4. Generalife Gardens
Genaralife

If you have a long wait before your entry to the Palacios Nazaries, tour these gardens first, then the Alcazaba fort and Charles V’s Palace.

The sultan’s vegetable and fruit garden and summer palace, called the Generalife (hen-ne-raw-LEEF-ay), are a short hike uphill past the ticket office. The 2,000 residents of the Alhambra enjoyed the fresh fruit and veggies grown here. But most importantly, the sultan enjoyed a quiet and handy escape from things in the summer: his Generalife Palace.

Walk through the sprawling gardens (planted only in the 1930s — in Moorish times, there were no cypress trees here). The sleek, modern amphitheater has been recently renovated and continues to be an important concert venue for Granada. It sees most activity during the International Festival of Music and Dance. Many of the world’s greatest artists have performed here, including Arthur Rubenstein, Rudolf Nureyev, and Margot Fonteyn. At the small palace, pass through the dismounting room (imagine dismounting onto the helpful stone ledge, and letting your horse drink in the trough here). Step past the guarded entry into the most perfect Arabian garden in Andalucía.

This summer home of the Moorish kings, the closest thing on earth to the Quran’s description of Heaven, was planted over 600 years ago — remarkable longevity for a European garden. Five-hundred-year-old paintings show it looking essentially as it does today. The flowers, herbs, aromas, and water are exquisite…even for a sultan. Up the Darro River, the royal aqueduct diverted a life-giving stream of water into the Alhambra. It was channeled through this decorative fountain to irrigate the bigger garden outside, then along an aqueduct into the Alhambra for its 2,000 thirsty residents.

At the end of the pond, you enter the sultan’s tiny, three-room summer palace. From the end, climb 10 steps into the Christian Renaissance gardens. The ancient, decrepit tree rising over the pond inspired Washington Irving, who wrote that this must be the “only surviving witness to the wonders of that age of Al-Andalus.”

Exiting left to the top floor of the palace reveals a stunning view of the Albayzín. Don’t climb the Escalera del Agua unless you need the exercise…it only goes up and then back down. Pass the turnstile (pausing for a view back down into the palace garden) and follow salida (exit) signs as you circle back to where you entered the Generalife.

Your visit to the Alhambra is complete, and you’ve earned your reward. “Surely Allah will make those who believe and do good deeds enter gardens beneath which rivers flow; they shall be adorned therein with bracelets of gold and pearls, and their garments therein shall be of silk” (Quran 22.23).
Getting there: There are three ways to get to the Alhambra.

1. From Plaza Nueva, hike 30 minutes up the street Cuesta de Gomérez. Keep going straight, with the Alhambra high on your left. The ticket pavilion is on the far side of the Alhambra, near the Generalife Gardens.

2. From Plaza Plaza Isabel La Católica, catch a red #32 minibus, marked Alhambra (€1, runs every 15 min).

3. Take a taxi (€5, taxi stand on Plaza Nueva).

Don’t drive. Parking is convenient, near the entrance of the Alhambra (€1.50/hr), but when you leave, one-way streets will send you into the traffic-clogged center of New Granada.
Planning Your Visit

It’s a 15-minute walk from the entry (at the top end) to Palacios Nazaries at the other end. Be sure to arrive at the Alhambra with enough time to make it to the palace before your allotted half-hour entry time slot ends. The ticket-checkers at Palacios Nazaries are strict. Remember that if you have an appointment for Palacios Nazaries after 14:00, you can’t be admitted to the Alhambra any earlier than 14:00. And, as mentioned earlier, once you’re inside the palace, you can stay as long as you want.

To minimize walking, see Charles V’s Palace and the Alcazaba fort before your visit to Palacios Nazaries. When you finish touring Palacios Nazaries, you’ll leave through the Partal Gardens near the Alhambra entrance, not far from the Generalife Gardens. Depending on your time, you can visit the Generalife Gardens before or after your visit to Palacios Nazaries. If you have any time to kill before your palace appointment, you can do it luxuriously on the breezy view terrace of the parador bar (actually within the Alhambra walls). While you can find drinks, WCs, and guidebooks near the entrance of Palacios Nazaries, you’ll find none inside the actual palace. If you’re going to the Albayzín afterwards, catch bus #32, which goes from the Alhambra back through Plaza Isabel La Católica and then up into the Albayzín.

Audioguide: The €3 audioguide brings the palace to life, providing providing an hour and 45 minutes of description for 48 stops (rent it at the entrance and at Charles V’s Palace; you’ll need to return it where you picked it up). Audioguides are not available for night visits.

Guidebooks: Consider getting a guidebook in town and reading it the night before to understand the layout and history of this remarkable sight before entering. The classic is The Alhambra and the Generalife (€8, includes great map, sold in town and throughout the Alhambra), but even better is the slick Alhambra and Generalife in Focus, which is more readable and has vibrant color photos (€8, sold at many bookstores around town). The one called the “official guide” is not as good.

Cost: The Alcazaba fort, Palacios Nazaries (Moorish palace), and Generalife Gardens require a €12 combo-ticket. If the Palacios Nazaries is booked up during the day, consider getting the €6 ticket that covers only the Generalife and Alcazaba, viewing the garden and fort during the day, and then visiting the palace at night. Only Charles V’s Palace is free. A good map is included with your ticket if you ask for it at the ticket window.

