Although the vast majority of visitors to the Alhambra are foreigners, most of the information explaining the ins and outs of getting tickets and using them is written in Spanish only, creating confusion and sometimes even causing people to miss the most beautiful part of Granada's - perhaps Spain's - greatest monument, the Nasrid Palaces.

So... Lorenzo has explained it all, to make it easier for you to enjoy this unique experience.  I sometimes provide this service for my guests, with a surcharge to pay the lady who does the paperwork. If this appeals to you, please get in touch with me at the email address given on my home page.

You will be given a 30 minute time-slot to enter the "inner sanctum" of the great citadel, the Nasrid Palaces, which is the restricted area.  You should turn up at the main gate about 90 minutes before the time written on your ticket, so that you can explore the other parts of the citadel and get to the Nasrid Palaces on time - they are quite a walk from the main gate.

Do not accept a reservation for less than 1 hour before closing time (which varies from winter to summer and according to the latest changes made by the whimsical adminstrators) because you need at least 45 minutes to see the Nasrid Palaces properly.  Basically, try to get a ticket for 6.00 pm at latest.

Each ticket issued is for a maximum of 10 persons. If your group is larger than 10, say 12 persons, you will be given 1 ticket for 10 persons and 1 ticket for 2 persons.  Children under 12 years of age need to request a free ticket.  EU retirees pay 10 euros each, but non-EU adults pay the full price regardless of age.  No refunds are given regardless of reasons for cancellation.

Once you are inside the Nasrid Palaces you can effectively stay as long as you want, but you must enter within the 30 minute slot shown on the ticket.

The Nasrid Palaces are small and fragile, so the number of people entering them is restricted to 350 per half an hour, which means that a maximum of 8,000 people per day can enter the Alhambra. As the number of tourists increases, particularly due to the day-trippers who come up on package tours from the Costa del Sol, more and more people either have to wait on line at the ticket office, sometimes for hours, and then either find that they cannot enter the Nasrid Palaces until later in the day, or that they cannot enter at all (mercifully, this information is broadcast in several languages on loudspeakers, when the palace is full). And the Alhambra ticket office only sells same-day entrances.

If you want to make advance reservations, you must call (from Europe) 00 34 902 888 001 (from the US and Canada, dial 011 34 902 888 001) any day of the week from 8am to midnight Spanish time, choose English language and speak to an operator.  You will be given an identification code number to present at the Alhambra ticket office marked RESERVAS (don't wait on the long line with the folks who have not yet made a reservation). However, remember - you must be there at least 90 minutes ahead of the time of your entrance to the Nasrid Palace.

You can also book through the site  http://www.servicaixa.com   and click on Alhambra at the bottom of the page.  My advice is to use the phone, since the site is user-hostile and bits of it pop up in Spanish, which can be confusing.

You can only reserve three months in advance, so if you want to see the Palace on 15 July, call them on 15 April or later (but not much later!).

The Nasrid Palaces open every night except Sunday and Monday from March to October. Until recently, it was not necessary to reserve for the night visit, but word about this option has spread, so you should either buy in advance or get on line at 9.30 pm (the Alhambra re-opens at 10pm). If the first 30 minute time slot is taken, you will be sold the 10.30 to 11.00 pm time slot, but since they close at 11.30, this means you must enter at 10.30 sharp to have at least an hour inside, otherwise you will be thrown out before you have seen everything. The night time visit does not allow you to see the Generalife or the Alcazaba, and should be thought of as a supplement to the day time visit.

WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS... if you are told that there are no more reservations available for the day of your visit, the only thing to do is go to the Alhambra ticket office very early in the morning and buy one directly.  A certain number of tickets are set aside for "same-day sale", but you must be there at 8am or even earlier since the line can get very long, especially in August, Easter and end-of-year.  I would suggest 7am, just to play it safe.  You may not be given tickets for immediate entry but have to wait until the afternoon for your reserved admission to the Nasrid Palaces.  In this case, spend the morning touring Granada and come back at least one hour before the time shown on your ticket.

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