The Alhambra, together with Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia, is Spain’s top attraction. Every year millions of tourists flock to Granada with the sole purpose of visiting this incredible Unesco World Heritage sight. It is a must see and absolutely worth it. Due to its popularity, and the fact that the number of daily visitors is limited, tickets tend to sell out weeks if not months in advance. As a general rule, the earlier you buy your Alhambra tickets, the better.
If you are planning to visit the Alhambra soon and have not yet purchased your tickets, don’t worry, there are a number of ways to get last minute tickets or tours. This article provides all the insider tips on this topic. You will also discover everything you need to know about the different Alhambra ticket options, tips on buying your tickets in advance, what to do when tickets are sold out, and much more.

Where to buy tickets for the Alhambra?

It is technically possible to buy tickets on location at the Alhambra Ticket Office, but since tickets sell out fast, your chances of finding one are better if you buy it online in advance. Most visitors buy their tickets online months in advance even in low season. The magnificent Nasrid Palace, in particular, tends to sell out sooner, as the number of visitors is more restricted than the rest of the attraction. Overall, the most convenient way to get your Alhambra tickets is to buy them online in advance.

If you are a last minute planner and have not booked your ticket in advance, arrive early at the ticket office. While your chances of finding tickets on the day are not great, you may find the same-day availability tickets if there have been some cancellations. The ticket office opens at 8 am so try to be there a bit in advance to beat the competition. Please note that last minute tickets are only available for the same day.

Alhambra Ticket Options & Prices

The Alhambra is not just one building but a series of palaces, gardens and cloisters. Different ticket options provide access to one or more of these and access either during the day or at night. Below you will find a comprehensive list of the options offered:

Alhambra General Ticket: gives you access to the entire Alhambra complex (Alcazaba, Nasrid Palaces, Generalife, Palace of Charles V and the Alhambra Museum) and costs €14.85.

Alhambra Experiences Ticket: gives you day time entry to the Alcazaba, Generalife Gardens, Generalife Palace, Palace of Charles V and the Alhambra Museum and gives you night entry to the Nasrid Palace. This ticket costs €14.85.

Gardens, Generalife and Alcazaba Ticket: gives you entry to the Alcazaba, Generalife Gardens, Generalife Palace, Palace of Charles V and the Alhambra Museum. It does not include access to the Nasrid Palace. The ticket costs €7.42.

Nasrid Palace Night Ticket: gives you access into the Nasrid Palace at night. It also includes access to the Pavillon, Carlos V Palace, and the Gate of Justice. This ticket costs €8.48.

Alhambra Gardens and Generalife Night Ticket: grants you entry into the Pavillon, Paseo de los Nogales of Generalife, New Gardens or Lower Gardens of the Generalife and Generalife Palace. This ticket costs €5.30.

Alhambra Ticket with Audioguide: there are two main types of tickets with audioguide available. One is the Alhambra & Generalife Ticket with Audio Guide which gives you access to all monuments of the Alhambra except for the Nasrid Palace. While the other Alhambra and Nasrid Palace Ticket with Audio Guide includes access to the entire complex of the Alhambra (Alcazaba, Nasrid Palace, Generalife, Palace of Charles V and the Alhambra Museum) as well as an audioguide available in multiple languages. The audioguide is a great addition to the ticket, it allows you to explore the Alhambra on your own while listening to an informative guide.

Dobla de Oro General: is a combo ticket which combines the Alhambra General Ticket with tickets for the Bañuelo, Dar al-Horra Palace, Casa Morisca (Horno de Oro St.), Chapíz House and Zafra House. This ticket is valid for 3 days and costs €20.84.

Dobla de Oro at Night: this combo ticket gives you access to the Nasrid Palace at night and daytime access to the Bañuelo, Dar al-Horra Palace, Casa Morisca (Horno de Oro St.), Chapíz House and Zafra House. The ticket is valid for 3 days and costs €15.55.

The ticket price mentioned in the above product descriptions are prices for adults.

