Jaykay06

Uh oh. I just purchased night tickets for the Alhambra (be there in January). And just realized that it is only for the Nasrid Palaces. I think (but am not 100% sure) that other zones are closed. So I will miss Generalife, Alcazaba and Charles V's Palace.
Rationale for buying night tickets: Driving in from White Towns region, check into the Parador, maybe have time to each lunch in Granada, spend time snooping around Generalife, Alcazaba and Charles V's Palace, eat dinner at Parador then do the night tour.
Does anyone know if it is possible to switch the times? Or am I forced to buy afternoon tickets as well? Now I feel like an idiot.

Intrepid1

Topping this for you.

Did you order your tickets using the website? If so, you might look there for answers but I think you're going to have to either switch the times, if you can, or buy tickets for the daytime as well if you wish to do both.

Jaykay06

Thanks for responding! I did buy it from the website. I hate to purchase two tickets though...maybe I can sweet talk my way in? I read somewhere that the Palace is 80% of the Alhambra - I'm wondering if 20% is really worth it (esp. the Garden since it will be winter there) - and I can spend the time exploring the city instead.

111op

Some people make a special effort to visit the Alhambra during the night. I went during the day though.

I don't think that you can "talk yourself in." There's a time associated with each ticket as to when you can visit the Nasrid Palace (for crowd control), so your ticket will be checked.

Personally, I don't think that you're missing much by skipping the rest of the Alhambra anyway. The Charles V palace is pretty interesting -- it's a Renaissance Palace with a perfect circle within a perfect square, and there's a free museum. But I don't think that you're missing much. I had lunch at the Parador, with a terrace that overlooks the Generalife gardens (as a poster here suggested -- Eloise?). That was quite enjoyable. But the gardens themselves were ok -- there was construction when I was there in October. But I actually didn't spend that much time in the Alcazaba part of the complex (which I think is the oldest part).

Personally I think that unless you're truly interested in the other sights, one ticket is fine, if you're ok with seeing the palace at night.

kaudrey

I'll disagree with 111op. I went to the Alhambra during the day last February. The Nashrid Palace is wonderful, but I spent a significant amount of time in the gardens and other areas - and I spent 5 hours there!

So, IMHO, I'd spend the extra 8 euros and go during the day as well. But, I didn't go at night, so I can't compare the two.

I do not believe it is possible to switch times, but many people do go twice to experience it at night.

Karen

111op

Disagreement is good.

mamc

If I recall correctly, the Nasrid Palaces and the Generalife are the only parts of the Alhambra controlled by the tickets. You should be able to visit the Charles V palace, which is very close to the Parador and other parts of the Alhambra without the timed entrance ticket. I would suggest visiting some of them during the day. The Generalife is very worthwhile and, while we were there in September, I would think it would still be interesting in the winter.

111op

Actually now that I've looked at alhambratickets.com, I'm not sure if the other areas of the Alhambra are closed at night. Are you sure about this, jk?

However, it looks like a 1.5 hour window for a night visit. Even if the rest of the Alhambra is open at night, I think that it'll be a bit of a stretch to see all of it within 1.5 hours.

Diz01

The evening tickets only give limited entrance to the complex eg the Court of the Myrtles and the Lion Fountain Court. However it is quite possibly one of the most magical experiences we have ever done. There are no crowds, it is very peaceful as the the few people there seem to really appreciate the special nature of the place. To sit at the end of the reflective pool and watch the bats spinning around above your head with no one else there was just wonderful. To be fair we were there in June so it was lovely and warm in the evening.

What we did was the evening visit the day we arrived and then had day tickets (purchased in advance)for the following day. We spent the morning looking around the Generalife (lovely gardens), had lunch and then went around the complex late afternoon. Even then it was apallingly busy although the massed coach parties were beginning to die down. We rather wished we hadn't bothered (it was our second trip so we had seen it before - for a first trip you probably should but try and do it as late in the day as possible).

Do take the evening tour - it is wonderful. Next time (whenever that may be) it is the only tour we will do.

blowfish

Kaudrey,
I just bought Alhambra tickets for Sept. I picked the 3 pm time as we will be checking out in Nerja and then driving to G. I thought after seeing the Nazrid Palaces at 3 pm we could then spend as much time as we wanted wandering the other parts.
What has me wondering if I goofed on the time, is that the web page tells me to pick up tickets well ahead of our reserved time. Does this mean we have to wander before 3 pm and leave after we see the Palaces? Sure hope not. How did it work for you and anyone else with advice? Thanks

RuthMc

We bought both day and night tickets and found that you get to see a lot less of the complex with the night tickets. As I recall, there were parts of the building (I don't remember which one or ones) that were closed during the night visit. I wouldn't want to miss the day visit.

metellus

There aren't any zones in the Alhambra. I am almost sure that everything will be open at night. The Nasrid Place is the only place that you need to specify a particular entrance time. You can wander into the other places any time you want during youur "evening session." That may be what's confusing you.

Anyway, the Nssrid palace is what makes the Alhambra the Alhambra. The other stuff isn't that special.

blowfish

Many thanks RuthMc & Metullis!!