A general Alhambra ticket costs €21 at the ticket office and €22.27 on the official website run by the Alhambra and Generalife Trust (tickets.alhambra-patronato.es), which adds an advance booking fee. It covers the Nasrid Palaces, the Alcazaba, the Partal and the Generalife, and the visit takes about three hours. Children under 12 go free but still need a ticket.
Tickets are issued in each visitor's name, so bring your original passport or ID card. The Nasrid Palaces also have a fixed entry time printed on the ticket: miss that slot and you lose the palaces. As the ticket office only sells for the same day, most people book online well ahead.
If the official website has tickets for your date, that is the most economical option. The guided tours with tickets further down cost more, but add a guide or audio guide and may still have places when individual tickets have gone.
Below are Viator experiences at the Alhambra: small-group and private guided tours, and tickets with a digital audio guide, each showing its price, duration and reviews from other travellers. Before booking, check that the Nasrid Palaces are included and at what time. If you only want entry and the official website still has tickets, buying there costs less.
Prices are set by an Andalusian government order of 17 July 2025, in force since 1 August 2025. These are gate prices; the official website adds a booking fee. As of October 2026:
The official channels are the website tickets.alhambra-patronato.es, the phone line +34 858 889 002 and ticket machines at the entrance pavilion and three of the Trust's monuments in town. Advance sales close at 23:59 the day before. The ticket office only sells for that same day, while places last and up to two hours before your Nasrid Palaces time.
You enter each visitor's name and ID number when booking, as tickets are non-transferable. Date and time cannot be changed once confirmed, and there are no refunds unless the Trust is responsible for the visit not going ahead.
A note for UK and US visitors: the over-65 rate is for EU citizens, so a British or American passport does not qualify.
Every ticket shows an entry time for the Nasrid Palaces. Capacity is 300 people per half hour, and once your slot has passed you lose the palaces, though the rest of the ticket stays valid. The Alcazaba, Partal and Generalife can be visited any time during opening hours, but you can enter each area only once.
Plan the day around that slot: with a mid-morning time, arrive early, start with the Alcazaba and leave the Generalife until last. If you need to collect tickets from the office or a machine, do it at least an hour before your palace time.
On busy dates the official website may show no availability. Before changing plans:
The Trust allows about three hours for the general visit. Wear comfortable flat shoes for the cobbles, steps and dirt paths. Bags over 40×40 cm are not allowed in (lockers are free with that day's ticket) and photos must be taken without flash or tripod. The Trust's FAQ page says its own audio guide is currently unavailable.
From 15 October to 31 March the Alhambra opens daily 08:30-18:00; from 1 April to 14 October, 08:30-20:00. Night visits to the Nasrid Palaces run on Fridays and Saturdays 20:00-21:30 in winter, and Tuesday to Saturday 22:00-23:30 in summer. It closes on 25 December and 1 January. Hours as of October 2026: check the official website before you go.
On a ski trip to Sierra Nevada, a Friday or Saturday night visit fits neatly after a day on the slopes.
On foot, walk up from Plaza Nueva along the Cuesta de Gomérez, from Plaza del Realejo along the Cuesta del Realejo, or from the Paseo de los Tristes along the Cuesta del Rey Chico. City buses C30, C32 and C35 stop at the Alhambra.
Cars cannot drive up from the city centre: take the ring road towards Motril and follow the Alhambra signs via the Ronda Sur, in the direction of Sierra Nevada. The monument's car park has 360 spaces and is supervised 24 hours a day.
Under-12s go free but need a ticket: ages 3 to 11 must be booked in the same purchase as the adults, while under-3s get theirs at the ticket office without booking. Ages 12 to 15 pay the reduced rate. Under-12s must be with an adult.
Pushchairs are not allowed in the palaces, the Generalife, the Alcazaba, the Partal or the museum. At the Puerta del Vino left-luggage point you can leave one and borrow a baby carrier (up to 12 kg) at no charge.
Yes, but only for that day, while places last and up to two hours before the Nasrid Palaces time. Because of demand, the Trust recommends booking in advance.
Yes. Tickets are in your name and non-transferable, and staff may ask for your original passport or ID card during the visit. With a reduced ticket, also bring proof that you qualify.
You lose access to the palaces: the time on the ticket cannot be changed and entry works in half-hour slots. You can still see the rest of the Alhambra that day.
Yes: the Palace of Charles V and the Alhambra Museum are free to enter. You need a ticket for the Nasrid Palaces, the Alcazaba, the Partal and the Generalife.
If the official website has tickets for your date and you are happy exploring alone, the plain ticket costs less. A tour makes sense if you want the history explained or cannot find individual tickets.
Yes. The ski resort is 31 km from Granada on the A-395. Book a Friday or Saturday night visit after skiing, or keep the daytime visit for a rest day.