Nasrid Palaces are one of the three highlights of Alhambra Castle’s visit, the other two being Alcazaba (military zone), and Generalife (Sultan’s summer home).
Most of the 2.7 million tourists who visit Alhambra Castle every year also explore the Nasrid Palaces.
These Palaces are a beautiful example of Moorish architecture and craftsmanship and are very different from the other Royal Palaces of Europe.
In this article, we share everything you must know before booking your Nasrid Palace tickets.
Top Nasrid Palaces Tickets
# Nasrid Palace guided tour
# Self-guided Nasrid Palaces tour
# Semi-private guided tour of Nasrid Palaces
Table of contents
- What are Nasrid Palaces?
- Nasrid Palace entrance
- How to reach Nasrid Palaces
- Opening hours of Nasrid Palaces
- Best time to visit Nasrid Palaces
- How long do Nasrid Palaces take?
- Nasrid Palace tickets
- Best tours of Nasrid Palaces
- Nasrid Palace day or night
- Nasrid Palace audio guide
- Alhambra without Nasrid Palace
- What to see at Nasrid Palaces
What are Nasrid Palaces?
When the Nasir Kings decided to stay at Alhambra Castle, they built these Palaces for different purposes.
Also known as Palacios Nazaríes, the Nasrid Palaces have three sections –
Mexuar: The semi-public part of the Palace, which got used to administer justice and State affairs.
Comares Palace: This was the official residence of the king. It is also known as Palacio de Comares.
Palace of the Lions: This was a private area that also houses the Sultan’s Harem. It is also known as Palacio de los Leones.
These three parts, which form the Nasrid Palaces, have unique artistic characteristics.
While the typical Muslim way of decoration dominates Comares Palace, the Palace of the Lions has numerous Christian influences.
Check out the video below to get an idea of what to expect –
Nasrid Palace entrance
To get to Nasrid Palaces inside Alhambra Castle, you can use one of the three entrances.
Gate of the Carts
It is also known as Puerta de los Carros and is right in the middle, near the Tower of the Heads (Torre de las Cabezas).
If you plan only to see the Nasrid Palaces and have already bought your tickets online, enter through the Gate of the Carts. Get Direction
Gate of Justice
In Spanish, it gets referred to as Puerta de la Justicia.
If along with Nasrid Palaces, you also plan to explore the other parts of Alahambra Castle, we recommend entry through the Gate of Justice.
Gate of Justice is the most dramatic entrance of the Fort Complex, but use it only if you have already bought the tickets online because this entrance doesn’t have a ticket counter. Get Direction
The Access Pavillion
If you plan to buy tickets at the venue, the Access Pavillion entrance is your only option.
This gate is situated right next to the Ticket Office, and it is closest to Generalife. Get Directions
How to reach Nasrid Palaces
Nasrid Palaces, which are inside Alhambra Fort, are 2.5 Kms (1.5 Miles) from Granada’s city center.
If you are in and around the city of Granada, board any of these buses:
Bus No. 30 and 32 stop at all of the three entrances.
Opening hours of Nasrid Palaces
The Nasrid Palaces are open during the day and at night as well.
During the summer months (1 Apr to 14 Oct), Nasrid Palaces open at 8.30 am and close at 8 pm.
In winter (15 Oct to 31 Mar), Nasrid Palaces continue to open at 8.30 am but close early at 6 pm.
The Ticket Office opens at 8 am and winds down with Alhambra Castle’s closure all through the year.
Night timings
From 1 Apr to 14 Oct, Nasrid Palaces open for night tours from 10 pm to 11.30 pm, Tuesday to Saturday.
During the winter months of 15 Oct to 31 Mar, the Nasrid Palaces open at 8 pm and close at 9.30 pm.
On Sunday and Monday, the Nasrid Palaces are not open for night tours.
Best time to visit Nasrid Palaces
The best time to visit Nasrid Palaces is as soon as the Alambra Castle opens at 8.30 am.
When you start early, you get to avoid the crowd, dodge the heat which during the summer can be extreme and you also get to snap great pictures in the morning light.
If you are a photographer, the best time for you would be late afternoon.
Morning and early afternoon are also alright, but you can take stunning photographs with the warm glow of sunset during the late afternoon.
Bonus tip: If you plan to see everything at Alhambra Castle, keep the Nasrid Palaces when the weather is hottest. While Generalife and Alcazaba are outdoorsy attractions, you are in the shade while exploring Nasrid Palaces.
How long do Nasrid Palaces take?
To explore the whole of Alhambra Castle, you will need four to five hours, but if you want to explore only the Nasrid Palaces, you can finish it in 60 to 90 minutes.
Nasrid Palaces are approximately 15 minutes walk from the Access Pavillion entrance, so you need to add half an hour extra for reaching the attraction.
