minamax10

Greetings!

I have the 10.30am Nasrid Palaces slot for October 3 (which I will print out at the Corall del Carbon the day before the visit). Now I am trying to figure the best way of covering the complex. Where would you start and where would you finish?

Other variable in the equation are :
☆　　09.00h depart to Alhambra from NH Hotel Victoria by taxi.
☆　　ca. 13.30h Lunch at the Parador restaurant
☆　　15.45-18.00h Hammam Al Andalus

Initially, I was hoping for 11.30h Nasrid slot (unfortunately, it was sold out). I was planning to start at the Generalife gardens. Would you still start there or would you start at the Alcazaba with the 10.30 ticket?

09.15 -10.30h Generalife Gardens
ca. 10.45h Enter Nasrid Palace (must enter by 11.00h)
10.45-12.00h Nasrid Palaces
12.00-12.30h Partal Gardens
12.30h - till lunch Alcazaba
13.30h Lunch at the Parador

☆　OR
09.15-10.00h Alcazaba
10.00-10.30h Carlos V (w/ or without museum?)
10.30-11.30h Nasrid Palaces
11.30-12.00h Partal Gardens
12.15-13.15h Generalife Gardens
13.30-Lunch at the Parador

I've seen comments that that Alcazaba requires around 20-30min. So it seems that with the second option, we are stuck in that area from 9.15(ish) to the time we can enter the Nasrid Palaces. Is it a bit wasteful?　I know that we could visit Carlos V but I understand that it's not the main highlight of the Alhambra complex.

doloresb121

I just want to suggest that when I went for my ticket the day before at the Alhambra store in the center, they were unable to "read" the card I had used to purchase the tickets online. Therefore I had the hassle of having to go to the main gate to stand in line for both my visits (day and night). It is quite a walk from the main info entrance to the Nasrid Palace as well as the Generalife Gardens ( 1/2 hr?) And in the event this should also be your experience, get there early (ticket lines ugh) and yes I would visit the GG first. It's leisurely, and a beautiful way to spend the morning. I spent at least an hour and a half there. Just a heads up on the card reading issue. Its an amazing experience! Enjoy!

minamax10

Thank you for the heads up, Doloresb121 . I'll keep my fingers crossed that there won't have a similar problem ) I'm glad that we are getting to Granada the day before, so I'll have a chance to get to the printing machines prior to the visit. Now I just have to make sure that the card is safe and sound till that day! I actually wondered what would happen if someone say lost their card (God forbid!) between the purchase and the actual printing the tickets out.

How much time did you spend on other parts of the complex? The Nasrid Palaces and the Alcazaba. And did you get a chance to climb the watchtowers in the Alcazaba? Was it a strenuous climb?

Alec

On my last visit to Alhambra two years ago, I too had a 10.30 entry to the Nasrid Palaces, and I'm repeating it on my next visit in September. What I did, and what I intend to do again, is to get to Alcazaba around 9 am, and look around. One hour is more than ample and the climb up the tower wasn't strenuous at all. Then will go to the Alhambra Museum, which is around 30 minutes but it's fascinating and you mustn't miss. I will give the art gallery a miss, as I have seen twice before and was only mildly interesting. Then I join the short queue for the Nasrid Palaces. This will leave about an hour each for the Palaces and Generalife.

Pity your lunch appointment will cut short your visit to the Generalife Gardens, as I spent nearly two hours last time, absolutely absorbing, and just had sandwiches on the hoof.
So if you want to give 2 hours for Generalife, I'd go for your first option and start at 8.30 am, then Nasrid Palaces, Alhambra Museum and Alcazaba till lunch.

maitaitom

Here is our morning (and night) at the Alhambra (in words and photos). This should give you a good idea.

<B>http://travelswithmaitaitom.com/chapter-seven-alhambra-by-day-alhambra-by-night/</B>

Elizabeth_S

Agree with poster above that the climb up the tower was easy. We were there in February and it wasn't sold out - even so the line up for the Nasrid Palace was very long for our 2pm time so I'd be wary about arriving 15 minutes before 11:00am and be certain of getting in on time (happened to the couple ahead of us - they did let them in but only after a LOT of discussion).

minamax10

Thank you, Alec! If I were on my own, I'd stick with standwithces on the go as well. I would probably spend the whole day at the complex as well, knowing that I would not be returning any time soon. But, as I am also traveling with a bunch of ladies (65-78), I think their attention span might weaver by lunch time So a nice upscale lunch at the Parador is supposed to be the cherry on top of this (hopefully ) amazing day.

I will do a bit more research about the museum online. Will need to weigh all the options and see where and how to conserve our (their) energy levels

minamax10

Maitaitom, actually I have already read (and reread) your report a few times. I came across of it a few weeks back ) It's such a fun read that I even read about places we are not going to visit! Love your whole trip and the photos. I am definitely using them as inspiration.

minamax10

Elizabeth, thank you for the heads up. If things go according to plan, we'll be accompanied by a Japanese speaking guide that day. So she / he will be responsible for keeping us on track with time. I also understand that with a guide, the groups do not enter through the same entrance, so hopefully that means we'll have a shorter wait time and a longer window to enter the Palaces.

Even though we are hiring a guide, I do not want to entrust them with making th plan for the day. Most guides who are used working with Japanese groups are used to rushing through at high speed. On average a Japanese group probably stays around 2 hours at the complex (sometimes even less)! I do not want that to be the case with us