How to visit the Alhambra in Granada Spain:

Insider tips from Spain travel destination specialists

Originally published May 23, 2022. Updated September 6th 2023.

All images are courtesy of the Spain Less Traveled team, unless otherwise stated.

The Alhambra complex from the Generalife.

Where is the Alhambra?

The Alhambra is located in Granada, in the South of Spain in the region of Andalucía. It this cornerstone of Moorish architecture always appears on every list of best Islamic architecture in the world along with monuments such as the Taj Mahal and Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Mosque.

What is the Alhambra?

The name “Alhambra” comes from the Arabic for red palace (al-qala’a al-hamra), and you will soon see why. This impressive red fortified palace as we know it today, watches over the city of Granada.

However, it is a little-known fact that the first palace on the site was built in the 11th by Samuel Ha-Nagrid, Granada’s Jewish vizier.

In the 13th and 14th centuries, the Moors took hold of the complex, constructing the Alhambra as we know it today.

Granada was Spain’s last Moorish stronghold and was ruled by them up until 1492. Therefore the Alhambra is where Spain’s very last Moorish sultan (Boabdil) lived and ruled.

Today, the Alhambra is one of Spain’s most culturally and historically important sites and is one of the country’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

We at Spain Less Traveled know the Alhambra inside and out. We’ve lost count as to how many times we’ve visited, but it’s a lot (or una pechá as they’d say in Andaluz!). Each time, we always discover something new in this beautiful and intricate complex.

In fact, getting the Alhambra “right” is just one of the many reasons why you should use a travel advisor to plan your trip to Spain.

But one thing is clear. To make the most out of your day there, it is important to understand how to visit the Alhambra in Granada Spain and to make a plan before you go.

How to visit the Alhambra

The Alhambra is not just another monument. It is an entire complex, with many different parts. It is not something that will simply take an hour or two. Devote at least half a day to it (minimum). Many spend the full day there, having lunch on-site or even bringing a picnic.

There are multiple parts to the monument. It is important to understand what your ticket covers and when you need to be there. It is also essential to plan ahead and strategize. By being prepared, you will get a lot more out of this awe-inspiring Moorish masterpiece!

The other important thing to understand about the Alhambra is that protocols change from time to time. So it is important to always get the latest official up-to-date information. That is just another reason why we always recommend using a professional travel advisor who specializes in Spain to help you plan your trip.

Below are some of our top Alhambra planning tips for how to visit the Alhambra in Granada Spain. But remember: any of this can change at any time!

Check out our other general in depth guides!

Where to buy Alhambra tickets?

Try to get tickets to the Nazrid Palace at 8:30 am, when it is less crowded.

The first step in knowing how to visit the Alhambra in Granada Spain is to understand the ticketing system and purchasing tickets well in advance.

Unless you are doing a tour that includes entry tickets to the Alhambra (see below), it is highly recommended to buy your Alhambra tickets on the monument’s official website. The Alhambra General ticket is the main ticket that includes access to the all three of the key areas: the Nazrid Palace the Generalife and summer palace, and the Alcazaba. See below for more.

Tickets can and do sell out, so buy them far in advance, especially if you are going during high-season.

Entries are timed, and the time of the ticket you select corresponds with the time you will enter the Nazrid Palace. It is our opinion that the 8:30 am entry time is the best. It is the time when the palace will be least crowded, as it is the first entry of the day and there is no “spillover” from other times. The morning light can be stunning! If you are going in the winter, bring warm clothes because it can be cold in the morning. And if possible, try to go on a weekday, mid-week.

Your ticket is valid all day for all of the other parts of the monument.

Should I take a guided tour of the Alhambra?

Details of the Nazrid Palace. Some prefer a tour while some like to soak up the ambiance on their own.

This is one of the questions we get the most. The answer is that it really depends on you.

Are you looking to just soak it up at your own pace, taking a plethora of photos along the way (and maybe read a bit about the history before or after your visit)? Then you probably should not do a guided tour.

Are you really interested in all of the history behind it and want to know about everything you are seeing? Then you probably should do a guided tour.

Many of the guided tours of the Alhambra tend to be too big, too fast-paced, and too much of a shuffle from part to part. That is why it is highly recommended to do a private tour if you opt for a tour. If your budget simply will not allow for that, “small group” tours are much better. Look for ones with a maximum of 8-10 people.

