical advice that will surely help you in the preparation of your visit to Granada and more particularly, your visit to the Alhambra.
We will see in the rest of this article what to see during your visit to the Alhambra in Granada, but also the most beautiful photo spots to immortalize your visit or the history of this exceptional place.

Prepare your visit to the Alhambra:

• How long does it take to visit the Alhambra?
• What is the best season to visit the Alhambra?
• Is the number of entries limited?
• Do you have to book your entry to the Alhambra in advance?
• How to visit the Alhambra?
• Should I take a guided tour of the Alhambra?
• What to see during a visit to the Alhambra?
• How to access the Alhambra?

How long does it take to visit the Alhambra?

The Alhambra is large and relatively spread out. Depending on the type of ticket you have purchased, you will have access to more or fewer places and therefore, you will need more or less time to visit all of them:

• If you have no ticket and therefore access only to the free games, then count about 1 hour 30 of visit.
• If you have a ticket giving you access to all the elements of the Alhambra then count at least 3 to 4 hours of visit.

What is the best season to visit the Alhambra?

Like all cities in Andalusia, Granada enjoys a particularly pleasant climate. So you can easily visit the Alhambra all year round. But one of the elements to visit will be the gardens, if you want to see them in bloom then you will have to visit the Alhambra at month of June, one of the most beautiful seasons.
Be careful however, the months of July and August can be very hot, making it difficult to visit during the day.

Is the number of entries limited?

You should know that, yes, the number of visitors to the Alhambra is limited. In order to guarantee a pleasant visit but also not to damage the premises, it was decided to limit access to the place to approximately 8 entries.

Do you have to book your entry to the Alhambra in advance?

Yes, it is strongly advised to book your tickets well in advance, especially if you want to visit the very famous Nasrid Palaces. The limited number of tickets and the popularity of the place result in attracting a large number of visitors each year.

How to visit the Alhambra?

You can freely access certain parts of the place. The others are accessible only by purchasing a ticket. There are many types of tickets for the Alhambra that we have already detailed a little higher, in the section dedicated to the reservation of tickets.

As a reminder, you will have the choice between different tickets giving you access to:

• either to a simple visit to the Alhambra (the site is divided into several parts, so there are different types of tickets: with or without the Nasrid Palace)
• either to a guided tour of the Alhambra (also with or without the Nasrid Palace)

Warning !
You will certainly read on many sites that it is possible to buy your ticket on the spot, that part of the entries are reserved for sale at the ticket office on the same day. This is no longer true! The sale of tickets has been modified recently, no more tickets are on sale on site!
If, like me, you want to buy your tickets on the spot the day of your visit, this is a VERY bad idea. You could see a little above how I was able to get tickets the day before my visit to the Alhambra (something that I do not recommend to you at all!).

Should I take a guided tour of the Alhambra?

The guided tour has 2 advantages:

• The first goes without saying, the visit will be guided, that is to say that you will benefit from a guide accompanying you during your visit to the Alhambra and who will give you many explanations on the history of this place.
• The other advantage is that by opting for this type of visit, you will have a better chance of finding a ticket and thus be able to visit the Alhambra. “Single” tickets are crowded and difficult to obtain.

What to see during a visit to the Alhambra?

We answer this question in more detail later in this article. But to give you an overview, you can visit different places within the Alhambra: the Nasrid Palaces, the Charles V Palace, the Alhambra Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Alcazaba, El Partalet or even the Generalife. Learn more.

How to access the Alhambra?

We detail the different accesses below. But be aware that several possibilities are available to you depending on whether you are by car, on foot or if you are taking a guided tour. The main accesses are located to the south-east (with paid car parks), to the south-west or from the town center on foot. Learn more. Looking for a Granada travel guide?

Like many, I often travel with a travel guide. If you are looking for a guide for your visit to Granada, let me recommend the "Cartoville" guide from Gallimard. These guides are perfect for directing you during a city trip.
Organized in neighborhoods with numerous maps, the “Cartoville” guides really stand out from their competitors by their practical and intuitive aspect. You will discover the essentials of each district, the places to eat, where to go out, etc. Buy this guide to Granada

What to see on a visit to the Alhambra in Granada: Alcazaba, Nasrid Palaces, Generalife and garden

The Alhambra is divided into several parts. Here are the main ones: the Alcazaba, the military part of the Alhambra, the walls, the Nasrid palaces, El Partal with its magnificent gardens, the palace of Charles V, then Generalife, a palace intended to welcome the sultans Nasrids. This last part is located outside the walls of the Alhambra.

