To visit the Alhambra in Granada, buy your named ticket on the official website of the Patronato de la Alhambra y Generalife: the general daytime visit costs €22.27 (excluding the online service fee), it is free for children under 12 and takes about 3 hours. Access to the Nasrid Palaces is only at the time printed on your ticket.
The Alhambra brings together the Nasrid Palaces, the Alcazaba, the Partal, the Palace of Charles V and the Generalife gardens, on the Sabika hill overlooking Granada. Places are limited: 300 people per half hour in the Nasrid Palaces, according to the Patronato. This page collects the official rules (tickets, hours, ID, bags), an exclusive table of the daylight left after closing and the mistakes that cost you entry to the palaces. For the rest of your stay, see our Granada travel guide.
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Visiting the Alhambra: key facts
- Hours: every day; 8:30 am–6 pm from October 15 to March 31, 8:30 am–8 pm from April 1 to October 14 (ticket offices from 8 am). Nasrid Palaces: only at the time shown on the ticket.
- Closed: December 25 and January 1.
- Full price recorded on 15 October 2026: general daytime visit €22.27, plus a service fee for web purchases; free for children under 12 (the ticket must be taken at the same time as the adults’ tickets). Subject to change, check before you go.
- Booking: strongly recommended by the Patronato « because of high demand »; the ticket offices only sell for the same day, subject to availability.
- Time needed: about 3 hours according to the official website.
- Information checked on 15 October 2026 on alhambra-patronato.es (Horarios y tarifas and Preguntas frecuentes pages).
Alhambra tickets: official website or resellers?
The Patronato presents its online ticket office as « the only official and guaranteed channel », the one that always shows the official price. It also sells by phone (in Spain: 858 889 002) and through ticket machines (ticket office pavilion, Corral del Carbón, Bañuelo, Dar al-Horra). Here are the tickets and prices published on 15 October 2026:
| Ticket | What it includes | Official price |
|---|---|---|
| General daytime visit | Alcazaba, Nasrid Palaces (fixed time), Partal, Generalife and gardens | €22.27 |
| Generalife gardens and palaces (day) | Paseo de los Cipreses, Secano, gardens… without the Nasrid Palaces | €12.73 |
| Night visit to the Nasrid Palaces | Nasrid Palaces in the evening | €12.73 |
| Night visit to the gardens | Generalife in the evening (limited seasons) | €8.48 |
| Alhambra Experiences | Nasrid Palaces at night + Alcazaba, gardens and Generalife by day | €22.27 |
| Rodríguez-Acosta Foundation + monumental complex | General visit + the Foundation (10 am–2 pm) | €25.45 |
| General Dobla de Oro | General visit + the city’s Andalusian monuments (Bañuelo…) | €30.48 |
| Night Dobla de Oro | Nasrid Palaces at night + Andalusian monuments | €23.06 |
Official discounts and free entry: free for children under 12; discounts for European Union residents over 65, holders of the European Youth Card (Carnet Joven) and people with a disability of at least 33%. Official proof must be shown at the ticket office, otherwise the full price is due. These concessions are tied to EU status, so US and UK visitors should not count on them. The discounted amounts are not shown on the pages we consulted: check them when you buy. The Palace of Charles V and the Alhambra Museum are free and open to all.
Beware of websites that look like the official one. Several websites that rank well on Google carry « Alhambra » in their name without being the Patronato: some resell tickets or guided tours for a commission, and one of them states that « prices may be increased with a commission ». The official website ends in alhambra-patronato.es (ticket office: tickets.alhambra-patronato.es). A guided tour sold by an agency can be worthwhile (commentary, guaranteed slot), but always compare with the official €22.27 and check that the ticket is issued in your own name.
Quotas and booking rules: what you need to know
- Nasrid Palaces at a fixed time: crowd control is set at 300 people per half hour. Once your slot has passed, « you lose the right » to visit the palaces; the rest of the site remains accessible.
- Named ticket: personal and non-transferable, to be shown with original ID (ID card or passport; for most US and UK visitors, that means your passport). The monument carries out checks.
- Advance purchase: possible until 11:59 pm the day before the visit; an individual is limited to 10 tickets per month (per person and per bank card).
- No changes or refunds: date and time can no longer be changed after confirmation.
- Places that reappear: part of the capacity is reserved for the institutional channel; unused tickets may be put back on sale on the official website. A « sold out » day can therefore reopen: check the ticket office regularly.
- Collection at the ticket office: at least one hour before the Nasrid Palaces time, by the buyer with their ID and the bank card used. The Patronato rather advises a printed ticket (A4, good quality); on a mobile phone, a maximum of 6 electronic tickets per group of 30.
