Everything You Need To Know About Visiting The Alhambra

By Catalina | January 26, 2017

If you are headed to the south of Spain, chances are you’ll want to include a visit to the Alhambra, an incredible and historic palace, fortress, and gardens located in Granada. Each year, the Alhambra receives over 2 million visitors, and about 8,500 people visit the site each day. Thats pretty impressive, and these numbers add up to make the Alhambra Spain’s #1 most visited site.

With so many visitors from around the world flocking to explore Alhambra each day, a visit definitely requires some planning and forethought. I (the itinerary planning extraordinaire) somehow completely forgot to reserve my ticket, only to discover that the next available ticket date was…30 days away. However, I still managed to get my hands on a ticket!

I created this post to help you avoid making the same mistakes that I did, and to ensure that you have a wonderful visit to the Alhambra despite the crowds!

A Brief History of Alhambra

The site on which the Alhambra exists today is incredibly historic. In fact, the palace as we know it today was built on top of ancient Roman ruins. In 889 AD a fortress was constructed, and was later expanded and rebuilt by Moorish leaders in the 13th century.

When Christians reconquered the palace in 1492, the Alhambra served as the home of the court of Ferdinand and Isabella (you know, the ones who sponsored Christopher Columbus’s expedition to the new word). During the 18th century the palace was neglected, until re-discovery and restoration efforts during the 19th century transformed it into the UNESCO World Heritage site that we see today.

 

PLAN AHEAD: Reserving Your Tickets

If you are hoping to see the Alhambra for yourself during your trip to Spain, then you will want to plan ahead. I can’t stress this enough. Alhambra tickets are sold on a limited daily basis, meaning they sell out incredibly quickly, especially during peak season (summer). If you are planning a visit during the summer, I’d recommend booking about 90-60 days in advance, or at least regularly checking the ticketmaster website to ensure that you don’t miss out. 

  • Where to book: The Ticketmaster Website
  • When to book: 90-60 days in advance, during peak season
  • Ticket cost: €15.40, to be paid online
  • Visit Time Slots: Morning Visit (8:30 AM-2:00 PM) or Afternoon Visit (2:00 PM-6:00 PM). There are also evening visits available certain days of the week.
    • Note: From March to October the visiting hours are between 8:30 AM – 8:00 PM. From November to February, visiting hours are between 8:30 AM and 6:00 PM. Be sure to double check the times listed on your tickets. 
  • Nasrid Palaces: After selecting a general entrance time, you must also choose a time to visit the Nasrid Palaces. This part of the complex can only be entered during the 30 minute window you select to visit it. Be sure to pay attention to what time your visit to the Nasrid Palaces is scheduled for. If you miss your time, you won’t be permitted to enter. Depending on the time of year, there will be a line to visit the Nasrid Palaces, so be sure to scope out the line situation once you arrive.
  • Ticket Pickup: Once you arrive in Granada, you will be able to pick up your tickets. You can do this at any La Caixa Bank ATM. Be sure to use the same credit card that you used to purchase the tickets, and the tickets will print for you. There are also several Ticketmaster/ServiCaixa machines available for use at Alhambra, but the room in which they are housed is not labeled and can be difficult to find. To make things easy, I recommend heading to an ATM upon your arrival in Granada.

 

Help! Tickets are sold out, what do I do?

When I visited in September, tickets were sold out through the next month. I immediately went into panic mode, but fortunately for anyone who forgot, there are a few options:

  • Ask your hotel: I’ve had a few people say that their hotel was able to get them last minute tickets. I was staying in an Airbnb so this wasn’t possible, but it doesn’t hurt to ask!
  • Book a tour: There are many different tour companies which purchase tickets in advance that you can purchase last minute, although sometimes even these sell out! Just know that going through a tour company will be a more expensive (think around €40-€80 per person).
  • Wake up early: I decided to try my luck at getting same day tickets by waking up at 3:00AM, walking to the Alhambra ticket office, and waiting in line. Believe it or not, there were actually around 20 people IN FRONT of me at 4:00 AM. If you choose to go this route, then get there as early as possible. They ran out of tickets about 20 people after me, and I arrived around 3:45 AM. Fortunately, I ended up getting an afternoon ticket, so I was able to nap before my visit later that day. This option was totally crazy, but definitely worth it.

 

The Actual Visit

Whew! Now that the complicated process of getting your tickets is complete, its time to get to the fun part, the actual visit itself.

I began my visit at the main entrance. My Airbnb was in walking distance, but you can also take a Taxi or the bus to get there.

You may want to bring the following items on your visit:

  • Water: While water is sold on the premises, it is more expensive than if you bring a bottle on your own
  • Snacks: There are snacks available inside the Alhambra, but I’d recommend bringing one to save yourself a few Euros
  • A camera: The ALhambra is stunning, and you’ll want to snap a few pics, so don’t forget that camera!
  • Comfortable shoes: You’ll be doing quite a bit of walking, so wear something that won’t hurt your feet
  • Weather wear: Sunny day? Don’t forget sunscreen and sunglasses. Rainy? Be sure you have a rain coat or a poncho available just in case.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND following the suggested route provided on the Alhambra map you are given when you enter the site. The Palace, gardens, and fortress cover a large area, and it can be easy to get lost or off-track during your visit. To save yourself time and ensure that you know what you are looking at, just keep a copy of the map with you throughout the visit-its a lifesaver! You can find the PDF online here to get a sneak peek of the route, or just get the map day of at Alhambra.

The suggested route takes around 3 hours and covers 3.4 km of the site, so be prepared to do a bit of walking!

A Few Visit Highlights

The Alcazaba

The Alcazaba is a really fun area of the Alhambra to explore, though it is not the most well-preserved. The Alcazaba is the place where you will find the ruins of the 13th century fortress. This area is really fascinating to walk around, and has some truly spectacular views of Granada from the ramparts. I especially enjoyed the maze-like inner courtyard, and seeing the white homes, green cypress trees, and mountains of Granada from the rampart viewpoints.

Palace of Charles V

While much of Alhambra was designed in the Islamic style, the Palace of Charles V was built after the Spanish reconquista. The palace was built in the 16th century, but was never completed. The Renaissance flair is a striking contrast to the surrounding architecture.

Patio de los Arrayanes

The Patio de los Arrayanes is one of the most picturesque spots in all of the Alhambra. The Islamic architecture is beautifully reflected in the courtyard pool, which is framed by hedges and detailed arches at each end.

Sala de las dos Hermanas

The Alhambra is famous for its gorgeous honeycomb-like ceilings. The amount of craftsmanship that went into creating these intricate details is truly stunning. Caution: You may find yourself looking up so much that you bump into all of the other tourists around you (I’m totally guilty of that)!

Generalife Gardens

The Generalife palace and gardens are truly beautiful, especially when they are in full bloom! I especially loved seeing all of the different varieties of flowers and the beautiful views that can be glimpsed from the palace windows. The gardens are the perfect way to end a visit to Alhambra.

 

There you have it! My guide to visiting Alhambra like a pro! Good luck visiting, and I hope I saved you from having to wake up at 3:00 AM to get tickets like I did! If you have any visiting tips, be sure to let me know in the comments below!

For more great posts on Spain, try reading:

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