Hello, I will be visiting Granada first week of October and plan to visit the Alhambra on a weekday. What is a good time to go in order to avoid crowds and group tours, first thing in the morning or later in the afternoon? This includes visiting Nasrid Palaces. We have the option of visiting them in the morning (9am through 11am) or later in the day/evening.
Posted by
Surrey, UK
473 posts
Depends whether you want to see the grounds towards sunset.
Personally, I'd go earlier to miss (some of) the crowds.
Posted by
5 posts
Hello,
Since you’ll be visiting in early October (outside the summer high season), crowds will be a bit lighter, but the Alhambra is still one of Spain’s most visited sites, so timing matters.
If your priority is avoiding large group tours and the heaviest crowds, the very first slot of the day (9 am) is usually best. Most organized tours and larger groups tend to arrive a little later in the morning, so you can enjoy the Nasrid Palaces before the biggest waves of visitors. The light is also softer for photos, and it’s cooler to walk around.
Late afternoon or evening can also be peaceful, especially for the gardens, but the Nasrid Palaces can still be busy then - many afternoon tours start around 3 pm and general visitor numbers are still high. If you choose the later slot, aim for the last possible entry time into the palaces, when most tours and day visitors have finished.
Visiting first thing in the morning offers a calmer experience without the big crowds. Let us know if you have more questions :)
Posted by
Mid-Atlantic area
7884 posts
As stated above, tour groups tend to visit during the morning hours. The last time we visited we stayed at a hotel right at the complex and had an early afternoon entrance time.
While still crowded there were no tour groups with the leader carrying those annoying flags or signs and the group members blocking everything because they are oblivious to the fact that others not on a tour want to see the same sites.