Tickets for the Alhambra

Mary, This question would probably be better placed under the "To the West" section where it will most likely be seen by more people.

My husband and I went to the Alhambra several years ago. When we arrived, there was a huge line for tickets, if you were using a credit card. They however had some self serve machines for tickets using an ATM bank card. We used them without any problem to buy our ticket with a tour time for seeing the inner buildings. It was wonderful to explore this spectacular place at our own speed, as opposed to a bus tour.

I bought tickets recently for May from the official site - not sure where you are looking, but the site has an english version that I found very straightforward. http://www.alhambra-tickets.es/ option for english in the top right corner

Tickets to Alhambra. Geeeez for a bucket list top 10 site it has the organization and lack of helpful signs to discourage the most ardent travelers. When you go you will meet many people who are lost and missed their entrance or their entry times. So to make it easier buy your ticket on line in the states. Your ticket is not a ticket but just a ticket to get a ticket. What the pre-ticket does is secure you the time and date to enter. Where to get the real and final ticket at the A. is not clearly marked. There are many ques. Most unmarked. So with this confusion coming your way arrive an hour early. I cannot stress this too strongly. I would suggest arriving and departing by taxi as the lines can be long and the parking lots will be full. You can only enter the A. at specific times - another reason to be early. Once in the A. you are not really at the entry gate. The staff is about as helpful as a 2 on a scale of 10. All this is coming from someone familiar with and comfortable with Spanish. NOW HERE IS THE GOOD PART. THE A. IS HEAVEN. IT IS DELIGHTFUL BEYOND DESCRIPTION. BECAUSE IT IS SO WONDERFUL. DO NOT BE LATE AND DO NO RUN THE RISK OF MISSING YOUR ENTRY TIME OR GETTING LOST. Enjoy!!!!! Would I go back - in a heart beat. Don - San Antonio

Tickets to Alhambra. Geeeez for a bucket list top 10 site it has the organization and lack of helpful signs to discourage the most ardent travelers. When you go you will meet many people who are lost and missed their entrance or their entry times. So to make it easier buy your ticket on line in the states. Your ticket is not a ticket but just a ticket to get a ticket. What the pre-ticket does is secure you the time and date to enter. Where to get the real and final ticket at the A. is not clearly marked. There are many ques. Most unmarked. So with this confusion coming your way arrive an hour early. I cannot stress this too strongly. I would suggest arriving and departing by taxi as the lines can be long and the parking lots will be full. You can only enter the A. at specific times - another reason to be early. Once in the A. you are not really at the entry gate. The staff is about as helpful as a 2 on a scale of 10. All this is coming from someone familiar with and comfortable with Spanish. NOW HERE IS THE GOOD PART. THE A. IS HEAVEN. IT IS DELIGHTFUL BEYOND DESCRIPTION. BECAUSE IT IS SO WONDERFUL. DO NOT BE LATE AND DO NO RUN THE RISK OF MISSING YOUR ENTRY TIME OR GETTING LOST. Enjoy!!!!! Would I go back - in a heart beat. Don - San Antonio

We visited Granada about 2 years ago. We have friends who live in Seville and they took us. It was a big disappointment to find the lines. Our friends had not been there for a few years and did not expect that. We got in the credit card line and waited. The machine required a credit card with a pin number. We did not have one. Did have a debit card, with a pin, but ATM would not take ours, so we were unable to get into the site. Very disappointing. Be sure to get your reservations BEFORE you go so as not to be disappointed! We had come halfway around the world. Hope to go back again one day.

I bought Alhambra tickets, both general entrance and evening tour, online through the official website, which, after a couple of links, takes you to Caixa for the actual purchase. When I got to Granada, I went to one of the many ATM points of Caixa, put in the credit card I used to buy the tickets, chose the print ticket option (or something similar), and the machine printed out my tickets on the spot. No lines, no waiting. I think it works at any Caixa point in Spain, not just Granada. For the general day ticket, you have to choose a time to enter the Nasrid Palaces, and you must be there on time or you miss out. There's no time limit on how long you can stay inside. If you choose a time during the morning session, you can enter the grounds any time before that and visit the other parts of the Alhambra. Someone posted that if you choose 11.30 or later, you can use the ticket until the evening closure. I chose 12.30 and was able to enter other ticketed areas right up until closing time. There was a short line for the audio guides - which I passed on. Do pick up a free map at the entrance, it comes in handy.