Alhambra 2012

While you will no doubt get the thoughts of others on this topic, Rick Steves will probably not see your post. We are volunteers here, answering travel questions, not RS staff. If you want to contact the staff you can do so through the "contact us" link at the bottom of the page. You might also want to delete your duplicate post so that everyone can answer you in one place.

Sorry I have no clue about this site but understand you are volunteers and not Rick. Sorry. I have no experience with this method of communication and had not one idea what area to put my question in. It is all a bit baffling if you are new to the technology and I am sure I haven't a clue how to find what I posted nor where. I am so so sorry. Thanks and I hope to get more smooth with this type of communication in the future.

When we went last year Nasrid Palace was a one time through. Lines can get long. I think we waited 45 minutes past our scheduled time.

Ok we will start waiting early to get into the Palace. I believe with our am ticket we can enter at 10am! .... Did you enter the grounds again in the afternoon? That is what I am curious about.... does my ticket allow me to come back on the the grounds and wonder around more in the afternoon? Also - did you buy the special tours to those areas normally closed off to visitors? Thank you

Dena, if you have a ticket for 1:00 pm that is for entering the Nasrid Palace. You must enter within that time slot 1 to1:30. Your same ticket will give you entry into the two other limited entry areas, the Generalife ( gardens) and the Alcazaba ( fortress). You can visit each area only one tome, although you can stay as long as you want once you are inside. You have a "morning ticket" which is only good for entry until 2:00 pm. So you should visit the fortress and gardens before you line up for the Nasrid Palace, as by the time you finish that, your ticket will have expired. I'm not sure what you mean by tour of places not open to the public. Is this the Visita Entorno ( Tours of the Urban Landscape)? This is. 5 hour walking tour and they do a different one each day of the week. They do take you places you would not see otherwise. We did the Conquest of Water tour and it was fantastic.

Also, you can wander freely around the Alhambra grounds, in the " unticket" areas, in the afternoon or evening after your ticket has expired. There is a lot of it that is open to the public with no entry ticket needed.

Lola's answer is correct. And we can't emphasize enough that you only get that 30 minute window to enter the palace (or be in the line if it is long). They strictly enforce that. You should plan to visit the other ticketed areas before hand, so arrive at the main gates near to opening. You are free to wander the grounds as long as you wish (other than the ticketed zones Lola mentioned). There are even some places to eat lunch. But once you leave the grounds, you cannot re-enter. I believe you need a special ticket for the evening entry. I haven't done that but hear it is worth it.

Thanks both of you travelers!! That is the info I needed. Great news we may be able to eat lunch there because then we can stay on the grounds easier.... it sounds. That other tour you took sounds lovely too...Well, we will certainly be there as the gates open.... I can tell my 3 nights in Granada will just give me a small taste. Thank you so much.

" Once you leave the grounds you cannot re-enter." Douglas, you need to clarify this. Once you leave any of the three ticketed areas, you cannot re-enter. But much of the Alhambra is open to entrynat any time, without a ticket. So one can leave the grounds and retune later. We did this many times, entering through the Justice Gate, and once through the main gate at the other end of the complex. We did a night visit to the palace and it was beautiful. We had two lunches on the patio at Hotel America. Very charming and the food was good. We also had an early dinner on the terrace at the paradow. More expensive, but the views over the Generalife are worth the cost. Dena, I suggest you pick up youtr tickets the day before and arrive early, when it is very quiet. If you are coming up frommtown, you could enter at the Justice Gate and the walk inside the complex to the Generalife entrance. After that, visit the fortress,mwhich is near the Nasrid Palace, so when you exit the fortress you can go straight to the palace line. There is a large building with restrooms right in that area too.

Lola thanks great advice. My friend and I will be there the night before so we will try to pick up our tickets, like you said, the day before. Thanks for the food/restaurant recommendations. very valuable. We are only in Granada for 3 nights but the day of the Alhambra visit is my birthday.

Thanks for the clarification Lola. It is somewhat confusing. When I was there, they were definitely checking tickets at certain points, not just at each ticketed site. So part of the grounds were open, but other parts were restricted.