THEAlhambra of Granada, built starting from 1238 and completed by the Nasrid sultan Muhammad V during the following century, it is the most emblematic monument ofAndalusia, and one of the most significant of all Spain, but above all it is without a doubt the mirror of the fragile and magnificent soul of Granada. The Alhambra is a spectacle for all the senses, and has the gift of projecting the imagination of those who visit it into another dimension, that of the romantic and adventurous, warlike and loving arabesque dream: you will realize it by entering the finely decorated rooms gods Nasrid Palaces - the royal residences of the Nasrids - or climbing the miradores of the defense towers, soaring on the imperious red walls of theAlcazaba, overlooking the panorama of Granada and the Sierra Nevada.
Buy skip-the-line tickets to the Alhambra on Getyourguide
Buy ticket jumpers for the Alhambra on Ticketbar
You will experience the timeless beauty ofAlhambra strolling along the flowery paths of the gardens of the Generalife, you will be captivated by the water games that gush into the pools and flow along the channels, mesmerized by the sophisticated finishes of the arches that are reflected in the pools, by the lush gardens, the labyrinths of hedges, the patios full of priceless details. Never as in this case, however, words are useless: who would be able to tell the flow of images and thoughts that pass in the eyes and mind of those who enter the Moorish heart of Granada? The New York writer Washington Irving tried it, who, during his stay in Granada in the XNUMXs, wrote the Tales of the Alhambra, stimulated by the literary aura that pervades the mysterious rooms of the palace.
Alhambra of Granada: what to see
I have already told you what the wonders of the Alhambra in Granada in the article on what to see in Granada, but it is useful to remember how the main attractions are divided:
Alcazaba and Palace of Carlos V
THEAlcazaba it is the ancient military area of the Alhambra, the defensive stronghold of which the ramparts and some towers have come down to us, while the Palace of Carlos V (which also houses the Museo de la Alhambra) is a Renaissance palace that the Catholic king had built in 1526. A complete visit of these sections includes:
- la Vela tower
- i gardens of the Ardaves
- the plaza de los Aljibes
- the terrace of the arms tower
- Palace of Carlos V
Here are our articles dedicated entirely to the Alcazaba and the Palace of Charles V.
Nasrid and Partal Palaces
The refined arabesque rooms of the Nasrid Palaces are undoubtedly the main interest of the visit to the Alhambra. The entrance to the buildings is bound, as we have said, to the time slot indicated on the ticket. Here is what to see during the tour of these spectacular environments:
- Mexuar: Hall, Oratory, Cuarto Dorado and Patio del Cuarto Dorado;
- Palace of Comares (Serallo): Patio de los Arrayanes, Sala de la Barca, Ambassadors Room;
- Palace of the Lions (Harem): Room of Mocárabes, Patio, Room of the Abencerrajes, Room of the Kings, Room of Two Sisters, Rooms of the Emperor, Viewpoint, Patio de la Reja, Garden of Lindaraja;
- The Partal: Pórtico del Palacio, Jardines y paseos, Rauda, Palacio de Yusuf III, Paseo de las Torres.
As you can see above, each of these areas deserved our own in-depth article: I invite you to read them to find out more!
Generalife
I Alhambra gardens (Generalife) offer some unforgettable views, which give us an idea of what the idle life of the Nasrid rulers must have been like. In this area of the Alhambra, visitors also have the opportunity to recover from the strain of visiting the palaces.
Here's what to see:
- Low Gardens;
- High Gardens;
- Water Ladder;
- Dismounting Yard;
- Access Patio;
- Patio de la Acequia;
- Courtyard of the Sultana;
- Paseo de las Adelfas;
- Real street.
Don't miss our in-depth study on the Generalife of Granada!
Alhambra of Granada: timetables and useful information for organizing a visit
First of all, one must remember that a visit to theAlhambra it is something not to be underestimated, from any point of view. Here are the opening time:
- From April 1st to October 14th: every day from To 8.30 20.00
- From October 15th to March 31th: every day from 8.30 at 18.00.
Here are some useful information and advice to the organization of the visit:
- the Alhambra complex is very large and can take 3-4 hours for visiting all areas; consider that, so many and such are the beauties, that the visit can also last a whole day;
- getting to the entrance to the Alhambra on foot is tiring: Cuesta de Gomerez - which starts from Plaza Nueva up to the Porta de las Granadas - climbs uphill to the top of the hill and, thanks to the heat and the long itinerary inside the palaces and gardens, if you do not move early in the morning, the visit to the eventually could become exhausting. On the contrary, I advise you to follow it downhill towards Plaza Nueva after visiting the Alhambra: what is a bucking uphill, on the way back becomes a nice walk;
- if you already have tickets you can also enter from Gate of justice (850 meters after Puerta de las Granadas) and avoid a long walk to the ticket office;
- if you don't feel like walking, take the bus C3, which takes you directly to the ticket office. Other stops are also planned, including the one for the Gate of justice, useful if you already have a ticket;
- especially in the high season months, theaffluence to the Alhambra in Granada is high: to preserve the artistic heritage and for the purpose of a comfortable visit of tourists, the entrance to the monument is limited to about 7000 people per day and, if you arrive at the entrance during a particularly crowded day, perhaps without having taken the ticket yet, you will risk not entering the Alhambra! In addition to this, it is necessary to remember that only a fraction of these 7000 admissions are available at the cashier or at the automatic machines on site, as most of the tickets to the Alhambra have been booked in advance;
- some are expected night entrances to the gardens and palaces, but the visits are independent, being both at the same time. The time slots are indicatively from 22pm to 23.30pm (20pm - 21.30pm in the period October-March);
- the visit to Nasrid Palaces is bound toclockwise that you have chosen from those available, and is shown on the ticket. If you don't arrive at the entrance of the Palacios within the time slot indicated on the ticket, you will not be able to visit the rooms of the palace, and it would be a considerable loss; if, on the other hand, you make your entrance in time, you can stay inside the Palacios for as long as you want. Visitors enter in groups of up to 300 people, so you will most likely find a group of tourists who have booked their visit at the same time as you. During busy periods, pay more attention to queues at the entrance: get in line as soon as possible after entering, (leaving the visit of the Generalife and the Alcazaba until after) if your hours are already running out;
- if you visit the Alhambra with small children, please note that you will not be able to enter the Palacios Nazaríes with strollers or baby carriers. You will have to leave it with the security officers you find in the depot immediately after the Puerta del Vino: you will be given a lighter backpack to carry your child. This limitation is valid only for Nasrid palaces.