Visiting the Alhambra in Granada:

• Access the Alhambra in Granada
• The Nasrid Palaces
• Charles V Palace, Alhambra Museum and Fine Arts Museum
• Alcazaba
• The Partal
• Generalife

Access the Alhambra in Granada

Let's start our visit to the Alhambra with access to it. It is possible to reach the set from 2 places. The first, the main access, is located to the south-east. You will find many car parks (paying), various help desks, audio guide rental, lockers, etc.
The second access is located to the South West of the complex. No parking is available but this is where you will go if you opt for a guided tour departing from Granada with transport by bus or small train.

It is also possible to reach the Alhambra on foot from the city centre. You will reach it by "Cuesta des Gomérez", then cross the famous "Portes de Granada".
A pedestrian path will take you to the heights of the Sabika and will make you discover the monument of the writer Irving Washington then the pillar of Charles V and finally the tower of justice.

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This is not the main entrance but you will still find something to buy audio guides, documentation as well as toilets, souvenir shops and something to eat.

The Nasrid Palaces

The Nasrid palaces are located in the Alcazar. It is here that the sultans resided but also that they received the guests and managed the affairs of the kingdom. You will find in this part two courtyards, the courtyard of the mosque as well as the courtyard of Machuca (architect of the palace of Charles V).
It is here that the most beautiful palaces of the Alhambra are located, such as the palace of Mexuar, Comares or los Leones, with astonishing rooms and patios. Each of the sultans who lived there enlarged and modified elements of this palace, which gave it a most astonishing architecture.
Visiting these palaces requires the purchase of a ticket. Visits are limited and at fixed times. It is therefore not possible to visit this palace whenever you want, you will have to be careful to respect the schedule indicated on your ticket. Only 300 people are allowed per half hour.

Book your guided tour for the Nasrid Palaces

Charles V Palace, Alhambra Museum and Fine Arts Museum

In 1526, Charles V, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, grandson of Catholic kings and King of Spain visited the Alhambra and decided to build his palace there following his marriage to Isabella of Portugal. This site was not chosen at random since it is located on the very spot where the first Christians returned to the Alhambra after the reconquista had settled.

This palace, next to the alcazar and the Nasrid palaces, was inspired by the Renaissance style in vogue in Italy at that time. Seen from the outside, this palace is a square with wide rectangular facades, while inside, it revolves around a courtyard forming a circle.
Since the beginning of the XNUMXth century, this palace of Charles V has housed various museums such as the Alhambra museum, the fine arts museum and a temporary exhibition hall.
Access to this palace and the museums therein is free and does not require the purchase of a ticket.

Alcazaba

The Alcazaba is the first building built on the site of the Alhambra. Its construction, decided by the first Nasrid sultan Al-Ahmar, dates from 1238. The Alcazaba is none other than the citadel used to protect the city from invaders, it is also the administrative seat of the city and place of life of the sultan. There are different towers such as the torre del Homenaje, del Cubo, de la velaou de las Armas. The Alcazaba also has gardens: the gardens of the Adarves.
Visiting this place requires a ticket and is not free access.

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The Partal

El Partal is an extension of the Alcazar including archaeological and architectural remains corresponding to the palatial rooms. This part of the Alhambra is organized as a terrace. There are different towers, porticoes and an old cemetery where slabs stood corresponding to the different sultans who stayed in the palace.
Access to this part of the Alhambra requires a ticket.

Generalife

Although it is common to include the "Generalife" in the Alhambra, this part is quite distinct from the Alhambra and is located outside the walls of the latter. Rest assured the entrance ticket for the Generalife is the same as for the other parts of the Alhambra.
Generalife is located on the hill of the sun, not far from the Alhambra. This place houses the main “almunias” or royal residences. It is also a place used for agriculture and breeding, it offered a rural place of retirement to the monarchs.

Its proximity to the Alhambra and its defensive walls allowed its inhabitants to quickly reach the fortress in case of danger.

Generalife also has some of the most beautiful palaces on the site as well as magnificent gardens. From this place you will enjoy a breathtaking view of the Alhambra.
Access to Generalife requires the purchase of a ticket.

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Viewpoint on the Alhambra: where to take pictures?

Now that you know more about visiting the Alhambra and the different ways to get tickets, here is a small paragraph dedicated to the photos you will most certainly dream of taking of the Alhambra.
As I was able to tell you above, the Alhambra is located on a hill, it is even located around another hill. One of the most famous in Granada is that of Sacromonte. This hill, located opposite that of the Alhambra, is home to the city's gypsy quarter. I invite you to take a tour of this very atypical district to visit it but also and above all to enjoy a breathtaking view of the Alhambra.