Hours: The Alhambra is open daily March–Oct 8:30–20:00, Nov–Feb 8:30–18:00 (ticket office opens at 8:00, last entry one hour before closing time, tel. 902-441-221). The Palacios Nazaries is also open most evenings.

The Alhambra by Moonlight: If you’re frustrated by the reservation system, or just prefer doing things after dark, late-night visits to the Alhambra are easy (you never need a reservation — just buy your ticket upon arrival) and magical (less crowded and beautifully lit). The night visits only include the Palacios Nazaries (not the Alcazaba fort or the Generalife Gardens) — but, hey, the palace is 80 percent of the Alhambra’s thrills anyway. It’s open March–Oct Tue–Sat 22:00–23:30 (ticket office open 21:30–22:30), closed Sun–Mon; and Nov–Feb only Fri–Sat 20:00–21:30 (ticket office open 19:30–20:30), closed Sun–Thu.
Getting a Reservation for the Alhambra

Many tourists never get to see the Alhambra, because tickets sell out. Make a reservation as soon as you’re ready to commit to a time (especially during Holy Week, on weekends, or on major holidays). Off-season (July–Aug and winter), you might be able to just walk right in. While things are getting easier, the crowds are unpredictable, and getting a reservation is quite easy.

The Alhambra complex’s top sight is the Moorish palace — Palacios Nazaries. Only 350 visitors per half hour are allowed to enter. You have a 30-minute time slot during which you must enter the palace (printed on your ticket). Once inside the palace, however, you can linger as long as you like. If your entry time to Palacios Nazaries is before 14:00, you can stroll the Alhambra grounds anytime in the morning, see the palace at your appointed time, and leave the Alhambra by 14:00 (although you can get away with staying longer in the fort, gardens, or palace, you won’t be allowed to enter any of these sites after 14:00). If your ticket is stamped for 14:00 or later, you can go inside the Alhambra grounds no earlier than 14:00.

For instance, if you have a reservation to visit Palacios Nazaries between 16:30 and 17:00, you can enter the Alhambra grounds as early as 14:00 and see the fort and Generalife Gardens before the palace. (Because of the time restriction on afternoon visits, morning times sell out the quickest. But for most travelers, an afternoon is ample time to see the site, the light is perfect, and there are fewer tour groups.)

Reserving in Advance: There are four options, each with a (worth it) €1 surcharge. On the day of your tour, make sure you arrive at the Alhambra about an hour before your palace appointment, since the ticket line may require up to a 20-minute wait, and walking from the ticket office to the palace takes 15 minutes. Bring the same debit/credit card that you used to make the reservation. If you have a foreign card, you will need to wait in line at the windows marked Retirada de Reservas to pick up your tickets. Bring photo identification and be prepared to enter your credit or debit card’s PIN (this is the code required to withdraw cash, not your credit card’s security code).

1. Order online at www.alhambra-tickets.es.

2. Order by phone. Within Spain, dial 902-888-001 or 902-505-061. To call internationally, dial the international access code first (00 from a European country, 011 from the US or Canada), then 34-934-923-750 (daily 8:30–16:00, can reserve between one day and a year in advance). Pay with a credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or American Express). You’ll get a reference number to tell the ticket-window clerk at the Alhambra to get your ticket.

3. If you plan to stay at one of the fancier hotels, ask - when you book your hotel room - if the hotelier can book a reservation for you to visit the Alhambra the day after your arrival.

4. If you buy a Bono Turístico city pass in advance, you can also book your Alhambra appointment then.

If you’re in Granada without a reservation: You have a number of alternatives, the least appealing of which involves getting up unnaturally early (#2).

1. Your hotel may be willing to book a reservation for you on short notice. The Alhambra sets aside 400 tickets daily for hotel guests.

2. Stand in line at the Alhambra. The Alhambra admits 7,800 visitors a day. Six thousand tickets are sold in advance. The rest — 1,800 — are sold each day at the Alhambra ticket window labeled Venta Directa (near Generalife Gardens and parking lot). The ticket office opens at 8:00, and on busy peak-season days, tickets can sell out quickly. Generally if you’re in line by about 7:30, you’ll get an entry time, probably for later that day. On a slow day, you’ll get in right away. During busy times, you’ll have an appointment for later that day. If the Palacios Nazaries is booked up during the day, get the €6 ticket that covers only the Generalife Gardens and the Alcazaba fort, then return to visit the palace at night.

3. Consider getting Granada’s Bono Turístico city pass if you’ll be staying at least two days. It costs €30, covers admission to the Alhambra and Granada’s other top sights, and includes a reservation for the Alhambra (scheduled when you buy the pass). But there are no guarantees that a time slot will be available (especially during April–June and Sept–Oct).

4. Take a tour of the Alhambra. The pricier hotels can book you on an expensive €49 GranaVisión tour that includes transportation to the Alhambra and a guided tour of the Palacios Nazaries. The same company also offers tours of the city and province (tel. 958-535-875).

5. Easiest of all, simply go at night.