How to visit the Alhambra: tickets, opening hours and getting there
The Alhambra is Spain’s most visited monument and tickets sell out weeks in advance. Here is what you need to know to plan your visit from central Granada.
Buy your ticket in advance
Always buy from the official website of the Patronato de la Alhambra y Generalife (alhambra-patronato.es). In high season tickets sell out weeks ahead, so book as soon as you know your dates.
- Advance sales close at 23:59 on the day before your visit.
- Each person can buy up to 10 tickets a month with the same card.
- Children under 12 go free, but their ticket must be booked together with the others.
- Be wary of websites selling the general ticket below the official price or with very high mark-ups.
Which ticket to choose
Current official prices (Order of 17 July 2025), plus a small booking fee when buying online:
- General daytime visit (€22.27): the whole Alhambra, including the Nasrid Palaces, the Alcazaba, the Generalife, the Palace of Charles V and the Mosque Baths. This is the one we recommend for a first visit.
- Generalife gardens and palace (€12.73): without the Nasrid Palaces. Useful if general tickets are sold out.
- Night visit to the Nasrid Palaces (€12.73): a very different experience, with the palaces lit up.
- Night visit to the Generalife gardens (€8.48): spring and autumn only.
There are discounts for EU residents over 65, Carnet Joven holders and people with a disability of 33% or more. You will need to show proof on the day.
Opening hours
- 1 April to 14 October: daily from 8:30 to 20:00. Night visits Tuesday to Saturday, 22:00 to 23:30.
- 15 October to 31 March: daily from 8:30 to 18:00. Night visits Friday and Saturday, 20:00 to 21:30.
- Closed on 25 December and 1 January.
Your Nasrid Palaces time slot
Your ticket shows a half-hour slot to enter the Nasrid Palaces. It is strict: if you arrive late you will not be let into the palaces, even with a paid ticket. You can see the rest of the site before or after.
It takes about 15 minutes to walk from the main entrance, next to the Generalife, to the Nasrid Palaces. Allow time for getting up from the city centre too, and arrive with time to spare.
Getting up from the palace
The Alhambra sits on the Sabika hill, right above the city centre. You have two options:
- On foot: walk to Plaza Nueva (about 10 minutes from the palace) and go up the tree-lined Cuesta de Gomérez to the Gate of Justice. It is short but steep.
- By minibus: city minibus C32 leaves from the “Catedral” stop, by the railings on Calle Oficios, about a 7-minute walk from the palace. It stops at “Puerta de la Justicia”, “Palacio de Carlos V” and “Generalife”, where the ticket offices are.
The easiest plan is usually to ride up by minibus and stroll back down the Cuesta de Gomérez.
Tips for your visit
- Allow at least three hours for the general visit, and a little more to enjoy the Generalife at a relaxed pace.
- Wear comfortable shoes and bring water: there is a lot of walking and summer middays are hot.
- Early mornings and late afternoons are the most pleasant times, with the best light.
- To see the Alhambra from outside, head up to the Mirador de San Nicolás at sunset. See What to see in Granada on foot from the city centre.
