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The doors open at 8:30 am, and the complex closes at 6 pm in winter and at 8 pm in summer. the Alhambra's opening hours page lists the exact dates and the night visits. The gardens, the Generalife and the Alcazaba can be visited at any time within those hours. The Alhambra is closed on 25 December and 1 January.
The one fixed point is the Nasrid Palaces. They have their own entry time, printed on your ticket, and the visit must be made within it. Because they admit 300 people every half an hour, a visitor who is not at the entrance at the time on the ticket will not be allowed in.
The general visit takes around three hours. Each place inside can be entered just once, but you can leave the complex and come back as often as you need, for example to have lunch in town.
Your ticket carries your name and cannot be passed on to someone else. Keep it with you throughout the visit, together with a personal identification document. After you pay, the date and time are fixed, so settle your plans first.
Children are free, but a ticket is still compulsory for minors to enter. Access to the Palace of Carlos V, the Alhambra Museum and the Baño de la Mezquita is free. the official FAQ answers most other ticket questions.
The size limit for bags is 40 by 40 cm. Free lockers exist for visitors with a ticket for the same day, but only under availability, so travel light. Baby strollers cannot go inside the buildings.
You may take photographs, but not with flash, and tripods, monopods and similar stabilizing gear are out. The complex cannot be accessed with food or drink, smoking is prohibited even outdoors, and the plasterwork, tiles, columns and floors must not be touched. Animals are not allowed, except guide dogs and assistance dogs.
There is an established itinerary for wheelchairs, and some wheelchairs can be hired at the access pavilion, subject to availability.
On foot, you can walk up Cuesta Gomérez from Plaza Nueva. Buses C30 and C32 also serve the Alhambra.
The Council does not provide guides itself, although hiring one is recommended, and audio guides are on offer. the official visit guide explains what to expect on the day.
If you prefer a guide, the Full-Day Alhambra Guided Tour: Generalife and Alcazaba starts at the Alhambra and covers the Generalife gardens, the Alcazaba fortress and the Palace of Carlos V, according to its operator.
The Private Walking Tour of Alhambra: Guided Palace Experience is run as a private tour for your group, and its operator says it also covers the Nasrid Palaces. The Private Guided Tour of Alhambra & Granada with Hotel Pickup starts at a Costa del Sol hotel, with a private driver, and adds a walk through Granada city, according to its operator.
No, and anyone who turns up late at the entrance is not admitted.
Keep it under the stated limit, and use the free lockers if any are left.
No. Audio guides can be hired, and a private guide is a good alternative.
Yes, even though it is free for minors.
