Alhambra - Granada

I believe that you must enter the Nasrid Palace during the 1/2 hour time slot specified on the ticket. So you should arrange your itinerary so that you can make it to the Palace for the time slot you choose.

You get to choose the 1/2 hour slot you want. (At least that's what I did last year. If the slot is filled up, then you'll be given a choice of the remaining free slots.)

I don't know how easy it is to get a time slot for the Palace when you get there. I believe people here have said that you need to go early in the morning and queue, and I think that that's a waste of time.

I don't think I understand your question, as far as not arriving by your scheduled time. Obviously, if you buy a ticket for 11 a.m., it will not be good for 2 p.m.
If I remember correctly (and oftentimes I do not), we did not order our tickets in advance, but my husband got up early and was among the first in line for that day's tickets.
Whatever you decide, please try to see the Alhambra, because it's reason enough to go to Spain. Whatever else you are doing can wait, because this is one special place. Also, try to buy tickets to see it at night, which is an entirely different experience.

Sorry, i'll try to explain better - I can pre-book a time for general Alhambra entrance and arrive at any time I wish, but I cannot pre-book a time for the Nazari palace, and the info says I have to go at the alloted time (which presumably gets alloted without my knowledge and I only find out on arrival). Perhaps I am making too much of a problem out of this, but I do want to see everything, but without having all my time totally planned in advance.
111 and Maureen - thanks for your help.

Anna

You choose a time when you book. So choose a time 2 - 3 hrs AFTER you know you can arrive. That way, you can wander & see the other parts & present yourself at the Nasrid entrance at the right time. They will not allow you in if you miss the time slot. But you can stay as long as you want once you're in.

Ian

As I read the instructions (and it is also what I remember from my visit to the Alhambra), you buy a ticket for entry to Alhambra grounds for either the morning (8:30-2:00) or afternoon (from 2:00 on). Your entry into the palace will be for a specific half-hour within the time your general ticket.
We had morning tickets, arrived shortly before opening, and saw the palace at 10:00; before and after our time in the palace, we saw the rest of the grounds and Generalife. We left around 1:30.

Kayd

Thanks for your reply. When you arrived early, did they already allocate a time for Nazari, or did you get to choose? I don't plan on arriving early so don't know how it will work.

Thanks to everyone - does anyone have any memorable restauarants to recommend?

We just visited the Alhambra two weeks ago. We had booked a time slot which was set in stone. Once you book a particular time slot you are expected to arrive ahead of that time in order to pick up the tickets.

Be aware that although we had booked ahead, the line at the Alhambra ticket office to pick up tickets that WERE booked ahead was fully 45 minutes long so plan accordingly.

the only restriction time-wise is for entrance to the N-palace; you can visit the other sections for as long as you like and you can go out and then re-enter those later until the site closes for the day.

There are several restaurants close to the ticket office and also a restaurant in the Parador on the grounds. For a dinner meal the Parador terrace restaurant which overlooks the Generalife and the ravine is absolutely wonderful to include the food and service.

Anna_h: If your loosy-goosey approach is more important to you than to visit the Alhambra, then I suggest that you simplify things for yourself and forget about visiting the Alhambra.

We ordered in advance over the Web and our confirmation indicated our time for the palace. We picked up the tickets immediately before going into the grounds.
Try to get a palace time an hour or two after you plan to be at the entrance gate so you don't have to rush to the palace -- it is a big fortress, actually a town within fortress walls. Allow a bare minimum of four hours, all day if you have the stamina for it.

First, I'll second the nod for the Parador for a restaurant by the grounds. Memorable setting facing the Generalife gardens. Also, Cunini was fantastic with a great atmosphere and indoor and outdoor dining. Hope it is still there. The whole baked sea bass was outstanding. Fun tapas bar for cocktails before dinner.

For the ticket question, if you miss your appt time for the Palace you cannot enter the palace and they can sell out for the day. I understand you don't want to plan too far ahead but that would be such a disappointment if you missed the palace. They allow 30 minutes (at least when we went) to explore and must exit before the next group comes through. Then you can wander the rest of the Alhambra either before or after your palace entry time. From the front gate, allow 10-15 minutes to arrive at the palace. We took the first appt in the morning for the palace at 8:30 and arrived at 8am. Glad we did as it took 20 minutes in the line to get our online tickets -- the other line was longer. Also, after 9 or 9:30, the tour buses arrive and its very crowded after that. Also, take your confirmation sheet and the same credit card on which you charged the fee.