- if you want to visit only the Alcazaba and the Generalife without entering the Palacios, i Tickets at a lower price;
- here are some tips on where to sleep in Granada. Pay particular attention to hotels close to the Alhambra!
Our tips for staying near the Alhambra
In what order should you visit the attractions of the Alhambra?
The recommended order of visits depends on the time you are expected to enter Nasrid Palaces: before and after the time slot in which you will visit them it is necessary to distribute the tour of the other areas. If you enter the ticket office, unless the deadline for visiting the Palacios is running out, use this criterion:
- Generalife - Alcazaba - Nasrid Palaces
If you enter through the Puerta de la Justicia, visit the attractions of the Alhambra of Granada in this order:
- Alcazaba - Nasrid Palaces - Generalife
In case your visiting hours to the Palacios are close to your entrance to the Alhambra complex, reach the entrance of the palaces as soon as possible: it takes 17 minutes to walk from the ticket office and, on holidays, the queue could jeopardize your plans. There Gate of justice instead it is very close to the Mexuar of the Palacios, but you will find out everything you need to know about this and other doors of the Alhambra in our article dedicated to the “minor” buildings of the Alhambra.
Alhambra Tickets: where to buy them?
As you will have understood, the risk of spending a lot of time in line at the ticket office - if not of stay dry-mouthed! - is around the corner, and there visit to the Alhambra it could be lethally affected. There are many things to see and, if you don't prepare properly, the tour risks becoming a race against time! Not to mention the worst prospect, which has happened to some of my friends, which is to leave Granada without visiting the Alhambra!
The absolute best solution, as well as the one recommended by the organization, is that of book your tickets for the Alhambra well in advance (it is possible to do it up to three months before), so as not to risk being left empty-handed and so as to choose the most convenient time for visiting the Palacios. Keep in mind that from 1 October 2017 the tickets for the Alhambra are nominative: for entry it will therefore be necessary to present a identity document. You can buy i Skip-the-line tickets to the Alhambra on a reliable site in Italian, by clicking on the button below.
Buy skip-the-line tickets to the Alhambra on Getyourguide
Buy ticket jumpers for the Alhambra on Ticketbar
Alhambra card: appropriate?
If you cannot find the tickets for thegeneral admission, you can buy theAlhambra Card, which ensures theentrance to the complex last-minute even if availability is out of stock elsewhere. The cool thing about this product is that it includes entry to many other paid monuments of Granada. Here they are in detail:
- The Alhambra, including Generalife, Alcazaba and the Nasrid Palace
- The Cathedral of Granada
- The royal chapel
- Il monastero de la Cartuja
- The monastery of San Jéronium
- Science Park Museum
- CajaGRANADA Museum
- City bus: 5 trips on the local network
Buy the Alhambra Card
Tours, packages and guided visits to the Alhambra
Below, however, I point out a few tower e packages interesting that, in addition to the entrance ticket, include in the price other useful services, which can greatly facilitate your visit:
Half-day Alhambra tour for groups, with skip-the-line ticket
Include:
- entrance ticket to all attractions "Skip the line"
- service withdrawal to and from the hotel by minibus (max 30 people)
- guided tour in Italian
- duration approx 3 hours (morning or afternoon)
Learn more about the tour
Private Half Day Alhambra Tour with Skip-the-Line Entrance
Include:
- entrance ticket to all “Skip the Line” attractions, with priority entrance
- hotel pickup and drop-off with private vehicle (at an additional cost)
- guided tour private in Italian
- duration approx 3 hours (morning or afternoon)
Learn more about the tour
Alhambra private tour by night with professional guide or with GPS audio guide
Include:
- Ticket entrance to the Alhambra;
- guided tour by night to the Palace of Charles V and the Palacios Nazaríos (not including the visit of Generalife);
- Freight with private vehicle;
- Pick up service to and from the hotel in the center of Granada.
Or:
- Ticket entrance to the Alhambra (Palace of Charles V, Palacios Nazaríes, Alcazaba)
- audioguide GPS
More information on the guided tour
More information on the tour with GPS audio guide
After all this information, all that remains is to leave the world of dreams and walk up the hill ofAlhambra of Granada, that awaits us with its unfathomable mystery, a secret that not even a writer could dissolve with the words at his disposal.
