Alhambra Visit

On this page you will find instructions on how to go about getting tickets to the Alhambra because it is getting harder to get tickets as time goes on. This is because it is the most visited tourist site in Spain at the moment with around 8,000 visitors a day. We at El Ocho cannot get tickets for you.

A proper visit to the Alhambra can take a minimum of 4 hours. It is a very large complex so allow yourself most of the day for this monument and bring water and snacks with you so you can enjoy the visit better.

Most of the tickets are monopolized by the major tour companies, so for the independent traveller these are the three best options:

1) The official website: www.alhambra-tickets.es This is the best option if you are buying in advance or during the low season. The current price is 13€ per person.

2) Bono-Turistico: The second option available is through the Bank Caja Granada website: www.caja-granada.es. This is to acquire a Bono Turistico. It is more expensive but includes visits to other touist sites, dicounts to various museums, 9 trips on any Granada town bus and one day free on the Granada Tousit bus. Folow the links to ´bono turistico´ on the right hand side of the webpage. The price for the bono is 32€ and they tend to have tickets available closer to the day you arrive or even for if you arrive to Granada without tickets for the Alhambra. You can also get tickets at the Bank itself when you get here. Also a good option if you are staying in Granada a few days and plan on visiting many monuments.

3) Same day at ticket gate: If you do arrive to Granada without tickets, have checked the website and seen that it is sold out and don´t want the Bono Turistico you still have an option. You can get tickets for the same day at the ticket gate of the Alhambra. They hold on to a few hundred tickets just for that same day to be sold on-site. The earlier you get there the better you chances. They open at 8am. Depending on what time of the year you arrive, high season, national holidays, etc., this will determine how early you need to be up there because during some times of the year queues can begin to form at 6am or earlier!

 

Instructions for the Alhambra visit:
The system for visiting the Alhambra is quite strange so this information is to help your visit there run smoother.

When you get your ticket you will have to choose a time for your visit. This half hour time slot is for visiting the Nazari Palaces only. If you miss the half hour slot you will not be allowed into the palaces. Depending on whether you get a morning or afternoon time slot for the Palace visit will determine at what time you can enter the grounds to see all the many other things oustide the palaces.

If your palace slot is anytime before 2pm you can go in to the grounds starting at 8am. If your slot is after 2pm you can only enter the grounds after 2pm.

Most Important:
Give yourself plenty of time to collect your tickets if you have pre-bought them. The queues at the ticket booths can be chaotic. If you have a reservation and need to pick them up make sure you are in the right line because no one is usually there to help. If you get in to the wrong line you may end up waiting so long as to miss your Palace slot and they have no mercy if this happens.

If you buy them online you can supposedly get them at any Bank Caixa automated teller or at an automated system up at the ticket booths. These will be your best options to avoid the queues.

Although this may all seem very complicated once you are there you will see it was greatly worth the effort!

Good luck and enjoy your time there!