I have to jump in here and ask...
If I pre-buy tickets for the afternoon, 2-8 PM, do I need to be there before 2PM to pick up the tickets if I want to enter at 4PM? We plan on taking the train to Granada from Sevilla and it arrives at 2PM. So, any advice?

Kristina

I don't know for sure, but I don't see why not. They don't look at the ticket until the entrance to the Nasrid, the Generalife & the Alcazaba. But only the Nasrid is timed. You can get on the grounds without a ticket, you just can't get into the main attractions. You're going to be really tight for time at 4. Dump luggage, taxi to Alhambra, 15 minute walk (min) from gates to Nasrid. Little time for a ticket lineup . . .

Ian

We were there in July. Booked an afternoon ticket, with entry to Nazrid Palace at 3.00. We got to Alhambra at about 2.00 and had to queue for about 5 minutes only to pick up the tickets. We talked to people who lived in Spain and who had been twice to queue for tickets without getting them, so they have not seen it yet!

Once AGAIN I will tell you that two weeks ago the line to pick up reserved tickets was 45 minutes long. This may or may not be the case every day during the "high" season but I wouldn't necessarily PLAN on it only being 5 minutes long, either.

This is what I hate about this board - Intrepid1 I was only trying to help - just like you!!! When I post for advice I like to hear lots of people's experiences.... even (or especially)if they differ from each other.

Hi, anna_h -- I didn't read the rest of the posts, but I read your post time stamped 5:15 pm on Aug. 11.

Perhaps the reservation procedure has changed. When I booked my ticket for Alhambra, I could specify the time slot I wanted for the Nasrid Palace. I think that I might have preferred the morning, but I ended getting a slot around 1 or 1:30 in the afternoon (I forget) as all the morning slots were taken.

Has someone else here tried to reserve for Alhambra recently? As I said, that was last October.

The lines were quite short to pick up tickets were short, by the way, but yes, I guess it depends on the season.

Only the Nasrid Palace is subject to a timed entry system.

Eloise,

Anna_h is "loosey goosey" because she doesn't want to be dictated to by a time? Have you ever thought it may be you who is "loosey goosey" in your unquestioning support to a monarchy? At which point was any royal family elected rather than steal its inheritance from honest working people? I guess because of your ignorance you must be an American - that would explain a lot. Carry on wallowing in your ignorance, but please don't disrespect others just because they're not conformist morons.

Anyway, good luck for the future


Dimb

Dimb, are you sure your second letter shouldn't be a 'u'?

Can't answer the specific question about pre booked times at the Nazaries Palace but I hope my comments will be helpful. If you are anywhere within a day trip of Grandada, Alhambra should be on your "must visit" list - with or without Nazaries Palace. Go with an English speaking guide, or buy a good quality guide book, and arrange your holiday dates to make sure you get there - yes, it's that special.
Confession time. I don't know which of the WOW!!!! moments on our visit were in the Nazaries Palace. I only know that a lot of them were not. Conclusion - this is an unmissable place even if you never see the Palace. In the current UK climate when the gutter press are trying to portray Islam as the source of all evil, it's not possible to spend a day at Alhambra without appreciating that this is a culture of awe inspiring beauty.

Dimb:

Huh? "Unquestioning support to a monarchy"??? Which monarchy would that be?

Do you know anything -- anything at all -- about the Alhambra?

I suspect not...

I just made my reservation today 9/4/05. It was a very user-unfriendly website that left me rather confused.
I preferred the morning, but I ended getting a slot at 1:30PM in the afternoon as all the morning slots were taken.
Is this considered a morning ticket? Meaning I am allowed to enter the premises at 8:30AM, visit the Nazari Palace at 1:30pm and stay as long as like in the Palace and the rest of the premises until 8pm? Or does it mean I have only 1/2 hour to do everything because the "morning" shift ends at 2PM.

Unless you get authoritative information indicating that you can stay beyond 2:00, plan to arrive in the morning and spend four or five hours seeing all of the the Alhambra except the palace, so that after your 1:30 palace visit, you will have seen the entire place.

Mosquem, I too ended up making my reservation through the website for a morning ticket with a Palace visit at 12.00, and am still not clear whether I have to leave at 2pm. When are you going? My visit is booked for Sunday 11th September. If you can wait that long, I can find out and let you know.