Visiting the Alhambra

I can only base my answer on our experience in July 2007. You have 30 mins from the time on your ticket to get to the Nazrid Palace. From memory it is an easy 15 walk/stroll.

What we didn´t know until we got to the ticket office is that there is still a queue to collect prebooked tickets - although it was considerably shorter than the queue for the people who haven´t booked. I think we had tickets for 8.30, got to the queue around 8.15 (I doubt the ticket office is open as early as 7.30 but you wouldn´t need that much time) and collected the tickets just after 8.30.

We easily made it, but had we left it later to get to the collection point, it might have been trickier or more stressful.

As I say, this whole process may have changed in the last 18 months or so.

Thanks Liz, that helps a lot.

We've also been searching out hotels for Granada, any recommendations?

Thanks.

Devra

I highly recommend the Hotel Macias Real de La Alhambra. It's an attractive, modern place with secure parking. We paid 80 euros last year for a spacious, nicely furnished room, breakfast extra. There is a bus stop a few meters from the front door, where you can catch a 1 euro ride into the center (10 minutes). We had reserved a tour which included pickup at our hotel, so I can't comment on getting to the Alhambra; but I know the hotel is actually pretty close. I would think they could give you information about buses or taxis.

I think I may just add to the confusion because I don't understand some of the earlier responses. Entrance to the Alhambra and to the Palacio are two separate events. The time your enter the Alhambra has no relationship to the time you enter the Palacio. Entrance to the Palacio is controlled by 30 min intervals. It is just one building in a whole complex of buildings, gates, gardens, etc. If you have a 10 AM entry you must be in the Palacio by 10:30. It has nothing to do with entry to the whole area. You can enter the park at anytime after it opens. Our entry was at 10AM and the line formed about quarter till but we had entered the general area around 8:30. So, if you have a 8:30 entry time for the Palacio then you must be pass the Palacio check point not later than 9 AM. I am assuming that the park opens at 8 AM. There were massive line for the general admission but we just walked to the head of the line and told the guard we had a reservation and she sent us to one window. It was about a five minute process and no line. This was over New Years but no idea what it would be like in May.

It is about a 15 min uphill walk to the Palacio from the main entrance so I would encourage you to be there when it opens.

We stayed in the Hotel Anacapri -- great breakfast, terrific location and Kathy did speak Iowan,

Frank and Liz covered the Alhambra entry times so I won't belabor that point, but I just want to remind you that you'll need to have with you the credit/debit card you used to make the online reservation. To get our pre-purchased tickets, we were directed to an ATM-like machine, we swiped our credit card (the one we used to purchase tickets online), and the tickets spit out (did not need to enter any additional info). Then you enter the grounds, but need to make sure you are at the Palacio at your assigned time (with the 30 minute window). Assuming your time slot is indeed 8:30, you'll need to hit the Palacio first, then the rest of the compound afterwards (the fort, Charles V palace, and Generalife Gardens). Oops, I guess I DID belabor that point.

I'd also like to second Frank's vote of the Hotel Anacapri for the same reasons. The only downside was my husband and I were given a room with two separate twin beds (with nightstand inbetween) but it was no big deal and I told him to pretend it was like camp. We paid 80 euros for the room (including breakfast).

I would also give a high five to the Hotel Anacapri. We stayed there last year, great location, very helpful staff, good breakfast, super clean. Others have explained the Alhambra entrance.

I don't want to add to the confusion, but I just got back from Spain and everything is fresh in my mind. If you walk to the Alhambra from the city, it is an uphill walk, but a pretty one. If you aren't in shape or have any kind of a physical problem, take a bus or taxi to the Alhambra. I arrived at the Alhambra about an hour before our entrance time, which was at 2. So we took a walk, picked up our tickets that we ordered online...which was a snap...we gave them our credit card, they scanned it and out popped our tickets. There are info people all over and they will tell you where to go to pick up your internet tickets. We also rented the earphones to use while walking around, 3 euros, and I had to leave my drivers license which I promptly got back when we returned the earphones...worth it if you like to know lots of little details plus it was told from the viewpoint of the author, Washington Irving, who stayed at the Alhambra and wrote a book about the Alhambra. Our entrance was at 2 so we toured the gardens and Generalife first, then walked down to get in line for the Palacio Nazaries, at 3:00 - our entrance time was 3:30. So if you enter at 8 you will have to immediately get in line for the Palacio. Once you are in the Palacio you can take your time to tour all you want. For me, the Alcazaba was the least interesting of all the areas of the Alhambra and I was happy we did that last, because we were getting tired. It was a great trip. Anyway, have a great time!

We also stayed at the Hotel Anacapri, in September 2008. Wonderful staff, incrediblt friendly and helpful, comfy, highly recommended.

Booked our tickets for the Alhambra. Thank you all for your help.