chanke

I must be the biggest goober in the world, but I can't figure out the ticketing for the Alhambra. We want to get into the Nasrid Palace around 4:00. If I'm reading the site correctly, we buy a general afternoon ticket and therefore cannot get into the Alhamabra complex until 2:00. If we do this, does that leave us enough time to see the gardens and everything?

Otherwise, do we need to buy a morning ticket for the gardens and an afternoon for the Palace? If we buy a morning garden ticket, can we stay in the complex all day or do we have to leave before 2:00 when the afternoon session starts?

As you can tell, I'm very confused! Thanks for any help.

adeben

1* Yes
2* No
3* There will be about six million people there (including you), and there is no way the place can be emptied and then refilled twice in a day. Once you're in, you're in.

chanke

Ok, so if we bought a general morning ticket would we be able to pick a time to see the Nasrid Palace in the afternoon?

Chele60

Yes, the ticketing for the Alhambra tickets is confusing. I remember reserving ours last year, and I felt this one simple process made me feel totally inept!

When you purchase your ticket, the time you select will be for the Nasrid Palace. But you can enter the grounds at any time you wish.

Example: you purchase your ticket with a time of 4:00pm. You cannot enter the Nasrid Palace before 3:30pm or after 4:30pm. However, you can go to the Alhambra that morning at 10:00am, pick up your tickets, enter the grounds and walk around viewing the Alcazar and gardens. But you cannot enter the Nasrid Palace until the time stated on your ticket. (And it is best to get to the Nasrid Palace a little earlier, as they will sometimes let you in!)

Hope this makes sense...

Sue_xx_yy

We picked a 4:30 p.m. (16:30 in the 24 hour clock) timeslot.

We entered at 14:00. We strolled to the Generalife and entered it right away. The guard there tore off the stub of our ticket that had "Generalife" on it. This meant we could stay in the gardens there as long as we liked, but once we left (about an hour later) we couldn't re-enter. Next stop: the Alcazaba fortress. Same deal - guard tears the corresponding stub off the ticket. You enter either of these places in the order you choose, either before or after your timed Nasrid timeslot, since these two things aren't timed. You tour them at leisure - of course, if you have yet to do the Nasrid, you must keep one eye on the clock - you don't want to miss your entry slot to the Nasrid. (We grabbed a minute for a rest and a cold drink just before entering the Nasrid.)

Nasrid section took us about 90 minutes. It was now 18:00, and we had a coffee, then decided to call it a day at around 18:30 (i.e., we didn't bother with the Charles V Palace, etc.)

chanke

Last few questions (I hope!).

1. Then why do they have a morning session and an afternoon session for tickets?

2. If we buy an afternoon ticket entering at 2:00 and reserve Nasrid around 4:00 - 4:30, do you think that is enough time to see everything?

Thanks for your help. I honestly don't know why I'm finding this so difficult. Guess I just want to make sure we have enough time to see everything.

Sue_xx_yy

Afternoon session people cannot enter the grounds until 14:00. This serves as crowd control.

Morning session people theoretically can stay all day - except that there's little advantage to doing so - as I explained, you cannot enter the Generalife or the Alcazaba or the Nasrid multiple times. So morning session people tend to see the Generalife and the Alcazaba just before and/or just after their Nasrid time slots, which will be sometime in the morning session (8:00 to 14:00.) Once they have used up their stubs, they generally then leave. This also serves as crowd control.

2. The afternoon session goes until dusk, say around 19:30 or 20:00 (check the website.) So you can do stuff both before and after the Nasrid visit, if you still have the energy (and unused stubs, if applicable.) We were pooped after doing the 'big 3' as I explained.

It's a big place - but it's not THAT big. What constitutes 'doing everything' is subjective, but most are content with an hour (or less) in the Generalife, an hour (or less) in the Alcazaba, ditto for the Nasrid; if they have any energy left, they look at the Charles V palace. Some people can linger indefinitely, others go through as fast as they can. Personally, my time limit for anything, no matter how beautiful, is 3 or 4 hours in total, plus breaks.

chanke

Sue xx yy and everyone else......Thanks so much for your help. It makes sense now!! What a confusing system. Glad I'm not the only one who didn't quit understand the whole thing. I love this Board!!

DorisG

I will be touring the Alhambra this December. All the info given concernig ticketing will be very helpful. But my question is .. Is it necessary to buy tickets in advance for December? Will there be so much crowds as it is winter? Is the afternoon session better to watch the sunset even in winter? I know the south of Spain doen't have such low temperatures, but all the information I could get will really help.

Sue_xx_yy

Doris

It might well be the case that there are fewer crowds in winter. However, my standard advice is always to book in advance - it's not like it's that much money, especially when compared to the cost of getting there. It will be of scant comfort to learn that you turned up on the same day as a crowd of conventioners, or schoolkids, or whatever, and thus couldn't get the time you wanted (although chances are something, at least, would be available at the door at that time of year.)

The sun in December will rise around 0830 and set around 1800. You can watch the effects of either sunrise or sunset on the Alhambra from the San Nicolas viewpoint. This viewpoint is on the other side of town but is accessible by one of the little red buses that regularly shuttle past the Alhambra gate - your hotel will be able to assist you with understanding the routes, times, etc. Or check a guidebook. Note you will have to ascend a flight of stairs from where the bus drops you off to get to the viewpoint. Enjoy Granada.

annhig

Definitely book in advance - apart from anything else, you can then choose your time. Last November, we picked a 11am time slot. This gave us time for a good breakfast, stroll to the entrance, [we stayed in a hotel right opposite which was excellent, wander through the grounds, round the alcazar and Charles V palace, to arrive at the Palaces at about 11 am. THen we had a snack lunch at the kiosk [OK and not expensive] and did the genelerife, which took about 1 1/2 hours. You could also have lunch at the Parador or the other hotel in the grounds with this schedule.
If you go in the afternoon,you are limited to whatever you can do from 2pm, whereas if you go in the morning you have the whole day, if you want. [though I agree that 4 hours is probably enough, plus stops/meals].
On the web-site, you will also find night-time tours. THese are restricted to the palace only, [though you have to walk through the grounds to get to it]. We did this as well and it was one of the highlights of our trip [or any trip]. The buildings all lit up at night are quite magical and they let far fewer people in so you can see more.
Have a wonderful time.