Granada Attractions
Alhambra Castle has three distinct parts – Generalife, Nasrid Palaces, and Alcazaba (the military zone).
Located just outside the walls of Alhambra, the Nasir Sultans used Generalife as a Summer Palace where they could retreat with their families to escape the turmoils of the Alhambra Palace.
Visitors feel Generalife is the most charming corner of the Alhambra, thanks to its gardens and fast-flowing water.
It is composed of a series of extensive gardens and minimalistic buildings, both of which are integrated so well that one doesn’t realize where the gardens begin and where the buildings end.
In this article, we share everything you must know before booking your Generalife tickets.
Top Generalife Tickets
# Guided tour of Alhambra & Generalife
# Self-guided tour of Alhambra and Generalife
# Alhambra Gardens tickets
Table of Contents
In 1984, both Alhambra and the Generalife (also known as Jardines del Generalife) were named World Heritage sites for being the most important legacies of Moorish architecture and design in Spain.
Generalife entrance
You can get to The Palacio de Generalife (the Spanish name for Generalife) through any of the below given three entrances –
Gate of the Carts
It is also known as Puerta de los Carros.
Since the Gate of the Carts is right in the middle, near the Tower of the Heads (Torre de las Cabezas), this gets used most often.
It is also closest to the Nasrid Palace entry and the Charles V Palace. Directions
Gate of Justice
In Spanish, it is referred to as Puerta de la Justicia.
If you plan to explore the whole of Alhambra Castle, the Gate of Justice is a better (and grander entrance).
It is also known as the Gate of the Esplanade. Directions
The Access Pavillion
This gate is situated right next to the Ticket Office, and it is closest to Generalife.
If you plan to explore only Generalife (or only Generalife and Alcazaba), use this entrance to get in. Directions
Generalife opening hours
During the summer months (1 Apr to 14 Oct), Generalife Gardens opens at 8.30 am and closes at 8 pm.
In winter (15 Oct to 31 Mar), Generalife continues to open at 8.30 am but closes early at 6 pm.
These are also the timings followed by the Alhambra Castle.
Generalife Gardens night timings
From Tuesday to Saturday, the Generalife Gardens follow these timings:
| Months | Gardens entry | Ticket Office |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Apr to 31 May | 10 pm – 11.30 pm | 9 pm – 10.45 pm |
| 1 Sept to 14 Oct | 10 pm – 11.30 pm | 9 pm – 10.45 pm |
| 15 Oct to 14 Nov | 8 pm – 9.30 pm | 7 pm – 8.45 pm |
On Sundays and Mondays, night visits aren’t allowed.
Alhambra Gardens is not open for night visits from 1 Jun to 31 Aug and from 15 Nov to 31 Mar.
The last entry to all areas of Generalife is one hour before closing time.
All visitors inside Generalife Gardens are requested to leave at the closing time.
When is Generalife closed?
Generalife in Alhambra remains closed on two days a year – 25 December and 1 January.
Best time to visit Generalife Gardens
It is best to visit Generalife as soon as they open at 8.30 am. If you can’t make it that early, try to be in the garden complex by 10 am, at least.
When you start early, the crowd hasn’t come in yet, and the gardens are fresh and smelling of the morning air.
That’s why Generalife’s morning tickets sell out quicker than the afternoon tickets.
Spring is a beautiful time to see the Generalife gardens in their full glory.
How long does Generalife take?
If you plan to visit only Generalife, you will need a minimum of 45 minutes and a maximum of 90 minutes to explore the attraction.
If the other areas of Alhambra Castle, such as the Nasrid Palaces and Alcazaba, are also on your itinerary, you will need at least four to five hours.
Generalife tickets
There are many ways to experience Generalife.
You can visit only the Generalife Gardens or the other parts of the Alhambra Palace as well.
If you want, you can even add the Albaicín neighborhood to your tour of Palacio de Generalife.
You can explore this attraction all by yourself or opt for an official guide, making it all the more fun with anecdotes and stories.