Opening hours and closing days
| Visit | October 15 – March 31 | April 1 – October 14 |
|---|---|---|
| Daytime visit (monumental complex) | Mon–Sun 8:30 am–6 pm (ticket offices 8 am–6 pm) | Mon–Sun 8:30 am–8 pm (ticket offices 8 am–8 pm) |
| Night visit to the Nasrid Palaces | Fri–Sat 8 pm–9:30 pm (ticket offices 7 pm–8:45 pm) | Tue–Sat 10 pm–11:30 pm (ticket offices 9 pm–10:45 pm) |
| Night visit to the Generalife gardens | Fri–Sat 8 pm–9:30 pm from October 15 to November 14 | Tue–Sat 10 pm–11:30 pm in April–May and from September 1 to October 14 |
Closed every year on December 25 and January 1. The Patronato mentions « special access conditions » on April 18 (International Day for Monuments and Sites) and on November 16: check the website before booking those days. The site is cleared at closing time. Also free, the Silla del Moro and the Torres Bermejas open at weekends (hours on the same official page).
Best time to visit the Alhambra
The visit takes place largely outdoors (Alcazaba, Partal, Generalife), uphill and on uneven ground. The table below cross-references the official closing time, sunset and the average maximum temperature: it shows how much light is left when you come out, so you can continue to the San Nicolás viewpoint in the Albaicín.
| Month (the 15th) | Sunrise | Sunset | Closing (daytime) | Daylight after closing | Avg. max |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 08:27 | 18:20 | 18:00 | +0 h 20 | 13.0 °C (55 °F) |
| February | 08:03 | 18:53 | 18:00 | +0 h 53 | 15.4 °C (60 °F) |
| March | 07:25 | 19:21 | 18:00 | +1 h 21 | 19.0 °C (66 °F) |
| April | 07:40 | 20:48 | 20:00 | +0 h 48 | 20.6 °C (69 °F) |
| May | 07:05 | 21:15 | 20:00 | +1 h 15 | 25.0 °C (77 °F) |
| June | 06:53 | 21:35 | 20:00 | +1 h 35 | 31.0 °C (88 °F) |
| July | 07:06 | 21:34 | 20:00 | +1 h 34 | 34.8 °C (95 °F) |
| August | 07:30 | 21:06 | 20:00 | +1 h 06 | 34.2 °C (94 °F) |
| September | 07:56 | 20:22 | 20:00 | +0 h 22 | 29.4 °C (85 °F) |
| October | 08:22 | 19:38 | 18:00 | +1 h 38 | 23.2 °C (74 °F) |
| November | 07:53 | 18:04 | 18:00 | +0 h 04 | 17.0 °C (63 °F) |
| December | 08:20 | 17:58 | 18:00 | −0 h 02 | 13.4 °C (56 °F) |
- From November to February, the sun sets between a few minutes before and 53 minutes after the 6 pm closing: take a palace slot in the early afternoon at the latest, then head to the viewpoint.
- From April to August, there are 48 minutes to 1 h 35 of daylight left after the 8 pm closing: you can visit in the afternoon and finish at San Nicolás at sunset.
- In July–August (34 to 35 °C / 93 to 95 °F average maximum), book the first morning slot and keep the Generalife for the start of the day; the Patronato recommends protecting yourself from the sun.
- April–May and late September–October combine moderate temperatures and long days, according to the normals on our page on the best time to visit Granada. These are also the periods when tickets sell out fastest.
Crowds: the Patronato does not publish attendance figures by hour or by month on the pages we consulted, so we do not give any.
What to see at the Alhambra: suggested route
The site has four paid areas (Alcazaba, Nasrid Palaces, Partal, Generalife) and you enter each only once. The Patronato asks you to organize the order of your visit around your Nasrid Palaces time. Our decision tree:
- Palace slot early in the morning → Nasrid Palaces, then Partal and Alcazaba, Generalife last.
- Slot in the middle of the day → Generalife and gardens first (they are at the opposite end from the palace entrance), Nasrid Palaces, then Alcazaba.
- Slot in the late afternoon → Alcazaba and Generalife beforehand, leaving a 20 to 30 minute margin to reach the palace entrance.
- No daytime ticket available → night visit to the Nasrid Palaces (€12.73) or Generalife-only ticket (€12.73), then check resales from the institutional channel.
The highlights: in the Nasrid Palaces, the Mexuar, the Court of the Myrtles (Arrayanes) and the Comares Tower, the Court of the Lions, the Hall of the Two Sisters and the Hall of the Abencerrajes; the Alcazaba and its Vela Tower; the Partal gardens and pavilion; the Palace of Charles V (free and open); at the Generalife, the Patio de la Acequia and the upper gardens. Allow 3 hours for the whole site according to the Patronato, more if you add the Alhambra Museum.
