Alhambra sits atop a hill in Granada, Spain. The palaces, fortress and gardens date back to the 1300s when the region was a dominion of the Moors. Alhambra is more than a palace and tourist attraction in Granada. It is a source of Spanish pride and of immense historical significance. Alhambra is also one of the best preserved sites of Moorish (North African Islamic) architecture in Spain.
The Alhambra fortress and palace complex in Granada is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Spain. However, it’s not a simple matter of showing up for a quick tour. Before visiting Alhambra, read the tips below to get the most out of your experience.
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Tour of Alhambra
Before spending the day exploring Alhambra, know what you’re going to see. There is a lot more to the historic Granada hilltop than old ruins. Alhambra consists of multiple palaces, extravagant gardens, museums and even Roman ruins. Here’s a tour of the highlights of Alhambra in Granada:
Generalife Gardens
Generalife is a palace and large garden on the grounds of Alhambra. It’s the kind of Spanish villa made for movies – or, more accurately, made for a sultan. Today, Generalife is an elaborate garden in the Alhambra complex. Don’t forget the camera!
Granada Alcazaba – Fortress of Alhambra
The Alcazaba is the most recognizable part of Alhambra that is visible across Granada. Alcazaba is the fortress of the hilltop complex. Today, the fortress is largely ruined and certainly has a medieval feel. The walls and towers are mostly intact, and these features are largely open for visitors.
Nasrid Palaces
The Nasrid Palaces (Palacios Nazaries) is the highlight of the Alhambra complex in Granada. The design of the various courtyards, palaces and rooms is nothing short of spectacular. The Nasrid Palaces complex in Alhambra is perhaps the biggest single reason so many tourists travel to Granada.
Palace of Charles V
The Palace of Charles V is in the center of Alhambra, adjacent to the Nasrid Palaces. This palace is slightly newer than most of the other structures and was intended as an Alhambra residence in Granada for the Holy Roman Emperor. Today, the palace is one of the only free areas of the Alhambra complex. The circular courtyard is a cool feature, and the palace is home to a photography gallery and the Museo de Bellas Artes de Granada (Fine Arts Museum of Granada). The gallery and museum require an additional ticket.
Visiting Alhambra
Visiting Alhambra during your trip to Granada may seem like a simple affair. It is not. In my travels, most famous museums and castles sell tickets that can easily be purchased on arrival. At most, maybe tickets to a popular attraction need to be purchased the day before. Getting tickets to Alhambra is a complicated task, around which many people have to plan their entire trip to Granada.
Tickets to Alhambra
Buy your tickets for Alhambra before you reach Granada. In fact, if you know your travel dates to Granada, buy your tickets to Alhambra as early as possible. I cannot stress this enough.
In order to control crowds and preserve the site (I assume), tickets to Alhambra are limited. Granada welcomes millions of tourists, and millions visit Alhambra each year. An average day welcomes a few thousand visitors to the UNESCO-designated Alhambra fortress and palace complex. That’s a lot of people for a centuries-old site.
The tricky part of visiting Granada for backpackers is the uncertainty of exactly when you’ll be going to Alhambra. Fortunately for backpackers and flexible travelers, there is a way to get last-minute tickets to Alhambra. Sometimes.
If you reach Granada and realize at the last minute that the tickets to Alhambra are sold out, you may have some hope. Each night after midnight, the Alhambra ticket office releases a few tickets that have suddenly become available. A lot of people/tour groups buy tickets in advance, and, for whatever reason, tickets occasionally go unused.
If you check this website as quickly as possible after 12 AM, you may get lucky and score a few tickets. There is no guarantee of available tickets, though.
In my experience, the first two nights I looked for tickets at midnight. Nothing. On the third night, I forgot to check at midnight. Around 230 AM, I pulled up the site and was thrilled to find a few tickets available for a visit two days later.
I nearly left Granada without visiting Alhambra, Luckily, my flexible schedule as a backpacker – and this chance encounter – afforded me the opportunity to stick around longer. Granada is one of my favorite travel destinations, so I did not mind lengthening my stay. Fortunately, being a spontaneous backpacker paid off this time. A trip to Granada is not complete without a visit to the Alhambra fortress and palace complex.