In effect, you can explore the Moorish masterpiece in Granada in about 90 minutes to two hours.
Important: If you don’t buy your tickets in advance, factor in 30 to 60 minutes of waiting time at the ticketing counter queues (especially during the peak season).
Nasrid Palace tickets
Alhambra Complex, of which Nasrid Palaces is a part, is a complicated tourist attraction, and that’s why it is better to know everything before booking your tickets to Nasrid Palaces.
Tickets are limited
Tickets to Alhambra Castle attractions sell out very fast – during peak summer months 90 days in advance.
This rush is because Alhambra sells only a limited number of tickets every day – approximately 7000.
Online tickets are available from up to one year before, so you can book in advance and ensure you get your preferred slot.
Entry to Nasrid Palaces is further restricted – only 300 people are allowed inside every half hour.
Restricted entry into Nasrid Palaces
When you book any Alhambra ticket, which includes access to Nasrid Palaces, you must specify the time when you want to enter the Palaces.
You can enter the Alhambra complex whenever they want, as long as you are at the Nasrid Palace entrance within the allotted time.
You can turn up at the Nasrid Palace gate within 30 minutes of the time printed on your ticket.
There is usually a queue to get in, which means you can’t reach the entrance at the last minute.
If you are late, you will not be allowed to explore the Palaces.
Important: It takes 15 minutes to walk from the Access Pavillion entrance and reach Nasrid Palaces, and that’s why you need to be at the entrance gate at least half an hour before the time you chose for Nasrid Palace entry.
Nasrid Palace tickets at the door
Tourists can purchase tickets from the Alhambra ticket office, at the Access Pavillion, but we don’t recommend that because of the following reasons –
1. Nasrid Palaces tickets are in high demand and get over much in advance. Why do you want to reach the attraction and then find out that all the day’s tickets have sold off?
2. When you buy your Alhambra Palace tickets online, you don’t waste time waiting in long ticketing counter queues. Depending on the time of day and the season, this wait can be 30 to 60 minutes long.
3. Entry to Nasrid Palaces is timed. When you buy tickets at the venue, chances are you may get a time slot further away into the day, because of which you may have to wait longer.
Do you need to print Nasrid Palaces ticket?
When you book your tickets online, you will receive a voucher in your email.
You don’t need to take a printout of this voucher.
On the day of your visit, just show the voucher on your mobile at the Alhambra Castle entrance to exchange it for a physical ticket.
This physical ticket is needed because there are various checkpoints inside the Alhambra complex, where you must scan the tickets.
Best tours of Nasrid Palaces
There are many ways to experience the Nasrid Palaces in Alhambra Castle, and we explain them below.
Because of the attraction’s nature, we recommend a guided tour of Nasrid Palaces, but then the choice is yours.
Nasrid Palace guided tour
This Alhambra ticket gives you Skip the Line access to all areas of the attraction, including the Nasrid Palaces.
A local guide leads you through the fortress (the Alcazaba), the Nasrid Palaces, and the Gardens of the Generalife.
Rating: 4.8 / 5
Duration: 3 hours
Tour timings: 4.30 pm
Tour Guide: Yes
Meeting point: At the Polinario Café Bar entrance (next to the Alhambra ticket office), lookout for a guide wearing GetYourGuide attire and holding a red flag. Get Directions
Tickets price
Adult ticket (12+ years): 42 Euros
Child ticket (6 to 11 years): 21 Euros
Infant ticket (up to 5 years): Free entry
Self-guided Nasrid Palaces tour
This self-guided Alhambra general ticket gets you access to all parts of the Alhambra Castle, including the Nasrid Palaces.
An audio guide comes with the ticket, and you can pick it up at the Entrance Pavilion or the Palace of Charles V.
Rating: 4.2 / 5
Duration: 3-4 hours
Tour timings: 8.30 am, 10 am, 12 pm, 2 pm, 4 pm
Audio Guide: Yes
Hotel Pickup: Available on request
Tickets price (tour only)
Adult ticket (12+ years): 38 Euros
Child ticket (6 to 11 years): 19 Euros
Infant ticket (up to 5 years): Free entry
Tickets price (with hotel pick up)
Adult ticket (12+ years): 65 Euros
Child ticket (6 to 11 years): 32.50 Euros
Infant ticket (up to 5 years): 5 Euros
*If you want to explore the Alhambra and Nasrid Palaces with a little extra help, check out this self-guided tour with the help of a GPS Navigator. Find out more
Semi-private guided tour of Nasrid Palaces
This highly-rated tour ticket gets you to access all areas – Nasrid Palaces, Alcazaba Generalife, Palace of Carlos V, and the Mosque Baths.
This guided tour takes place in small groups of up to 10 people, making for a more pleasant and relaxing visit.