Should I rent the audio guide or download the app?

The sultan’s summer palace is located on the grounds of the Generalife, the gardens of the Alhambra.

It is possible to rent an audio guide or download the Alhambra’s app for a self-guided tour. Many find this to be the happy medium between a fully guided tour and doing the Alhambra completely on their own, and is their preferred method of how to visit the Alhambra.

Audioguides can be reserved in advance (imperative during high season). More information can be found on the Alhambra’s official website.

Should I visit the Alhambra in the day or night?

Sunset over the Alhambra from the Albaizyn.

For a first time visit, we always recommend a day time visit over the nocturnal visit. Why? The day time visit is much more comprehensive. You can buy a ticket for the Nazrid Palace, Generalife (and summer palace), and Alcazaba. Plus during the light of the day, you can really see and appreciate the details.

For repeat visitors, a nocturnal visit can be a good idea. The night has a very different ambiance. For the nocturnal visits, you can choose to visit the Nazrid Palace or the Generalife (and summer palace). There is not an option to combine both. The Alcazaba is not open for night time visits.

Some like to do a day time and a night time visit to the Alhambra. You will definitely get two very different perspectives. Nocturnal visits can also be purchased on the Alhambra’s official website.

What are the parts of the Alhambra?

Patio de los Leones in the Nazrid Palace.

As we’ve mentioned several times, the Alhambra is a complex, not a singular monument. Here are its most important parts:

• Nazrid Palace: The centerpiece of the Alhambra, this exquisite palace is full of geometrical tile work and intricate carvings. A maze of secret passageways, rooms, and patios, where light and shadow are used to create a visual spectacle and create a space to keep it weathered for all seasons. As soon as you enter the Nazrid Palace, you will know you are in for something special. Pay close attention to the Patio de los Leones (photo above) and the grand Patio de Arrayanes. Everywhere you turn, don’t forget to look up too. The details of the domes and ceilings will leave you speechless. Take your time to explore this beautiful masterpiece of Islamic architecture, this is key in knowing how to visit the Alhambra in Granada Spain.

• Alcazaba: The Alcazaba is where you will get those impressive views of Granada down below. The original citadel and fortress, you can climb the towers of the Alcazaba. The Alcazaba also offers insight into the medina, the urban district where the members of the guardsmen lived. The Alcazaba of the Alhambra is considered to be one of the best castles in Spain!

• Generalife and summer palace: Perhaps one of the best examples of Islamic gardens and irrigation systems in the world, the gardens of the Generalife are expansive. They are a maze of hidden treasures all leading up to the sultan’s summer palace. With hidden shaded pathways, pools, and almost every kind of flower imaginable (when in bloom), take time to truly appreciate this beautiful part of the Alhambra complex.

• Carlos V Renaissance Palace: Constructed in the 1500s, after the conquest of Granada, for the Catholic king Carlos V, this renaissance palace seems out of place to many visitors. But it houses the Alhambra Museum (free, no ticket required) and the city’s fine art museum (paid entry, separate from the Alhambra ticket), displaying works of art specific to Granada’s Catholic history.

Mapping out a plan for how to visit the Alhambra on self-guided visit

This is where you will need some major strategy if you are planning a self-guided tour. But it is important to plan and strategize, and know how to visit the Alhambra, since this is a vast complex and you do not want to be backtracking (and in many cases, you can’t) from one point to another.

Most visitors start with the Nazrid Palace and then design a route from there. We also recommend taking time to stop in the cafe of the Parador for a break, lunch, or a drink. There are amazing views of the Alhambra complex from the terrace, but you really need to time it correctly as it fills up.

There are many variables including time of the year and what time your Nazrid Palace entry is for.

We at Spain Less Traveled work directly with our clients through our varying levels of professional Spain travel services to design them a unique Alhambra strategy based on all of these variables. And of course, for our clients who prefer a tour, we can help find top Alhambra tour guides and guided tour companies.

How can I get to the Alhambra from Granada city?

Taxis in Granada are plentiful and can take you to the Alhambra.

The Alhambra sits on a hill above Granada city. The only way to get there is to go up. Luckily there are all sorts of options for how to visit the Alhambra from the city of Granada.

If you are reasonably fit, and really want a special start to the day, you can walk from Granada city center to the Alhambra. Depending on where you are starting from it is anywhere from a 15-30 minute walk. The uphill part has some very steep parts, but it is also a very pleasant walk along a garden/forested path. Listen and you will hear the sounds of the water running.

