Alhambra tickets for 5/20/09
May 11th, 2009, 10:54 AM
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Alhambra tickets for 5/20/09
I think I waited too long to buy general admission Alhambra tickets. I went on the site (Maribel's) and the only time slots were late afternoon for the day we will be there. Is there any other way I can buy Alhambra tickets? I'd like to go in the early morning, but don't know if that is possible. Thanks!
May 11th, 2009, 11:17 AM
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You *can* go there really early and line up (though I wouldn't recommend that).
What's wrong with going in the afternoon? The "time slots" you mentioned are the entry time into the Nasrid Palace, NOT the time you can enter the Alhambra complex.
With the afternoon ticket, you can enter the Generalife Gardens and the Alcazaba starting from <u>2pm</u>. The only section you cannot enter until your "time slot" is the Nasrid Palace.
The Charles V palace is free and you can visit it anytime during the day.
What's wrong with going in the afternoon? The "time slots" you mentioned are the entry time into the Nasrid Palace, NOT the time you can enter the Alhambra complex.
With the afternoon ticket, you can enter the Generalife Gardens and the Alcazaba starting from <u>2pm</u>. The only section you cannot enter until your "time slot" is the Nasrid Palace.
The Charles V palace is free and you can visit it anytime during the day.
May 11th, 2009, 11:33 AM
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Thank you yk, why don't you recommend going in the early morning? Are the lines outrageous? I emailed the hotel host where I am staying, and she recommended the same thing...going early and said I would have no trouble getting tickets........hhmmm. Don't know?!
May 11th, 2009, 11:46 AM
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I am not a fan of wasting valuable sightseeing time to stand in line - if I have the option of pre-booking in advance.
I was in Granada last year and bought the afternoon ticket. I spent my morning sightseeing in the town (cathedral, chapel royal), then leisurely made up my way up to the Alhambra around 1pm.
There are only a limited number of walk-in tickets available each day. If you couldn't get tickets, how would you feel??? Or, you might get a ticket, but it could still be for an afternoon entrance, so you just wasted your morning standing in line for something you could have done online.
I was in Granada last year and bought the afternoon ticket. I spent my morning sightseeing in the town (cathedral, chapel royal), then leisurely made up my way up to the Alhambra around 1pm.
There are only a limited number of walk-in tickets available each day. If you couldn't get tickets, how would you feel??? Or, you might get a ticket, but it could still be for an afternoon entrance, so you just wasted your morning standing in line for something you could have done online.
May 11th, 2009, 11:49 AM
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We went during Easter Week and I waited too long to get my tickets. I found an English speaking tour through the hotel that was available. There were others that came to our hotel to join in the tour that weren't staying at our hotel. Ask them about tours. It cost a bit more, but the tour was very nice.
May 11th, 2009, 12:56 PM
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moraben,
Yk is exactly right-please heed her warning-she's right on target. The lines, even if you arriving before the ticket counters open, are often VERY long in high season. And even if you do stand in a long line, finally to reach the ticket counter, your option for the time band for the Nasrid Palace will probably, most likely, be in the afternoon anyway . If your ticket is for the afternoon session, it begins at 2 pm. Before then, in the am, you would only be able to visit the Palace of Charles V and its Alhambra museum downstairs, as yk notes.
Your hotel/hostal may or may not be able to link you with a guided visit, but you'll pay at least 40 euros for that, and you'll have to go whenever that tour is scheduled for-won't have an option on the time.
If it were my trip, I would lock up that afternoon time band by booking online to make sure I got in-period. The cost, 13 euros rather than 40+ for a guided large group tour.
The Alhambra complex is strictly capacity controlled, and many people arrive during high season and find tix for that day already gone even when they arrive early at the ticket pavilion.
Yk is exactly right-please heed her warning-she's right on target. The lines, even if you arriving before the ticket counters open, are often VERY long in high season. And even if you do stand in a long line, finally to reach the ticket counter, your option for the time band for the Nasrid Palace will probably, most likely, be in the afternoon anyway . If your ticket is for the afternoon session, it begins at 2 pm. Before then, in the am, you would only be able to visit the Palace of Charles V and its Alhambra museum downstairs, as yk notes.
Your hotel/hostal may or may not be able to link you with a guided visit, but you'll pay at least 40 euros for that, and you'll have to go whenever that tour is scheduled for-won't have an option on the time.
If it were my trip, I would lock up that afternoon time band by booking online to make sure I got in-period. The cost, 13 euros rather than 40+ for a guided large group tour.
The Alhambra complex is strictly capacity controlled, and many people arrive during high season and find tix for that day already gone even when they arrive early at the ticket pavilion.
