Decide - Alhambra - night tour and Morning/Afternoon slot?

It will be crowded no matter when you visit, but know that they only sell so many tickets and they do sell out. So on any given day and any given time, it will be equally crowded. And the Nasrid Palace has timed, limited entry tickets so it can only get so crowded there.

I prefer the morning entry as you can see the ticketed sites in the cooler morning and then enjoy as much time as you want afterwards. There are places to have lunch and you can wander the grounds, shops, museum or gardens for as long as you wish.

I have not done the night tour but understand it is a fancy light show. You see limited parts of the Nasrid Palace and it is not like the daytime visit.

The calm, even serene, atmosphere of the Alhambra impressed me. I was there in spring, in the late afternoon with the day fading (and tourists fading away.) A light show would be too dramatic for my tastes. In summer I wouldn't want to face the sun by going at noon.

It was August also when I visited. We started at the Generalife Gardens about 1pm, then into the Nasrid Palace about 230pm. I liked coming out as the heat and light were fading from the day. You appreciate how working with water and marble cooled the buildings in summer. We also enjoyed a stop for drinks at the Parador's courtyard in between.

I did both and was very happy I did. I went first in the evening to the Nasrid Palaces. Once you are inside you can stay as long as you like. There is a one-way route through a good part of the palaces, but you can backtrack and linger. If you hang back at the entrance, you'll be almost alone for a few minutes before the next group enter. There is an entrance to the Alhambra quite near the Palaces, this is the one you should use. The bus is the cheapest was to go and doesn't take much longer than a taxi. Very convenient. It's not a "hokey" light show. The rooms are lit with indirect lighting, somewhat replicating what it may have been like in the evenings before electricity. Think romantic, not spectacle.

The timed entry during the day is for the Palaces (which look very different in daylight). The other ticketed areas can be accessed before or after. A good part of the site has free access all day. If you choose a palace slot after 11.30, you can access the other ticketed areas any time during the day. It's a quirk in their system. If you choose a time before 11.30, then you can only enter the other ticketed areas until 2.00, if you choose an afternoon slot, you can't go into the ticketed areas before 2.00.

Thanks Djp_syd, I guess you must have booked the Alhambra General ticket which gives
Access to all the visitable spaces of the Monument: Alcazaba, Nasrid Palaces, Generalife, Carlos V Palace, Public baths and the Mosque.

How are the morning slot and afternoon slot managed, say if I book the Nasrid palace for 12 pm, morning slot, so I can enter all other places starting 8.30 am and at 2pm my time end and have to leave the facility - right?

This is perhaps the best guide I have read to explain the complexities of the ticket decision...
http://www.wandertooth.com/alhambra-palace-granada-spain-tips/
For me I would choose afternoon entry (1400) with Nasrid Palace timing of 1600-1700.

Thanks Djp_syd - great link. Ok I am settled on the 2 - 8 pm afternoon slot. I am still unsure on when to enter the Nasrid palace. How much time does it take to explore the whole place covering all but Nasrid Palaces- Alcazaba, Generalife, Carlos V Palace, Public baths and the Mosque? I also have a 5yr old so I think he will love the gardens so will keep atleast 2 hrs for it. I have heard there are horrendous lines to even enter at assigned hours - really? Thats means I need to account for that too. I am leaning towards 5.30 nasrid palace entry or later? Any better suggestions?

Remember you will have time after your Nasrid Palace visit as well.

Re-read the first part of my post. The same number of people enter the Nasrid Palace at each entry time throughout the day. Except in off season, the site sells out every day. So there is no real advantage of the site being more or less crowded for the most part. Fewer people will be on the grounds first thing in the morning and near the end of the day - but the Nasrid will be constant. You must be in line for the Nasrid during your entry time window or else you will lose the ability to enter the Nasrid (no exceptions made). Once inside, you can spend as long as you wish.

The rest of your morning or afternoon slot is available to see the other ticketed sites. Those are scattered around the grounds but each doesn't take too long to visit. The Generalife Palace might get crowded and there can be a minor wait to get inside.

Thanks all - I was able to book in advance on ticketmaster for the Alhambra tickets choosing the 2- 8 pm afternoon slot with nasrid palace entry at 6pm. I didnt want to be constrained by the Nasrid palace dictating enjoying all the other Alhambra sites.