You can explore Generalife during the day or after the lights are out.
The options are plenty, and we list them below –
Guided tour of Alhambra & Generalife
This is a highly rated General Alhambra ticket, which gives you Skip the Line access to all areas of the attraction.
Besides Generalife, a local guide also takes you through Alcazaba (the defense fortress), and Nasrid Palaces during this tour.
Duration: 3 hours
Tour Guide: Yes
Meeting point: Polinario Café Bar next to the Alhambra ticket office – look for a guide wearing GetYourGuide attire and holding a red GetYourGuide flag standing by the cafe’s entrance. Get Directions
Generalife tickets price
Adult ticket (12+ years): 49 Euros
Child ticket (3 to 11 years): 25 Euros
Infant ticket (up to 2 years): Free entry
Self-guided tour of Alhambra and Generalife
This self-guided Alhambra general ticket gets you to access all parts of the Alhambra Castle.
Besides Generalife, you also get to walk around Nasrid Palaces, Alcazaba, Gardens, Charles V Palace, etc., at your own pace.
This ticket comes with an audio guide that you can pick up either at the Entrance Pavilion or the Palace of Charles V.
Duration: 3 hours
Audio Guide: No
Tickets price
Adult ticket (12+ years): 50 Euros
Child ticket (3 to 11 years): 25 Euros
Infant ticket (up to 2 years): Free entry
If you love exclusive experiences, this private tour is the perfect way to explore Generalife and the rest of Alhambra Castle.
Alhambra Gardens tickets
These tickets are also known as the ‘Alhambra Gardens tickets’ or the ‘Alhambra and Generalife tickets’ because you get to access all gardens in the complex.
This ticket gets you access to Generalife and Alcazaba but not to Nasrid Palaces.
Duration: 2 hours
Audio Guide: Yes
Meeting point: Access Pavilion of the Alhambra, near the ticket office. Get Directions
Gardens tickets price
Adult ticket (12+ years): 38 Euros
Child ticket (3 to 11 years): 19 Euros
Infant ticket (up to 2 years): Free entry
Guided tour of Alhambra, Generalife & Albaicín
This guided tour begins as you enter the majestic Alhambra Palace.
After the guide has taken you through all the major attractions within the complex, including Generalife Palace and Gardens, you stop for lunch.
Later you visit Albaicín, Granada’s old quarter.
Walking along the narrow, cobbled streets of Albaicín and admiring the flowering balconies and stunning views of the Moorish fortress are memories that are sure to stay with you forever.
Duration: 5 hours
Audio Guide: No
Meeting Point: At the Mural map, near the main entrance of the Alhambra, by the ticket office. The guide will be holding a white umbrella. Get Directions
Tour price
Adult ticket (12+ years): 69 Euros
Child ticket (3 to 11 years): 35 Euros
Infant ticket (up to 2 years): Free entry
*Check out this private tour of Generalife, Nasrid Palaces, and the Albaicín neighborhood, and marvel at Europe’s Islamic architecture.
Recommended Reading
1. Alhambra tours from Seville
2. Alhambra tours from Malaga
Alhambra Generalife at night
You must try the Generalife at night only if you have seen it once during the day or if you have no other option – no tickets or no time.
Many tourists feel the nighttime experience at the Generalife is below par. Here are some of the reasons they cited –
- No proper lighting in the garden
- The accessible area for the night visit is a lot smaller than for the day visit
- Some sections of the Generalife Palace are closed
- You are not allowed to take photographs because the camera flash dazzles the other visitors
The night tour of Generalife starts from the Entrance Pavilion near the ticket counters. All other entrances are closed at night.
If you plan to visit the Alhambra at night, read this for an overview of ticket information and to learn about the illuminated city of Granada.
Didn’t plan your visit to Alhambra in advance? Check out five tips to buy last-minute Alhambra Castle tickets
What to see at Generalife?
Generalife was designed as a summer palace for the Nasrid rulers to offer them calm and peace from their busy schedules.
