The Alhambra is the greatest monument of Islamic Spain and one of the most visited sights in Europe, a walled complex stretched along the Sabika hill above the city. Inside its red walls are four main areas. The Nasrid Palaces are the heart: the Mexuar, where the sultans held audience; the Comares Palace, with the long pool of the Court of the Myrtles and the Hall of the Ambassadors under its starry cedar dome; and the Palace of the Lions, with its forest of slender columns, the fountain of twelve stone lions and ceilings of honeycomb muqarnas. The Alcazaba is the older fortress at the western tip, whose Torre de la Vela looks across to the Albaicín. The Generalife is the sultans’ summer estate of water channels, hedges and roses on the hill above. Between them lie the Partal gardens and the Renaissance Palace of Charles V, home to the Alhambra Museum. The General ticket covers all of it, but the Nasrid Palaces can only be entered at the half-hour slot printed on your ticket. This page links to the Tiqets Alhambra venue page, which sells entry tickets with audio guides, skip-the-line guided tours and night visits.
How the timed entry works: every General ticket carries a date and a separate entry time for the Nasrid Palaces, and that time is the only one that counts. You can walk the Alcazaba, the Generalife and the gardens at any point during opening hours, but you must be at the palace entrance at your slot, and late arrivals are refused without a refund. The complex is large, so allow a good half hour to walk from the main entrance by the Generalife to the palaces, and plan the rest of your visit around the slot rather than the other way round. Tickets are nominal: the name on each one must match an original passport or ID card, photocopies are not accepted, and staff may check more than once. Children under 12 go free but still need their own ticket.
Booking and sell-outs: daily numbers are capped and tickets are released up to about three months ahead. In spring, summer, Easter and on holiday weekends the official allocation can be gone weeks in advance, and even in November the best morning slots go early. Resellers such as Tiqets hold their own allocations, usually bundled with an audio guide or a live guide, which is often the only way in at short notice. If palace slots are gone, the Gardens ticket covers the Alcazaba and Generalife but not the palaces, and the night visit is a separate way in.
When to go: winter hours run from 15 October to 31 March, 08:30 to 18:00 every day, rising to 20:00 from April. The complex closes on 25 December and 1 January. Early slots are the calmest; the afternoon light on the Alcazaba is the most beautiful. Large backpacks and strollers are not allowed inside the palaces, so travel light, wear good shoes and bring water.
What to expect
The experience
A self-paced or guided visit through the Alcazaba, the Generalife gardens, the Partal and the Palace of Charles V, built around a fixed half-hour entry slot for the Nasrid Palaces.
Best time
The first slots of the morning for the quietest palaces, or mid-afternoon to end with low sun on the Alcazaba towers and the Albaicín opposite.
How long
Three to four hours for the whole complex at a comfortable pace, of which about an hour is inside the Nasrid Palaces.
Tips
Book as soon as your dates are fixed, carry the original ID named on the ticket, arrive at the palaces early for your slot and leave large bags at the hotel.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Anyone visiting Granada, since the Nasrid Palaces are the single most important reason the city is on the map.
- Families
- Children enjoy the fortress towers, fountains and gardens, and under-12s go free, though they still need a named ticket and ID.
- Couples
- Take a late-afternoon slot, linger in the Generalife and walk down to the Albaicín for sunset views back at the walls.
- Pair with
- The Mirador de San Nicolás at sunset, a guided Albaicín walk and an evening of cave flamenco in the Sacromonte.
- Time needed
- Half a day, ideally the morning or afternoon of your first full day.
Good questions
How far ahead should I book Alhambra tickets?+
As early as you can, since tickets are released about three months ahead and the Nasrid Palaces sell out first. If the official allocation is gone, reseller tickets with an audio guide or guided tour are often still available.
What happens if I miss my Nasrid Palaces time?+
You will normally be refused entry to the palaces without a refund, although you can still see the rest of the complex. Allow at least thirty minutes to walk from the main entrance to the palace gate.
Do I need my passport to enter the Alhambra?+
Yes, tickets are nominal and the name on each must match an original passport or ID card. Photos and copies are not accepted, and children need their own ID too.
What does the General ticket include?+
It covers the Nasrid Palaces at your timed slot, plus the Alcazaba, the Partal and the Generalife gardens. The Gardens ticket leaves out the palaces, so avoid it unless the palaces are sold out.
What are the Alhambra opening hours in winter?+
From 15 October to 31 March it opens daily from 08:30 to 18:00, with night visits on Friday and Saturday evenings. It is closed on 25 December and 1 January.