When is the Best Time to Visit Alhambra?
There are a few varying factors on when is the best time to visit the Alhambra in Granada. The best time to visit the Alhambra fortress and palace complex depends on the season and what your ticket specifies.
Visiting Alhambra’s Generalife and the Alcazaba of Granada requires no more than a ticket. You can enter once, at any time during hours of operation. What dictates the time of your visit to Alhambra is when you are allowed to enter the Nasrid Palaces. If you have the option, select an earlier visit to the Nasrid Palaces so you can freely explore the rest of Alhambra and possibly catch a sunset over Granada from the Alcazaba walls. The entrance time to the Nasrid Palaces will dictate the rest of your tour through the complex (see below).
During the high season, from April 1 to October 14, hours are longer. The Alhambra is open until 8 PM. During the low season, from October 15 to March 31, the Alhambra closes at 6 PM. The Autumn/Winter months of the low season also see shorter days and less pleasant weather. Snow in Granada is uncommon, but not impossible. The city has a dry Mediterranean climate. Autumn/Winter months see more precipitation than the rest of the year in Granada, so consider the weather before planning a visit to the Alhambra.
The weather may be better in the high season, but that comes at a cost. The main disadvantage to visiting the Alhambra in the high season is the increased number of tour groups in Granada.
Tour groups suck. The Alhambra is a hugely popular attraction, and the crowds within the complex can be annoyingly thick. It is the tour groups that form massive, unnavigable blobs of people. Tour groups also clog the pathways and corridors during the colder, wetter season but not to the same extent.
Extra Tips for the Alhambra of Granada
Walk Carefully!
During the aforementioned low season, rainy days are more common in the Autumn/Winter. The rain is more than a frustrating hindrance for taking pictures in poor lighting, though. The stone at Alhambra, and on the streets of old Granada, can be quite slippery. Walk with caution on rainy days.
Plan Your Alhambra Route Before
Plan your route through the Alhambra fortress and palace complex prior to visiting. At least have some idea of where you’ll wander. The complex is larger than it appears from afar. For example, it takes about 10 minutes just to walk from the Generalife to the other main sites.
The Generalife Palace and gardens are beautiful. You can quickly rush through, but I recommend allowing for at least 90 minutes. The landscaping is extravagant, and there are some great views of Granada and the rest of the Alhambra from the gardens.
Alcazaba, the fortress of Alhambra, is best for fantastic views of Granada. The fortress is mostly ruined, and there isn’t much to see inside. Whatever remains of the interior is largely closed to visitors. The walls and tower, however, have phenomenal panorama views of Granada. Overall, a trip through the fortress can be done in 30 to 45 minutes.
The Nasrid Palaces is the clear highlight of Alhambra. The craftsmanship and detail in every single nook and cranny is astonishing. The spectacular complex warrants a slow, patient tour. Despite the crowds constantly flowing through, I would recommend a couple of hours to meticulously and patiently wander through the Nasrid Palaces.
If you have the choice, I suggest visiting the Nasrid Palaces first, in the morning. After this, head over to the Generalife for a stroll through the gardens. Lastly, visit the Alcazaba and take in the sunset from the Alhambra in Granada.
Nasrid Palaces Entrance Line
The Nasrid Palaces of Alhambra is busy, and the controlled entrance to the complex is clear evidence. The line for the Nasrid Palaces is pretty long, but don’t worry about queuing early to get to the front of the line. If you do that, you’ll just end up with hordes of people rushing past you the entire time.
Somewhere in the second half of the line is best. The visitors in front of you will move ahead and be out of sight. Many visitors behind you will rush past you, and there is a gap before the next wave of Alhambra visitors is admitted, By patiently waiting toward the back of the line, you’ll avoid more crowds of tourists vying for all the good pictures.
The Alhambra fortress and palace complex in Granada is a major stop on the tourist trail of Spain. Each year, millions of visitors are treated to a masterfully preserved and restored piece of Moorish and Spanish history. Travel prepared to best enjoy the architecture, sights and history. The Alhambra is just one reason to visit Granada, but it is reason enough.
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