Granada Attractions
The Alhambra is a magnificent fortress complex in Granada, Spain, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site that welcomes 2.7 million visitors annually.
Built by the Moorish monarchs between 1238 and 1358, it sits on a plateau overlooking the Albaicín quarter, with the Sierra Nevada mountains being a stunning backdrop.
The name “Alhambra” comes from the Arabic “Al-Ḥamrāʼ,” meaning “the red one,” referring to the iron-rich clay that gives its walls a reddish shade.
The Alhambra Castle combines Moorish, Islamic, and Renaissance architectural styles, which is divided into four main sections: the Nasrid Palaces, Alcazaba (military zone), Medina (the city), and Generalife.
In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know before booking your Alhambra tour!
Top Tickets
# Best guided Alhambra tour of all areas
# Self-guided Alhambra tour
# Premium small group guided tour
It’s highly recommended to book your tickets for Alhambra Castle in advance. These tickets sell out quickly, so securing your spot early ensures you don’t miss out on this unforgettable experience.
Table of Contents
Alhambra tickets
Each Alhambra ticket grants access to different areas of the castle—some include all sections, while others only allow entry to specific sites like the Alcazaba fortress and Generalife Gardens, or Nasrid Palaces.
Book your tickets in advance to avoid missing out, as only 6,600 Alhambra tickets are available daily. Nasrid Palaces tickets are even more limited, allowing just 300 visitors every 30 minutes.
During peak months, tickets can sell out up to 90 days in advance. If you are also planning your visit at the eleventh hour, check out our tips to get last-minute Alhambra tickets.
You can cancel these Alhambra tours up to 24 hours in advance for a 50% to 85% refund, depending on the ticket.
While booking, all participants must provide their full names, dates of birth, and ID numbers at the checkout page. if this information is not provided, tickets may not be guaranteed.
Now let’s share all the different types of Alhambra tours & tickets.
Best guided Alhambra tour of all areas
This 3-hour guided tour begins at 12 pm and includes skip-the-line access to all areas of the monument.
A local guide (Spanish, English, French) will lead you through the Alcazaba fortress, the Nasrid Palaces, and the Generalife Palace and Gardens.
With a small group of up to 20 people and a personal audio system, you’ll enjoy a clear and deeper experience as you uncover the history of this iconic Castle.
Insider tip: Due to the site’s rich history and architecture, guided tours of Alhambra end up being better than self-guided tours.
Ticket prices
Adult ticket (12+ years): 49 Euros
Child ticket (3 to 11 years): 15 Euros
Infant ticket (up to 2 years): Free entry
Best self-guided Alhambra tour
This 3-hour self-guided Alhambra ticket grants you access to all parts of the Alhambra Castle.
While booking your tickets you must select a time slot starting from 8.30 am to 7 pm, and on the day of your visit be at the entrance within 10 minutes of the time on your ticket.
Since the complex has little or no informative signage, we suggest you opt for the interactive audioguide of the Alhambra at the entrance. It is available for rent in the premises or for download on iOS and Android devices.
With the help of the audio guide, you can take in the beauty of this iconic site at your own pace.
Ticket prices
Adult ticket (16+ years): 25 Euros
Youth ticket (12 to 15 years): 17 Euros
Infant ticket (up to 11 years): Free entry
Alhambra Gardens tickets
These tickets are also known as ‘Alhambra and Generalife tickets’ as you can access everything in the Fort complex except the Nasrid Palaces.
If you prefer a flexible schedule, this is the perfect option since Nasrid Palaces entry is timed.
You must choose from three starting times: 12 pm, 2 pm, or 5 pm.
Join this 2-hour guided tour with 25 people and explore Alhambra’s stunning gardens and breathtaking architecture.
You can use the audio guide system provided for a deeper understanding of the Palace’s history.
Alhambra Gardens ticket price
Adult ticket (12+ years): 38 Euros
Child ticket (3 to 11 years): 19 Euros
Infant ticket (up to 2 years): Free entry
Premium small group guided tour
This 3-hour guided tour offers a personalized and relaxed experience with a small group of around 10 people.
While booking your premium guided tour of Granada’s castle, you can opt from four time slots – 9 am, 12 pm, 2 pm and 5 pm.
With an official guide speaking in English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of Alhambra’s rich history and breathtaking architecture.
They narrate this historic site’s secrets, stories, legends, and artistic details.