Audio guide: the official FAQ said on 15 October 2026 that it is « not available ». Group explanations are forbidden in the Cuarto Dorado, the Hall of the Two Sisters, the Hall of the Abencerrajes and the north gallery of the Generalife.
Getting to the Alhambra
- On foot: via the Cuesta de Gomérez (from Plaza Nueva), the Cuesta del Realejo (from Plaza del Realejo) or the Cuesta del Rey Chico, known as the « Chinos » (from Paseo de los Tristes).
- By city bus: lines C30 (Alhambra – center, Plaza Isabel la Católica), C32 (Alhambra – Albaicín) and C35 (cemetery – Barranco del Abogado – center). Routes on movilidadgranada.com.
- By car: no access from the center; take the southern ring road (Ronda Sur, direction Sierra Nevada), then follow « Alhambra ». Public car park supervised 24 hours a day, 360 spaces, with accessible spaces.
Address: Calle Real de la Alhambra s/n, 18009 Granada. Visitor phone (in Spain): 958 027 971.
Accessibility, strollers and bags
- A route is provided for wheelchairs (official PDF map); wheelchairs can be borrowed at the access pavilion subject to availability; elevator at the Palace of Charles V; accessible toilets at the access pavilion and near the Puerta del Vino. The Patronato warns that the route includes narrow spaces, steps and changes in level.
- Tactile points along the route; audio guides with audio description and in Spanish Sign Language are mentioned, subject to availability.
- Strollers are not allowed in the Nasrid Palaces, the Generalife, the Alcazaba, the Partal and the museum; stroller storage and free baby-carrier loan (up to 12 kg / 26 lb) at the Puerta del Vino.
- Bags and backpacks larger than 40 × 40 cm (16 × 16 in) are not allowed; wear a small backpack on your front. Free lockers (access pavilion, Puerta del Vino) with the day’s ticket, while lockers last.
- Animals are not allowed, except accredited guide dogs and assistance dogs.
Common mistakes (according to the official rules)
- Arriving after your Nasrid Palaces slot: entry is lost, with no exchange or refund.
- Coming without original ID, or with a ticket in someone else’s name.
- Forgetting to take the free ticket for children aged 3 to 11 at the same time as the adults’ tickets (children under 3 get theirs on site).
- Buying a reduced rate without the official proof: the full price is then charged at the ticket office.
- Counting on the ticket office: it only sells for the same day and only until 2 hours before the palaces slot.
- Using a tripod, monopod or selfie stick (forbidden in the palaces and enclosed spaces) or flash.
- Entering with food or drink, or smoking: forbidden, including outdoors; picnic areas are provided (Plaza de los Aljibes…).
- Wearing smooth-soled shoes: the Patronato advises flat, closed shoes, especially in rain or frost.
What to see nearby
Walking down from the Alhambra by the Cuesta del Rey Chico, you reach Paseo de los Tristes, at the foot of the Albaicín and the San Nicolás viewpoint, then the Sacromonte. The Bañuelo and the Corral del Carbón, run by the Patronato, are included in the Dobla de Oro tickets and free on Sundays. For the cathedral, the Royal Chapel, the areas to stay in and a 2 to 3 day itinerary, see our Granada travel guide. For an Andalusian road trip, continue to Córdoba, Seville or Málaga, and choose your season with our page on the best time to visit Andalusia.
Frequently asked questions
How much is an Alhambra ticket?
The general daytime visit costs €22.27 on the official website (recorded on 15 October 2026), plus a service fee for online purchases. It is free for children under 12.
Can you visit the Alhambra without a reservation?
In theory yes: the ticket offices sell for the same day, subject to availability and until 2 hours before the Nasrid Palaces slot. The Patronato nevertheless recommends buying in advance because of high demand.
How long does it take to visit the Alhambra?
About 3 hours for the general visit, according to the Patronato de la Alhambra y Generalife.
What happens if you miss your Nasrid Palaces time?
You lose the right to enter the Nasrid Palaces; the rest of the site (Alcazaba, Partal, Generalife) remains accessible with the same ticket. The ticket cannot be changed or refunded.
Do you need ID to visit the Alhambra?
Yes. The ticket is named and must be shown with an original ID card or passport.
Our sources
- Patronato de la Alhambra y Generalife, official website: Horarios y tarifas, Tipos de visitas, Preguntas frecuentes, Prepara tu visita and Momento de la visita, consulted on 15 October 2026.
- AEMET, 1991–2020 normals for Granada airport, taken from our Granada page.
- NOAA, solar position algorithm (Destination de Voyage calculation).
- Our methodology
Practical information checked on 15 October 2026 on the Patronato’s official website. Prices and hours may change: check before you go. Updated November 2026.