Rating: 4.9 / 5
Duration: 3 hours
Tour timing: 12 pm
Tour Guide: Yes
Audio Guide: No
Hotel Pickup: 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): 59 Euros
Child ticket (3 to 11 years): 35 Euros
Infant ticket (up to 2 year): 25 Euros
If you prefer a fully private tour of Nasrid Palaces, check this out.
Nasrid Palace night tickets
These are also sometimes referred to as Nasrid Palace last minute tickets because they are usually available on the same day.
These tickets do not include access to Generalife Gardens and Alcazaba.
You also get a chance to catch panoramic views of an illuminated Granada at night.
Rating: 4.1 / 5
Duration: 2 hours
Tour timing: 9.30 pm
Tour Guide: Yes
Audio Guide: No
Hotel Pickup: No
Meeting Point: Please arrive at Parking P1 of Alhambra 15 minutes before the start of the visit. It is in the Paseo de la Sabica, where the tourist buses pick up and drop people off. The guide will be holding a blue umbrella with the Xplorer logo. Directions
Recommended Reading
1. Alhambra tours from Seville
2. Alhambra tours from Malaga
Nasrid Palace day or night
One question that gets asked often is: Nasrid Palaces during the day or at night?
We don’t think one experience can replace the other.
If you have visited the Nasrid Palaces during the day, as an additional experience, you can book the night visit as well.
Visitors who aren’t on a budget holiday or are holidaying in Granada for a longer duration tend to visit Alhambra during the day and night.
If you will be visiting Nasrid Palaces (or Alhambra Castle) only once, then a night visit is not the best way to see the masterpiece’s actual art and architectural details.
Some tourists have mentioned in Tripadvisor reviews that the night light at the Palace was uneven during their visit, and some parts were enveloped in shadows.
Tip: Since a nighttime visit to Alhambra and Nasrid Palaces isn’t as popular, it is not crowded and thus romantic.
Nasrid Palace audio guide
Visitors can explore Alhambra and Nasrid Palaces without any help, such as an audio guide, guide book, or a human history expert.
However, a guided tour will enhance your Nasrid Palaces experience multifold.
If you don’t fancy a guided tour for whatever reason, you can book a self-guided tour and pick up the audio guide at the Access Pavillion entrance or from just in front of the Palace of Charles V. Book Nasrid Palaces entry with audio guide
Alhambra audio guide is available in English, Spanish, Gallego, Catalán, Euskera, French, Italian, German, Dutch and Portuguese.
Alhambra without Nasrid Palace
These are the only tickets that don’t include access to Nasrid Palaces.
Some visitors don’t want to plan their whole tour of Alhambra Castle around a Nasrid Palaces timed entry, and that’s why they decide to skip them altogether.
These tickets are also known as the ‘Alhambra gardens tickets’ or the ‘Alhambra and Generalife tickets.’
Rating: 4.2 / 5
Duration: 2.5 hours
Availability: 10.30 am and 3 pm
Tour Guide: Yes
Audio Guide: Yes
Hotel Pickup: Available on request
Meeting point: La Mimbre Restaurant, Granada. Get Directions
Alhambra Gardens tickets price
Adult ticket (12+ years): 35 Euros
Youth ticket (6 to 11 years): 18 Euros
Child ticket (2 to 5 years): Free entry
Infant ticket (up to 1 year): Free entry
Ticket price (with hotel transfers)
Adult ticket (12+ years): 54 Euros
Youth ticket (6 to 11 years): 27 Euros
Child ticket (2 to 5 years): 27 Euros
Infant ticket (up to 1 year): 15 Euros
What to see at Nasrid Palaces
Nasrid Palaces are the most popular attraction in Alhambra Castle.
Because of the luxury and extravagance of the Palaces, many describe it as a paradise on Earth.
Three Palaces form this enclosure: The Mexuar, The Palace of Comares, and the Palace of the Lions.
During your visit don’t miss out on –
- Royal Palace
- Mexuar
- Oratorio
- Golden Room
- Courtyard of the Golden Room
- Comares Palace
- Courtyard of the Arrayanes
- Boat Room
- Comares Tower
- Ambassadors Hall
- Palace of the Lions
- Mocarabes Room
- Abencerrajes Room
- The Haren
- Kings Room
- Hall of the Two Sisters
- Hall of the Ajimeces
- Daraxa Lookout
- Rooms of Carlos V
- Queen’s Comb
- Courtyard of the Gate
- Daraxa Gardens
- Bathrooms
Recommended Reading: Buy last minute Alhambra Castle tickets
Sources
# Alhambradegranada.org
# Lovegranada.com
# Tripadvisor.com
# Wikipedia.org
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Popular attractions in Granada
Popular attractions in Granada