This highly-rated tour ticket gets you to access all areas – Nasrid Palaces, Alcazaba Generalife, Palace of Carlos V, and the Mosque Baths.
Alhambra guided tour price
Adult ticket (12+ years): 69 Euros
Child ticket (3 to 11 years): 39 Euros
Infant ticket (up to 2 years): Free entry
Guided tour of Alhambra, Generalife & Albaicín
This 5-hour guided tour offers a fantastic experience of the historic Alhambra and the Albaicin neighborhood in Granada.
Begin your journey with a 3-hour guided tour of the Alhambra in the morning, according to your starting time (9 am or 12 pm).
After discovering Muslim Spain’s impressive fortified complex, take a lunch break before continuing your adventure.
In the afternoon, go on a 2-hour guided tour of Albaicín, Granada’s oldest quarter.
Stroll through its narrow, cobbled streets, admire flower-filled balconies, and take in breathtaking views of the Alhambra that will stay with you forever.
Alhambra & Albaicín tour price
Adult ticket (12+ years): 69 to 75 Euros
Child ticket (3 to 11 years): 35 to 45 Euros
Infant ticket (up to 2 years): Free entry
Last-minute private tour of Alhambra
Since Alhambra tickets sell out quickly, last-minute tickets are in high demand. If you are also left without Alhambra entry tickets, a private tour is a great way to enter the attraction.
It is also the perfect way to explore the Moorish medieval citadel, if you love VIP treatment.
While booking your tickets, select a time slot starting from 9 am to 5 pm, and arrive at the venue 10 minutes early for a smooth entry.
On this 3-hour private tour an expert guide shares fascinating historical stories of the castle, with just your group.
Alhambra Private Tour Price: 350 Euros per person
Buy This TicketAlhambra audio guide
Audio guides are available with some Alhambra Palace tickets and can also be rented on-site or downloaded on iOS and Android devices.
You can pick up an audio guide at the Entrance Pavilion (next to the ticket office) or Charles V’s Palace, depending on availability.
These guides are available in Spanish, Gallego, Catalán, Euskera, English, French, Italian, German, Dutch, and Portuguese.
There are four different audio guide tours, each priced differently.
General Alhambra – 6 Euros
Alhambra Experiences/ Combined – 7 Euros
Alhambra Museum/ Temporary Exhibitions – 4 Euros
Alhambra at night – 5 Euros
Key things about Alhambra tickets
Why are online tickets better?
Here are four reasons why you should always buy Alhambra tickets online and in advance:
- Limited Availability – Only 6,600 tickets are sold daily, and they sell out fast. Booking online ensures you don’t arrive only to find all the tickets sold out.
- Skip the Long Queues – Buying online saves you from waiting in long ticket counter lines.
- Timed Entry for Nasrid Palaces – When you buy tickets at the venue, you might get a late time slot, so you may have to wait longer before entering.
- Better Entrance Experience – On-site ticket buyers miss the grand entry through the Gate of Justice since they must go to the Access Pavilion entrance for tickets.
Number of tickets per person
Due to strict regulations, each person can book a maximum of 10 tickets at a time.
If you’re traveling in a larger group, you’ll need to split the group and book tickets separately.
Alhambra tickets at the door
Yes, visitors can buy tickets at the venue, but it’s not recommended.
The Alhambra ticket office is located at the Access Pavillion, from where you can enter the Alcazaba, Nasrid Palaces, and Generalife.
However, tickets are limited and often sell out weeks or even months in advance.
Buying on-site also means wasting time walking from the ticket counters to the attractions.
For instance, from the Alhambra ticket counters, you must walk:
20 minutes to get to the Alcazaba
17 minutes to reach Nasrid Palaces
15 minutes to get to the Generalife
If you already have your entry tickets, you can enter through the Gate of Justice, a part of Alcazaba.
Opening hours
From 1 April to 14 October, Alhambra opens at 8.30 am and closes at 8 pm.
From 15 October to 31 March, it continues to open at 8.30 am but closes earlier at 6 pm.
The Ticket Office opens at 8 am and winds down with Alhambra Castle’s closure all through the year.
During the day, the Alhambra Gardens follow the timings of Alhambra Castle.
Alhambra Gardens night timings
Alhambra Gardens are not open for night visits from 1 June to 31 August and 15 November to 31 March.