Meanwhile the following visitors are eligible for discounted tickets to the Alhambra:

• Children 12 to 15 years
• EU citizens over 65
• European Youth Card holders
• People with disabilities
• Admission for children under 12 is free but they must have a free minor’s ticket, which must be added at time of booking.

Alhambra Tickets - Good to know

• All Alhambra tickets are named tickets. At the time of purchase you will need to provide your full name. At the Alhambra you have to show a valid identification when presenting your ticket.
• Tickets are non-transferable and cannot be resold.
• Once purchased, time and date cannot be modified.
• To visit Nasrid Palace you will need to book a time slot. When you buy your ticket you need to specify the half hour time slot in which you would like to visit the Nasrid Palace. Don’t be late or you will not be granted entry. Due to the crowds, it is generally advisable to be at least 15 min early to your ticket entrance time.
• Alhambra tickets are valid for the entire day, but seperate tickets are required for night time.
• Keep your tickets handy and undamaged. At each of the monuments and at various checkpoints within the Alhambra complex you will be required to rescan it.
• While admission is free for children under the age of 12, a free ticket must still be issued together with that of the accompanying adult.

What to do when Alhambra tickets are sold out?

As Alhambra tickets are in high demand and availability is limited, tickets sell out fast. If you try to buy a ticket close to the date of your visit you will most likely not find availability on the official website. Luckily, there are a number of alternative ways to find last minute ticket. Here are our tips:

Buy a Ticket with an Audio Guide - although tickets with audio guide are very popular they usually don’t sell out as quickly as the general Alhambra ticket. The main thing to look out for is whether or not the Nasrid Palace is included in the audio guide ticket.

Visit with the Alhambra Card - The Alhambra Card (aka the Granada Card) is a great option. It includes skip the line access to the entire Alhambra complex (Generalife, Alcazaba and the Nasrid Palace) as well as access to other top sights in Granada (such as the Granada Cathedral and the Monastery of San Jerónimo) and five trips on the local bus network. Like every Alhambra ticket option they sell out too but they tend to have relative good last minute availability. If you don’t find availability for the Alhambra Card you might want to check the Alhambra Card - Morning Visit. It is identical to the Alhambra Card with the only difference that you need to visit the Alhambra early in the morning at 8:30am.

Book a Tour - Another option would be to book a guided tour of the Alhambra. Tours almost always have last minute availability. Taking a tour is a great way to fully immerse yourself in a cultural experience you will never forget. Your expert guide will tell you all about its unique history, help you understand the cultural significance and give you insights about the Moorish architecture of this incredible Unesco Heritage sight. It's for sure well worth your money and highly recommended by us.

Ask your Hotel - You could try calling your hotel a few days before your stay to ask if they have some available tickets. Hotels may have some tickets available for guests. Do not rely on this option though as it will be hit or miss.

Check the official website at midnight - Try the official website at 12am, the day of your visit, to see if any last minute tickets have become available due to cancellations. This can occur when a tour guide buys tickets in advance based on the number of expected participants, but then does not manage to fill all the spots. The unsold tickets may be returned to the ticket office and can become available for last minute purchase on the official website.

Nasrid Palace Tickets

Located within the Alhambra complex, the Nasrid Palace is one of the world’s most beautiful attractions and you simply cannot miss visiting this jaw dropping example of Moorish architecture. If you want to visit the Nasrid Palace you will need to buy a ticket which provides access to it. Not all tickets include access to the Nasrid Palace. When buying your Nasrid Palace ticket you will need to book the time slot at which you want to visit. You will have a half hour time window for entrance which must be strictly observed. Once inside, however, you can spend as long as you want. Nasrid Palace bookings, in particular, should be made as far in advance as possible due to the high demand.

It is important to underline that the entry time is your designated time to enter the Nasrid Palace (not the main Alhambra entrance). Given that the Alhambra complex is quite large, make sure to leave ample time to locate the Nasrid Palace within the complex. Don’t be late - if you miss your timed entry slot you will be turned away. Our suggestion is to arrive at the Alhambra well before your Nasrid Palace reservation time (at least an hour) and to proceed to visit this first. After this, you can visit the rest of the complex at your leisure.

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