For those who prefer not to walk, taxis are plentiful. They can be hailed around Granada, picked up at one of the city’s numerous taxi stands, or ordered with an app. Be sure to specify to the taxi driver which entrance or part of the Alhambra you want to go to. Most people visit the Nazrid Palace first (see below). A taxi should cost less than 10€.

There are also public red minibusses (operated by ALSA) that serve various routes to the Alhambra from the city. The fare each way is less than 2€. The buses make numerous stops, near the main ticket office, the entrance to the Nazrid Palace, etc. The bus is a popular option, but please note that it can be very crowded.

Finally, there is a parking lot on-site, but we do not recommend having a car in Granada. Many day trippers drive-in (see the “mistakes” section below for more on this) and park.

The path leading up to the Alhambra is a pleasant (but uphill) walk.

How NOT to visit the Alhambra: don’t make these Spain travel mistakes!

Looking down at the medina from the towers of the Alcazaba of the Alhambra.

Now you know how to visit the Alhambra in Granada Spain, but here are some key tips about how not to visit the Alhambra. Don’t make these Spain travel mistakes!

• Going to the Alhambra as a day trip. This is one of the biggest mistakes that visitors make. Although sometimes advertised by cruise lines and packaged travel companies, neither the Alhambra nor Granada are a day trip from places like Seville, Córdoba, Málaga, or even Madrid (yes, sadly we’ve seen this advertised despite the fact that Madrid is in a totally different part of the country). Granada has so much to offer, and simply hopping to the Alhambra for a quick day trip from another city in Spain or even Andalucía is a mistake. Instead, savor Granada, give it time (two days in a Spain travel itinerary bare minimum) and plan to spend an entire day at the Alhambra.

• Missing your time for the Nazrid Palace. Your entry includes an exact time for the Nazrid Palace. If you are more than 15 minutes late, you forfeit your visit to the palace. So be sure to be on time (even arriving to the Palace line 30 minutes before your entry time). Trust us, you do not want to miss the Nazrid Palace.

• Forgetting your passport or ID you used to buy the tickets. The Alhambra is one of the few monuments in Spain where your original passport is required for entry. Spanish citizens can use their DNI and Spanish foreign residents can use their TIE. But make sure you bring the original document that you booked the ticket with (it asks for the document number on the booking page)! You will need to show it to enter the Nazrid Palace as well as at various points throughout the day. (For more information about the documentation to travel to Spain, please see our Spain travel checklist.)

• Throwing your ticket away. Speaking of which, there are also ticket checks (and scans) in various points of the Alhambra. If you have your ticket stored digitally on your phone, no problem (just be ready to show the QR code). But if you printed your ticket, you will want to hang on to it throughout the entire day.

• Trying to re-enter parts of the monument. Once your ticket is scanned at various parts of the Alhambra complex (ie the Nazrid Palace, the Alcazaba, the entrance to the Generalife, etc), you can not re-enter that part of the complex. So be sure not to exit until you really are finished visiting each part of the mounment. You will not be able to re-enter any place where your ticket was scanned.

• Rushing the Alhambra. As you can now understand, the Alhambra is not only a monument, but it is an entire complex. It is very large (geographically) and each part has so much to see and explore. Don’t try to rush through it in just a few hours. Instead take your time with it. And in between the various parts, find a shady spot to relax and take a break (or head to the Parador for a drink/snack).

• Not knowing the current information. As we said, the ins and outs of the Alhambra can change at any time. That is why, working with a Spain destination specialist is the way to go when planning your day there! It is important to know the current information, including guidelines, which gate(s) to use, and more!

(Looking for more common Spain travel mistakes? Look no further!)

Need more help planning how to visit the Alhambra?

As you can see, planning a day at the Alhambra takes a lot of work. There are ins and outs and best practices for how to visit the Alhambra in Granada Spain. Let us help you customize your dream Spain trip based on your unique interests and timeframe. 

We offer several levels of Spain traveling planning services. Spain Less Traveled can work with all different types of travelers and travel planners, from those who want our full support throughout the entire travel planning process to those who simply need to talk with a Spain destination specialist to assist with specific aspects of travel planning. 

Views of Granada from the Alcazaba of the Alhambra.

You also might be interested in our other in depth guides by region.

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