Hi all! I have reviewed guidebooks and the website, but am still having a little bit of difficulty wrapping my head around Alhambra ticketing. (Note that all time slots are still readily available for the day I'm planning, so I still have all timing options available.)
What I understand that the ticket time (say, 11am) is your reserved timeslot to enter the Nasrid Palaces, and it seems like there is a half-hour window (so an 11am ticket allows for entry from 11-11:30am).
What I'm a little bit confused about, however, is that I'm reading about morning and afternoon tickets, and that if you get a morning ticket you need to complete your visit of the entire site before a certain time. For example, here:
If you make a reservation in the morning, you’ll automatically be assigned a morning ticket for the entire complex, and will have to complete your entire visit during the morning session (08:30 to 14:00 – some seasonal variation).
But then in my Rough Guide to Spain guidebook (p. 341 of the 16th edition):
If you're planning to spend the day at the Alhambra, book a slot for the Palacios Nazaríes between 11.30am and 1.30pm. This allows you entry to the Alcazaba and Generalife at any time afterwards. An earlier or later time slot limits your access to the Alcazaba and Generalife to before 2pm or after 2pm respectively.
Is this timing enforced by additional checkpoints within the Alhambra to enter the Alcazaba or Generalife, in addition to the Nasrid Palaces? And as a corollary, I assume the 2pm deadline is for entering past checkpoints (I can't imagine they will do a sweep of the property at 2pm exactly!) And finally, has anyone else heard/experienced about this 11:30am business?
Thank you all!