The Alhambra is one of Granada’s signature monuments, and its monumental complex includes the Alhambra, Nasrid Palaces, Generalife, Palace of Charles V and Bath of the Mosque. From central Granada, you can plan your visit around the ticket you choose, the Nasrid Palaces entry time and your preferred route uphill.
- What’s included: The Alhambra, Nasrid Palaces, Generalife, Palace of Charles V and Bath of the Mosque.
- Daytime ticket choices: Alhambra General or Gardens, Generalife and Alcazaba.
- Timed entry: Nasrid Palaces tickets carry an assigned entry date and time.
- Getting there: Walk by one of three official pedestrian approaches, take a bus or drive to the monument’s car park.
Choosing an Alhambra visit
The right Alhambra visit depends on which parts of the monumental complex you want your ticket to cover. The Alhambra General ticket includes the gardens, so you do not need a separate gardens ticket with it. Entry to the Palace of Charles V, the Alhambra Museum and the Bath of the Mosque is free.
For an evening option, the official ticket service lists night visits to the Nasrid Palaces and to the Gardens and Generalife. These are separate ticket choices, so check what each covers before booking.
If you are also fitting other Granada historic sights such as the cathedral into your plans, keep the Alhambra visit distinct in your schedule: its tickets and timed palace entry need their own planning.
Tickets and timed entry
Buy Alhambra tickets in advance and treat the Nasrid Palaces time printed on your ticket as a fixed appointment. The official ticket service advises advance purchase because capacity at the monumental complex is limited.
The listed prices are €22.27 for the Alhambra General ticket and €12.73 for the Gardens, Generalife and Alcazaba ticket. Night visits are listed at €12.73 for the Nasrid Palaces and €8.48 for the Gardens and Generalife. These prices can change, so check the official site before you go.
If your ticket includes the Nasrid Palaces, you must enter at the date and time assigned on your ticket. If you buy or collect that ticket at the monument’s ticket office, do so at least one hour before your assigned palace visit.
If you receive a discount, bring current official documentation validating your eligibility to the ticket office on the day of your visit.
How do you get from central Granada to the Alhambra?
You can reach the Alhambra on foot, by bus or by car, but private vehicles cannot approach it from Granada city centre. The official pedestrian approaches are Cuesta Gomérez from Plaza Nueva, Cuesta del Realejo from Plaza del Realejo and Cuesta del Rey Chico, also called Cuesta de los Chinos, from Paseo de los Tristes.
Bus C30 connects the Alhambra with Centro at Plaza Isabel la Católica; C32 connects it with Albaicín. C32 also reaches the ticket office and Generalife gardens, stopping at “Generalife.” For more on city buses and walking, see this guide to getting around Granada by bus, metro and on foot.
If you are driving, follow the city’s southern ring road to the monument’s car park rather than trying to reach the Alhambra through the city centre.
The car park has 360 spaces, is guarded around the clock and includes four areas, one for buses and caravans. For a broader walking plan that fits in other nearby stops, use this one-day Granada route from Elvira.
tuGuest Elvira Suites is in central Granada, making it a practical base for organizing this visit alongside the city’s other historic sights. Staying at tuGuest Elvira Suites also puts the city centre about 9 minutes away on foot.
Planning time for the palaces and Generalife
Plan your route around the Nasrid Palaces entry time on your ticket, then allow for the other areas included in your chosen ticket. The Nasrid Palaces require entry at the assigned time; the General ticket also includes the gardens, while the Gardens, Generalife and Alcazaba ticket covers a different selection.
Daytime opening hours are 08:30–18:00 from October 15 through March 31, and 08:30–20:00 from April 1 through October 14. The complex is open Monday through Sunday in both periods. The ticket office opens 08:00–18:00 from October 15 through March 31 and 08:00–20:00 from April 1 through October 14.
Night visits to the Nasrid Palaces run Friday and Saturday from 20:00 to 21:30 between October 15 and March 31, and Tuesday through Saturday from 22:00 to 23:30 between April 1 and October 14. The monument closes on December 25 and January 1.
What to check before visiting
Check your ticket coverage, assigned Nasrid Palaces time and practical access details before setting out. Pushchairs are not permitted in the Nasrid Palaces, Generalife Palace or Alcazaba, but there is a designated storage area. The visitor route includes narrow rooms, steps and uneven areas; technical measures and suitable itineraries are available to facilitate visits for people with reduced mobility.
Photography is permitted without flash, tripods, monopods or other camera-stabilizing equipment. Animals are not permitted in the monumental complex, except guide dogs and assistance dogs.
FAQs
Does the Alhambra General ticket include the gardens?
Yes. The Alhambra General ticket includes the gardens, so you do not need a separate gardens ticket.
Do you need to enter the Nasrid Palaces at a set time?
Yes. Your ticket gives an assigned date and time, and entry must take place during that slot.
Can you drive to the Alhambra from central Granada?
Private vehicles cannot reach the Alhambra from the city centre. Drivers should use the southern ring road to reach the monument’s car park.
Which buses go to the Alhambra?
C30 connects the Alhambra with Centro at Plaza Isabel la Católica, while C32 connects it with Albaicín and stops at “Generalife,” near the ticket office and gardens.