Rest of the year, from Tuesday to Saturday, the Gardens follow these timings:
| Months | Gardens entry | Ticket Office |
| 1 Apr to 31 May(Tue – Sat) | 10 pm – 11.30 pm | 9 pm – 10.45 pm |
| 1 Sept to 14 Oct(Tue – Sat) | 10 pm – 11.30 pm | 9 pm – 10.45 pm |
| 15 Oct to 14 Nov(Fri – Sat) | 8 pm – 9.30 pm | 7 pm – 8.45 pm |
On Sundays and Mondays, night visits aren’t allowed.
Alhambra remains closed on two days a year – 25 December and 1 January.
The last entry to all areas of Alhambra is one hour before closing time.
All visitors inside the Fortress complex are requested to leave the monument at closing time.
Best time to visit Alhambra
Crowded tourist buses start coming in by 10 am, so the best time to visit Alhambra Castle is right when it opens at 8.30 am.
There are three significant benefits of starting early – you avoid the heat, beat the crowds, finish your tour by 2 pm, and head to Granada city for lunch.
The second best time to visit Granada is 3 pm, after a relaxing local lunch in the city.
By this time, most of the crowd has left or is leaving, and if you stay long enough, you also get to see stunning sunset views from the Towers.
In the summer: We suggest you start outdoors when the temperatures are still bearable. Once it gets hot, move indoors to the Nasrid Palaces.
In the winter: You must start your tour with Nasrid Palaces and as the Sun comes up, and it gets warmer, move outdoors to Generalife and Alcazaba.
How to reach Alhambra?
Alhambra is 2.5 Km (1.5 Miles) from the center of Granada City.
If you are in and around the city of Granada, you can board buses C30, C32, or C3
If you take the C3 bus, board at Calle Padre Suárez near Plaza Isabel la Catolica and get off at Alhambra-Generalife, the final stop.
C30 and C32 buses depart every 8–12 minutes from Isabel Catolica Square.
For the C30, get off at Alhambra-Generalife 2 (final stop).
For the C32, continue to Albaicin and get off at the Alhambra bus station.
Note: You can buy bus tickets directly on the bus.
These buses have the following stops in the Alhambra complex:
- Entrance Pavillion (the Ticket Offices)
- Tower of the Heads (Torre de las Cabezas), which is near Charles V Palace and the Nasrid Palaces
- Gate of Justice (Puerta de la Justicia), closest to Alcazaba.
Your next best option is to take Uber to reach Alhambra.
From the city center, you can reach the fortress for around 5 Euros.
Alhambra car parking
Private transport is not allowed to enter Alhambra.
However, visitors can find 360 parking spaces some distance from the Alhambra Box Office and the castle’s main entrance. Get driving directions
Walk to Alhambra
To enjoy nature, artistic surroundings and to take in a lot of history, we suggest you walk the last mile to Alhambra.
When you travel by other means of transport, it is easy to miss the approaching monument’s beauty.
You have two options –
1. Start from Plaza Nueva
Walking distance: 1.4 Km (1 Mile)
Elevation gained: 97 meters (320 feet)
Duration: 21 minutes
2. Start from Cuesta de Gomérez street
Walking distance: 850 meters (half a mile)
Elevation gained: 52 meters (170 feet)
Duration: 13 minutes
Recommended route at Alhambra Castle
If you have booked a guided tour at Alhambra, you don’t need to worry because your guide will handle the route for you.
However, if you love exploring attractions by yourself, here is a plan you can follow –
Step 1: Check out this article on what to see at Alhambra.
Step 2: Book a self-guided Alhambra ticket
Step 3: Enter the Fortress from the Gate of Justice. Directions
Step 4: There are three parts to the Alhambra fortress – Alcazaba, the Nasrid Palaces, and Generalife.
The best path to follow is: ALCAZABA >> NASRID PALACES >> GENERALIFE
So, head straight to Alcazaba and check out:
- Torre del Cubo
- Adarve of the North wall
- Arms Square
- Barrio Castrense
- Terrace of the Puerta de las Armas
- Torre de la Vela
- Garden of the Adarves
Alcazaba takes 30 to 45 minutes, depending on your interest in history.
Since the Nasrid Palaces tour can only take place during the time indicated on your ticket, you must time your exit from Alcazaba properly.
Step 5: The Alcazaba exit is only about 200 meters (650 feet) from Nasrid Palaces’ queue area.
You can be at the Nasrid Palaces entrance up to 30 minutes from the time mentioned on your ticket.
That is, if your ticket has 9.30 am mentioned on it, you will be allowed entry till 10 am.