Here are some strategic vantage points from which to position yourself to admire the Alhambra and take magnificent photos of it:

• From the Middle Path
• From Santa Isabel la Real
• San Nicolás
• Placeta de Carvajales
• pomegranate eye
• canvas

Where to sleep to visit the Alhambra?

During your stay in Granada it's a safe bet that visiting the Alhambra will be your main activity. Even if Granada has many other places to discover (places that you can discover in our article: Visit Granada), the Alhambra remains the number one place. Depending on the weather forecast in Granada and given the time needed to visit the Alhambra (a good half day), it will be wise to choose accommodation not far from the Alhambra.
Indeed, even if the Alhambra is accessible by car and many car parks are available nearby, these are chargeable. Moreover, traveling by car in Granada is not necessarily very wise. The choice of your accommodation will therefore be important.

Sleep in the Alhambra

The first solution available to you will be to choose to sleep in the Alhambra. And yes, two hotels are available within the site itself. Enough to take full advantage of the place as soon as it opens but also in the evening when it is fully lit.

America Hotel:

The first of these hotels is the Hotel America. The advantage of this hotel is its price since it will be possible to find single rooms for less than 100€. The hotel is simple, in Andalusian style with a wonderful patio where you can enjoy breakfast.

See this accommodation

Parador de Granada :

The Parador de Granada is a real luxury hotel located in a historic building from the XNUMXth century. The prices of this hotel are certainly higher but it will allow you to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the palaces of the Alhambra. An ideal hotel if you want to treat yourself during your stay in Granada.

See this accommodation

Sleep near the Alhambra

It is also possible for you to stay very close to the Alhambra, in the upper part of the city of Granada. A location that will allow you to be a few hundred meters from the historic center of Granada with its shops and restaurants, but also to benefit from direct access to the Alhambra.

Alhambra Palace :

The Alhambra Palace is an upscale 5-star hotel, offering lower rates than the Parador de Granada. It is located a few hundred meters from the Alhambra and allows you to reach the latter in a few minutes.
This hotel perfectly combines Andalusian style with the modernity of recent hotels. The best thing about this hotel is, without context, the view it offers over the city of Granada.

See this accommodation

Boutique Hotel Puerta de las Pomegranates

For slightly tighter budgets and looking for a comfortable hotel not far from the Alhambra, the boutique hotel Puerta de las Granadas will suit you perfectly. At very reasonable rates, this boutique hotel is ideally located between the historic quarter of Granada and the Alhambra. Modern rooms with all the necessary comforts for a pleasant stay in Granada.

See this accommodation

History of the Alhambra in Granada

Now that the Alhambra no longer holds any secrets for you, here, in a nutshell, is the story of this unique place.
The Alhambra is the result of a construction started at the beginning of the XNUMXth century during the Muslim occupation, which underwent numerous modifications and enlargements over the centuries and the occupants of the region.

The Nasrid era (1237 - 1492):

The history of the Alhambra begins in 1238, when Muhammed I Al-Ahmar decided to launch the construction of the palace on the Sabika plateau, a strategic location due to the unobstructed view of the region. It is also the location of an ancient fortress of the Taifa Kingdom. This fortress, famous for its red colored walls was called: kalaat al hambra. It is from this term that the Alhambra takes its name.
It is therefore on this site that the construction of the Alcazaba, the administrative and residential headquarters of the kingdom of Al-Ahmar, begins.
Modifications and enlargements followed under the reign of Yusuf I, Muhammed V and then Muhammed XII, the last sultan of the Nasrid dynasty. Many constructions from this period are still visible today even if some, like the mosque, have disappeared.

Christian kings (1492 – 1516):

The era of Christian kings began in 1492, when Isabel I of Castile and Fernando II of Aragon decided to settle in the palace. At the beginning of the XNUMXth century, the construction of the palace of Charles V was undertaken, one of the best-known palaces of the Alhambra along with the Nasrid palaces.
In 1870, the Alhambra was declared a national monument and then became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.

My opinion on visiting the Alhambra in Granada

Visiting the Alhambra is for me a must when visiting Granada. We really enjoyed this place and above all, its beauty! This unique architectural ensemble is very pleasant to visit because it is entirely pedestrian, it is vast and it has many green spaces. The fact that everything is divided into different buildings makes it possible to organize your visit à la carte. We opted for an audio guide during our visit. But for me, a guided tour is, without a doubt, a plus for understanding the history of this place.
A word of advice, be sure to book well in advance so as not to risk the disappointment of not being able to visit the palaces, museums and gardens of the Alhambra. This visit is truly stunning due to the architecture of its buildings and their decoration resulting from a mixture of astonishing styles.