Allahambra in December

Old Sep 13th, 2015, 07:21 PM
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Allahambra in December

i apologize if this is a duplicate post. I tried once before but my question isn't listed so will try again.

I will be in Granada December 21 and 22. With shorter daylight hours I want to plan my visit to the Allahambra carefully. Would it be better to book an afternoon and evening visit or morning visit. If I go afternoon can I stay into the evening on the same ticket or will I need to purchase an additional one?

Also wondering if the gardens will be worth a visit at this time of year or dormant in winter?

Thank you.
TampaNana is offline  
Old Sep 14th, 2015, 06:05 PM
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kja
 
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Please see your other thread:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...n-december.cfm

To find it, just click on your screen name or the "welcome" at the top right corner of the screen.
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Old Sep 18th, 2015, 02:44 AM
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I'd go for the morning visit, considering the fact that winter in Granada it's not exactly mild. The gardens are definitely worth visiting.

Not sure if you can spend the whole day inside Alhambra. A normal visit takes about 4hours. Plus, obviously, there are no bars or restaurants inside, so...

I'm sure you'll enjoy it!

I still don't understand why Alhambra wasn't approved for the 8th Worlds wonder. It's simply amazing!
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Old Sep 18th, 2015, 03:01 AM
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If you want to visit the Alhambra at night, which is wonderful, I think it might be best to go in the late morning to see the gardens, but then return in the evening. I realize that will be more expensive, but the Alhambra is an extraordinary world treasure, and worth the expense and the care you are taking in visiting it. It is likely that you will need to dress very warmly, and part of the reason I am suggesting that you make 2 trips is so that you can get out of the cold for a long spell in the afternoon, and have a warming meal, before returning to see the interior at night.

I have no idea how hard it is to purchase tickets last minute in December, but if possible, I would hold off on buying tickets to visit the gardens until you know that it won't be raining. The gardens are worth seeing even if everything isn't flowering or leafy, because it is the ingenious design of the gardens, and the gracious layout, that is fascinating. However, if it is cold and driving rain, it might be unwise to be out there in the windy cold for hours, even with umbrella and warm clothes. However, the interior can be visited at night in any weather, and that can be an unforgettable experience.
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Old Sep 18th, 2015, 03:05 AM
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One more thing: There is a bar/restaurant inside the parador that is adjacent to the upper entrances of Alhambra complex, just a few steps away. I am unsure what hours it is open, but you can probably find out online or with an e-mail.
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Old Sep 18th, 2015, 06:07 PM
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Thanks everyone for your advice. I will tour the Alahambra on December 22. The site is not open at night while I will be in Granada so I will have to pass on that experience.

Several of you have mentioned cold weather. When I looked at average temps for December it looks like I can expect mid 50s (14C). Won't a couple of light layers, a jacket and sweater, be adequate or should I prepare for much colder weather?
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Old Sep 19th, 2015, 05:07 AM
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Hi Nana,

if you go to the official ticket website at Ticketmaster, you'll see that there is a lot of availability for December:

http://www.ticketmaster.es/en/ticket...bra-general/2/

Granada, though a long way south in Spain, is also at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, and can get cold, as the fur coats in the shops testify. so I would go in the morning to make the most of the daylight, have a long lunch to warm yourselves up, then go again in the evening to see the Nasrid palaces lit up.

BTW there ARE refreshments in the Alhambra - a cafe, the Hotel America, and the Parador. but you don't really want t waste your time having lunch in the Alhambra when you could be seeing it. And there is a little bar by the entrance where you can have a warming coffee or chocolate before you set off.
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