Get in and explore the following areas of Nasrid Palaces:
Mexuar
- The Hall
- Oratory
- Gilded Room
- Court of the Gilded Room
Comares Palace
- Court of the Myrtles
- Hall of the Boat
- Hall of the Ambassadors
Palace of the Lions
- Hall of the Mocárabes (Muqarnas)
- Court
- Hall of the Abencerrajes
- Hall of the Kings
- Hall of the Two Sisters
- The Emperor’s Chambers
- Court of the Wrought Iron Grille
- Daraxa’s Garden
The Partal
- Pórtico del Palacio
- Gardens and paths
- Rauda
- Palace of Yusuf III
- Promenade of the Towers
Step 6: Your last stop will be Generalife, where you get to see:
- Low Gardens
- High Gardens
- Palace of the Generalife
- Water Stairway
- Court of the Sultana
Follow the link for a detailed map of the Alhambra route to guide your visit.
Alhambra Castle’s Entrance
If you have already bought Alhambra tickets online, it is best to enter the complex through the Gate of Justice (Puerta de la Justicia). Get Directions
Of the three gates in the Alhambra walls, the Gate of Justice is the largest and most impressive entrance.
It is also known as the Gate of the Esplanade (Puerta de la Explanada) because of the vast esplanade that extends before it.
If you don’t buy your Alhambra tickets in advance, you can get them from the ticket office situated at the Access Pavillion entrance.
The Access Pavillion is 600 meters (approx half a mile) from the Gate of Justice. Directions to the ticket office
The third Alhambra entrance is called the Gate of the Carts. It is closest to the Nasrid Palace entry and the Charles V Palace. Directions
How long does Alhambra take?
Most visitors spend four to five hours exploring Alhambra Castle, which includes the Alcazaba, Generalife, Nasrid Palace, and the Charles V Palace.
If you plan to see all the attractions in the Fort complex, be prepared to walk approximately 3.5 km (2.1 miles).
Here is the break up of the time you are likely to spend at Alhambra –
Alcazaba – 15 to 30 mins
Nasrid Palace – 30 to 45 mins
Generalife – 30 to 45 mins
Charles V Palace – 15 to 30 mins
Museums (2) – 20 to 30 mins
*Walking – 60 to 90 mins
*Since the attractions are at a distance from each other, you will spend a considerable amount of time walking from one to the other.
Weekends and holidays attract many visitors, which can further extend the time needed to explore Alhambra.
When you buy Alhambra tickets in advance, you save yourself 30 to 60 minutes of waiting time at the ticketing counter queues.
FAQs about Alhambra Palace
Here are some questions tourists ask before visiting the Alhambra Palace.
Are Alhambra tickets timed?
The Alhambra complex includes the Alcazaba, Generalife, and Nasrid Palaces, but only Nasrid Palaces require timed entry. All visitors must select a time slot when booking their Alhambra tickets and be at the Nasrid Palaces entrance at that exact time. The rest of the complex can be explored at any time.
Can I enter Alhambra for free?
Yes, free entry is available for certain areas, such as the Gate of Justice, Pomegranates Gate, Alhambra Forest, Carlos V Palace, Plaza de Los Aljibes, etc. However, if you want to explore the main attractions, Alhambra entry ticket is needed.
What happens if I miss my time slot for Nasrid Palaces?
Alhambra has strict entry times, and if you arrive late for your allocated slot, they will likely turn you away. To avoid disappointment, please arrive well before your scheduled time slot.
How many times can I enter every place?
You can enter and exit the Alhambra complex freely, but each site (Alcazaba, Nasrid Palaces, Partal, and Generalife) can only be visited once. If you leave for lunch, you can return, but be mindful of opening hours and your Nasrid Palaces time slot.
Is there a dress code to visit Alhambra?
There is no specific dress code for visiting Alhambra. However, it’s best to dress comfortably, wear layered clothing in winter and light outfits in summer. Since there’s a lot of walking, comfortable shoes are highly recommended.
Are backpacks allowed in the Alhambra?
Yes, small bags and backpacks (up to 40×40 cm) are allowed. However, you must wear them on the front to avoid bothering other visitors or rubbing against the walls. Larger backpacks may need to be stored at the entrance.
Recommended
The Alhambra is a must-see if you’re in Granada. The history, amazing architecture, and massive size are unlike anything else. Getting a guide made a huge difference for me. Without one, you might just see old walls, but with a guide, every corner has a story, making the visit so much more interesting and fun.