Mastvin1000

We will be in Malaga in late August and would like to take a day trip to Grenada to visit Alhambra.

1) Should we book a tour that provides a bus? Such as the one below:
http://www.malagaholidays.com/excursions/

2) Or should we buy tickets at either ticketmaster or alhambradegranada.org and try to arrange for transportation?

https://www.alhambradegranada.org/en...uidedtours.asp

Thanks,

Alec

If time isn't a factor (you have all day), I suggest you arrange the trip yourself. Book your Alhambra ticket now (they are on sale with good availability for August). Choose your Nasrid Palaces entry around midday, which gives you enough time to get to Granada by bus (about 90 - 120 min). With day ticket, you can visit other two ticketed areas at any time (but once only). Bus leaves regularly from Malaga bus station, next to Maria Zambrano train station. There are frequent departures (about every 30 min), and while it's unlikely to sell out, you may want to book both legs in advance. Bus will take you to Granada bus station, which is outside the city centre. Easiest is to take a taxi from there to Alhambra.

Alec

You need to print out the Alhambra tickets in Malaga. Easiest is to try larger branches of Caixa bank and use their ATM. If you can't, go to the pavilion next to Alhambra ticket office and you can print out yourself by inserting the card used for the booking.

quiltingmamma

Up to you. The trip costs more, but there is a hassle factor with doing it independently. Some find trying to buy the tickets on line a real nightmare,then you have to figure out train or bus, and then to get to Alhambra.
However, on a tour you may not be able to spend as much time on the site as you might want to.
I don't see any start time on that tour, nor the length of time. Most advertise being 9 or 10 hours for a tour from Malaga to Alhambra for the day. Viator has several options.
Personally, as much as I am an independent traveler, I might go with the tour and reduce the hassles.

Christina

I agree, you know the options, you'll just have to decide for yourself. I did a bus day trip from Malaga to the Alhambra because it was so much easier. Also, the bus does not drop you off right at the Alhambra, by the way, so then you have to research how to get from the bus stop to the Alhambra, etc etc And how to get to the bus stop from your hotel in Malaga.

As iot turned out, my tour bus pickup point was just several blocks from my hotel, so I could just walk there (it was near El Corte Ingles).

The bus tour was convenient, comfy, and also stopped in a couple other places. At the Alhambra, you have a guide provided by the facility, anyway. We also had several hours on our own in Granada center, and you could have your own lunch wherever you wanted, etc. It's only 70 euro for the entire day which includes transportation and the Alhambra tickets and guide.

Christina

sorry, when I said the bus didn't drop you off near the Alhambra, etc., I was referring to the method if you did it on your own. Of course it does if you arrange for one of those tours.