About Alhambra Palace
Alhambra Granada Palace, located in Granada, Andalusia, Spain, is one of the most-well preserved palaces existing in the combination of architectures of the Islamic World and Spanish Renaissance. Alhambra is a beautiful Arabic word that means “the red”, owing to the color of the material which was used to build the outer walls of the palace. Constructed between 1238-1358 under the rule of Nasrid Dynasty, this palace marks the glory of Islamic rule in the country. The architecture of this place is commendable as it is in the style of Islamic culture, containing well-proportioned courtyards and gardens with beautiful fountains surrounding the inner palace. In the late 15th century, the palace Alhambra Granada was annexed by the Spanish Monarchy and started to serve as a royal palace housing the ‘Spanish Crown’. The Islamic architecture of Alhambra Granada was destroyed in an attempt to Italianize the palace. Much later after this palace remained a Spanish territory, the Famous American author Washington Irving lived here to write his book ‘the tales of Alhambra’ drawing out international interest in Spain’s Islamic structures. A statue of the author has been erected in the palace to honor his efforts of bringing it into the limelight. During the 19th century, Alhambra Granada was reconstructed several times to showcase its real historical significance and is now a popular tourist spot visited internationally.
Opening Hours & Best Time to Visit Alhambra Granada
1. Best Time to Visit Alhambra Palace:
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In the Morning: It is recommended that if you have chosen morning hours to visit, 10:00 AM should be an ideal time. This hour is not very early during the mornings but a nice time that would help you to beat the crowds. A proper guided tour would end at the time of the lunch after proper exploration of the palace.
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In the Afternoon: The afternoon visit to Alhambra Granada should be done during lunchtime around 03:00 PM. This will ensure a good experience as there would be lesser crowds owing to the lunchtime. However, it is likely that you will come across some international tourists but the crowd would be relatively thinner compared to the other times of the day. The exploration would be ending around the evening, the time for you to have a scrumptious dinner ahead.
2. Alhambra Museum Opening Hours
- Alhambra Granada opening hours differ for Day and Evening visits over a span of 6 months.
- From April 1 to October 14, you can visit Alhambra Granada during the day from Monday to Sunday 08:30 AM to 08:00 PM. The Ticket office operates from 08:00 AM to 08:00 PM. The Evening visit to the palace happens to be from Tuesday to Saturday 10:00 PM to 11:30 PM. The Ticket office during these days are open from 09:00 PM to 10:45 PM
- From October 15 to March 31, you can visit the Alhambra Granada opening hour during the day from Sunday to Thursday 08:30 AM to 06:00 PM. The Evening visit to the palace happens to be only on Fridays and Saturdays, from 10:00 PM to 11:30 PM.
How to Reach & Location of Alhambra Palace
1. Alhambra Palace Location Alhambra Granada Palace is located in C. Real de la Alhambra, s/n, 18009 Granada, Spain.
2. How to Reach Alhambra Palace
By Private Cars: Through the Granda Ring Road, all private cars have access to Ronda Sur, the 500- vehicle parking of the monument. From the Granada Airport, A-93 should be taken to reach the ring road of Granada, Ronda exit 132 South, and exit 5-A Alhambra.
By Microbus: You can take bus lines 30 and 32 from the center of the Royal Cathedral to reach the following stops near the Alhambra complex Stop at Puerta de la Justicia [Gate of Justice], the nearest to the Alcazaba, this stop is located at a distance of 500 meters from Alhambra Granada Palace, and merely takes 2 minutes to walk. Alight at The Ticket Offices (Entrance Pavilion), Torre de las Cabezas [Tower of the Heads], which lies at a distance of 5 kilometers from the palace.
By Walking: You can choose the option of walking not more than 1 kilometer on how to reach Alhambra Granada from the following places. Walk from the neighborhood Realejo up to the Hotel Alhambra Palace through Campo del Principe, located 450 meters from Alhambra Granada. Start from the Plaza Nueva, through the woods, to reach the street Cuesta de Gomérez, located 650 meters from the palace.
Facilities Inside Alhambra Palace
- Car Parking: To ease the exploration of Alhambra Granada, a special area dedicated to car parking has been provided by the Council of the Alhambra and the Generalife. The parking starts from the roundabout of the Cemetery’s entrance to the location of the ticket offices, the Entrance Pavilion. The area is divided into 4 different sections for parking buses and caravans and the other 3 for private vehicles.
- Wheelchair: All the monuments of Nasrid Palaces are suitable for specially-abled people to visit. The information about the availability of renting a wheelchair is provided upon request. This can further proceed through the Entrance Pavilion or Security Personnel inside the venue.
- Restrooms: Besides the scarce washroom availability in historical places, the Alhambra Granada Palace encompasses a total of 4 washrooms with two of them designed to meet the needs of specially-abled people. Two washrooms are located in the Low Gardens of the Generalife, and Sultana's Court in the Generalife. Another two restrooms for people with special abilities are located at the Entrance Pavilion and Pavilion of Services, next to the Puerta del Vino.
