Plan Your Visit

Why book in advance?

The Alhambra is Spain’s most popular attraction. Every year millions of visitors head to Granada to see this incredible Unesco World Heritage sight. Since the daily number of visitors is restricted, tickets often sell out weeks or months in advance, especially during high season.
Booking in advance will not only guarantee you access to the Alhambra, but it will also save you precious time while on your holiday in Granada. Due to Alhambra’s popularity the ticket line can be very long. Pre-booking a ticket or a guided tour will allow you skip the line at the ticket office and to head straight into the Alhambra to start your visit.

What to do when tickets are sold out?

• Try the official website at 12am, the day of your visit, to see if any last minute tickets became available due to cancellations.
• You could also try calling your hotel a few days before your stay to ask if they have tickets made specially available to local hotels.
• Buy the “Alhambra Card” (aka “Granada Card”). It provides skip the line entry to the Alhambra with access to Generalife, Alcazaba and the Nasrid Palace. In addition, it offers 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.
• Another option would be to book a guided tour. Tours usually have much better last minute availability.

Reasons to choose a guided tour

Taking a tour of the Alhambra 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.
All guided tours grant you fast track access to the Alhambra. You will meet your guide at a designated meeting point then he/she will whisk you past the long lines and straight into the venue where your tour will commence.
Tours also tend to have much better last minute availability and are thus very popular with visitors who did not manage to book tickets in advance.

Best time of year to visit Alhambra

The best weather in Granada is from April to June and September to November. Avoid the extreme heat of the Andalusian summer in July and August.
Being flower lovers, our favorite time of year to visit is in the spring, when the Generalife gardens are in full bloom.
December can be great too because very few tourists visit in this time of year. Enjoy a less crowded Alhambra visit and Granada in general.

Good to know

• Due to the big crowds, it is generally advisable to be at least a half hour early to your ticket entrance time or tour meeting point.
• Even though children under 12 are granted free admission, they still need to be issued a ticket in order to be admitted.
• All of the Alhambra is accessible by wheelchair, but it is necessary to follow a special route. Wheelchairs are provided upon request at the venue, but cannot be booked in advance.
• Visiting all main sights within the Alhambra takes approximately 3 hours.
• Entrance to the Nasrid Palace is restricted to the assigned time on the ticket. If you show up late, you will not be granted entrance. Bear in mind it is about 15 minutes walk from the main entrance to the the Nasrid Palace.
• There is no dress code for the Alhambra but we recommend wearing comfortable shoes as you will be on your feet for several hours.
• And don’t forget your sunscreen!

Opening hours (April 1st - October 14th)

All days of week: Day Visits are from 8.30am to 8pm

Tuesday to Saturday: Evening & Night Visit from 10pm to 11:30pm

Opening hours (October 15th - March 31st)

All days of week: Day Visits are 8:30 am to 6pm

Tuesday to Saturday: Evening & Night Visit from 10:00 pm to 11:30 pm

The Alhambra is closed on the 25th of December and the 1st of January