And that’s exactly what all visitors also experience during their visit.
This medieval garden retreat of the Sultans is the most beautiful part of the Alhambra Castle.
We list out the must-see attractions at Generalife –
Palace of Generalife
The Generalife Palace was built in the 13th century.
In its current state, the Generalife has two groups of buildings connected by the Irrigation Ditch Patio (Patio de la Acequia).
Entrance to the Generalife Palace is through a tiny door, partially hidden by undergrowth, and a narrow stairway will take you to the residences and rooms.
The New Gardens
The New Garden links Generalife to the rest of the Alhambra.
Landscaped gardens were added to the area between the Alhambra and the Generalife Palace.
It is also known as Jardines Nuevos or Low Gardens.
Court of Access
Back in the days, Generalife had three entrances – one from the Alhambra, which the Sultan and his entourage used, the second from near the Entrance Pavilion, and the third through Postigo de the Rams.
Today, you enter through the charming New Gardens, also known as the Patio de Acceso.
Patio of the Irrigation ditch
This exhibit at Generalife is also referred to as the Court of the Water Channel (or Patio de la Acequia).
It is 48.70 meters (160 feet) long and 12.80 meters (42 feet) wide and is the most exciting part of Generalife Gardens.
A channel that carries the water from the irrigation ditch of the Alhambra divides the patio lengthways.
Court of the Sultana
This area is also known as Patio del Ciprés de la Sultana, and it is here that you will find Court of the Sultana’s Cypress tree.
According to a legend, Boabdil’s wife met a knight of the Abencerrajes family under this Cypress, and when the King found out, he had the Knight’s whole tribe killed.
Water stairway
The Water Stairway is both beautiful and original – it is the oldest staircase in Generalife gardens because it existed in the Muslim period.
The handrails of the staircase are channels for running water (see pic above).
These stairs are divided into three flights, each with a fountain.
Upper Gardens
A stone step leads visitors to Generalife’s Upper Gardens, which back then used to be olive groves.
Today, there is a big esplanade and modern gardens with rose bushes and jasmines spreading their fragrance all around.
Oleander Walk
The Walk of the Oleanders is a long path along the upper section of the wall dividing the gardens, which is fully covered by an arch of Oleanders.
This romantic access to the Generalife Palace was built in the mid-19th century.
Patio for Dismounting
It is also known as Patio del Descabalgamiento, and it is believed that this area was used for mounting and dismounting horses.
This spot is a simple walled enclosure, with arched niches where guards could have stood when Generalife was in use by the Sultans.
There is a small central fountain basin in the middle of the enclosure.
Gerenralife is one small part of Alhambra. Check out what’s inside Alhambra Palace.
How to reach Generalife
Alhambra Castle is 2.5 km (1.5 miles) from the center of Granada City.
Generalife is outside the walls of Alhambra and is located on Cerro del Sol’s slopes (Hill of the Sun), offering stunning views over the city and the rivers Genil and Darro.
If you are in and around the city of Granada, board any of these buses:
Bus No. 30 and 32 have the following stops in the Alhambra complex:
- Entrance Pavillion (the Ticket Offices)
- Tower of the Heads
- Gate of Justice (Puerta de la Justicia)
You can also take an Uber from Granada City to get to Generalife.
Parking at Generalife
Both Alhambra and Generalife have the same parking space, which has around 500 slots.
This parking area has four zones – buses and caravans can park in the first zone you see when you enter.
It is best to park in the last zone because that’s closest to the Entrance Pavillion, nearest to the Generalife’s entrance. Get Directions
As an architect, I had always dreamed of visiting, and it didn’t disappoint—it looked just like the pictures I’d seen. I went with my family on a lovely sunny day in December. We explored them after touring the Alhambra, and we took our time since there’s a lot to see in just one day.
It gives you a real sense of the cultural richness that the sultans who lived there enjoyed. The courtyard gardens are lovely, with flowing water and orange trees, and the views over the terraces make it a visit you’ll remember.