- First Aid: Located in the Hall Services, Wine Gate of Alhambra, the staff of the Red Cross provides the facility of First Aid.
- Vending Machines for Food and Beverages: Vending Machines have been installed at 3 different locations of Alhambra Granada Palace for you to enjoy food and drinks. Vending machines are located at the Entrance Pavilion, the Car park of the Alhambra complex, and the Pavilion of Services next to the Puerta del Vino.
What to Wear at Alhambra Palace Museum
- You can wear light clothing if you visit Alhambra Granada during Summer Season.
- This season witnesses scorching heat as the temperatures rise up to 40 degrees, which may require you to opt for protection against the sun in the form of hats and sunglasses.
- If the exploration needs to be done during the season of Winter, you need to be careful as the temperatures may drop to 2 degrees.
- You need to wear strong clothing that covers and protects your body from the cold like Jackets, sweaters, scarves, and thermals etc.
- There is a need to wear comfortable footwear everytime you visit the monument as the place requires exploration with continuous walking.
Things to Know Before Visiting Alhambra Museum
- One of the most important things to remember while visiting Alhambra Granada Palace is that the Time mentioned on the tickets is for visiting ‘Nasrid Palace’, not Alhambra Complex. Due to this confusion, you may miss out on visiting the Nasrid Palace as many fellow visitors do. Hence, this thing should be carefully noted while visiting this place.
- Nasrid Palace allows only 300 people to enter every 30 minutes, hence you should reach on time for a 30-minute entry slot.
- The last entry happens to be an hour before the closing time of the particular date.
- If you choose the option of last entry into the Nasrid Palace, you must explore other places prior.
- If you have booked Alhambra Granada tickets online in advance, it is advised to enter the complex through the Gate of Justice (Puerta de la Justicia), as it witnesses shorter queues and lies near Alcazaba, Nasrid Palaces, and Partal.
- For entry, only passports are accepted as ID proof rather than any other such document holding value.
- Saturdays and Public holidays witness large crowds. Moreover, if a public holiday falls on either Tuesday or Thursday, the Spanish people are known to take an extra day off to extend the weekend. Hence, these days are even more crowded and should be avoided for visiting.
- It is strictly prohibited to bring selfie sticks, cameras, flashes, tripods, and large backpacks inside Alhambra Palace.
- The restaurant is super-crowded with almost no seating available, it is recommended to book your seat in advance.
- You can eat delicious food at the restaurant of Alhambra Parador located inside an old monastery.
- Bringing outside food and beverages inside the venue is not allowed but there are vending machines available at 3 locations for you to eat.
- There are only a few restroom facilities available between Alcazar and Nasrid Palaces.
- Separate restrooms for people with special abilities are located at the Entrance Pavilion and Pavilion of Services.
About Alhambra Granada Museum
Built-in 1870, Alhambra Museum is a beautiful museum with 7 large halls located on the south side of the ground floor of the Palace of Charles V, the Palacio de Carlos V. The First hall of this museum is home to stunning thematic permanent exhibitions revolving around faith, science, and economy while the other halls present historical sights built in the chronological order. The second and the third rooms are based upon Art Emirate and Caliphate while from Room 4 to Room 7, all showcase the enchanting Nasrid Art. The reason for building this museum was to preserve a large number of archaeological testimonies collected by the Provincial Commission of Monuments. Later in 1994, maintenance of the museum was allotted to the Council of Alhambra and Generalife.
Explore Alhambra Granada
FAQs of Alhambra Granada
What is so special about the Alhambra Museum?
Alhambra Museum is very special as it showcases Hispano-Muslim culture and heritage. Featuring 7 different zones, this museum hosts permanent exhibitions to present you with captivating artforms.
How much time should you spend at Alhambra?
Usually, a proper exploration of the Alhambra Complex takes anywhere between 3 to 5 hours. Still, some people spend an entire day with guided tours through a slow and detailed in-depth experience.
How many palaces does the Alhambra have?
There are three original Royal palaces in the Alhambra complex- the Comares Palace, the Palace of the Lions, and the Partal Palace. All of them were built in the 14th century and are still well preserved.
What is the best part of the Alhambra?
One of the best things to experience upon your visit to Alhambra Granada is to witness the stunning views from the 26-meter high Torre de la Vela Tower at the west end of the terrace. Another best thing is about exploring the lush garden on the south side of the castle. This enchanting garden presents you with mesmerizing views of the entire Spanish city.
Is there a dress code for Alhambra?
There is no dress code for Alhambra Complex. However, you should dress up according to the season as Spain witnesses scorching summers and cold winters.
Can you bring food into Alhambra?
Bringing in any outside food or beverage is strictly prohibited. Still, you can get to enjoy food and beverages inside the venue by different Vending machines available inside the venue.