Alhambra Tickets: How to Get Them (and What You Need to Know)

In short: Only buy Alhambra tickets through the official Patronato ticket office, and as early as possible. The Alhambra General ticket costs 22.27 euros (as of October 2026) and includes a fixed time slot for the Nasrid Palaces. You will not get in without your original ID.

Which tickets are there and what do they cost?

The only official ticket office is tickets.alhambra-patronato.es. These prices apply there for adults (as of October 2026):

For a first visit, Alhambra General is the right choice. The Dobla de Oro is worth it if you are walking through the Albaicín anyway and want to see the Arab bath El Bañuelo and the Moorish houses there.

What do you need to know about the time slot for the Nasrid Palaces?

The Nasrid Palaces are the heart of the complex, and they are the only part with a fixed time. These rules are listed on the official website:

• You must be at the palace entrance on time, at the time printed on your ticket.
• You may only enter each area once.
• At the entrance you show your original ID card or passport. A copy is not enough.
• Children under 12 are free but need their own ticket.
• If you buy or collect your ticket at the ticket desk, you must do so at least one hour before your palace time slot.

When should you book?

As early as possible, as soon as your travel dates are fixed. The official website does not state a fixed advance sales period, so it is best to check directly in the shop which days are available. During holidays, on long weekends and in spring, the palaces sell out first.

Do not buy from providers advertising prices below the official rate. These are often tickets without the Nasrid Palaces.

Sold out: what now?

If there is no Alhambra General left for your day, you still have three options:

• Night visit to the Nasrid Palaces: fewer people and a completely different atmosphere.
• Gardens, Generalife and Alcazaba: you see most of the complex, only the palaces are missing.
• Dobla de Oro: has its own quota and is sometimes still available.

Also check the shop several times, even shortly before your date.

How do you get to the Alhambra?

On foot, you walk from Plaza Nueva up the Cuesta de Gomérez, through the woods below the walls. The path is beautiful but steep. The small city buses on lines C30 and C32 from the centre are more comfortable. By car, take the ring road directly to the Alhambra car park, not through the old town.

Tips for your visit

Allow 3 to 4 hours and a few kilometres of walking. The official website recommends sturdy, flat, closed shoes. In summer, take the earliest time slot you can get, plus water and sun protection, because there is little shade between the areas.

Afterwards, a walk down into the Realejo or a tapas round fits well. What else there is to see in the city is listed under Granada sights. And if the city won’t let you go: under Where in Spain? we compare Granada with other places to live.

Frequently asked questions

As of October 2026. Opening hours, prices and entry rules change. Check them on the official websites before your visit.

Cover image: Jebulon · Wikimedia Commons · CC0