The stunning palace and gardens are seen by only 8,000 people daily, and admission to the Nasrid Palace areas, which include the Lion Court, is limited to 300 people per half-hour block.
Tickets and Admission to the Alhambra
Because tickets to see the Alhambra are in such high demand, it's highly recommended that you reserve your tickets when you make your travel plans rather than risk being unable to get in. It would be an enormous pity to travel to Granada only to be unable to visit the Alhambra because the tickets for the day are sold out.
Tickets are available for Daytime Visit or Evening Visit. Daytime Visit is further divided into Morning Visit and Afternoon Visit. If your ticket is for a morning visit, you may enter the Alhambra anytime after 8:30 AM and 2 PM. For an afternoon visit, you will only be allowed to enter the Alhambra after 2 PM. Once you are inside the palace, though, you can stay until closing time regardless of the time that you entered. An Evening Visit ticket only allows access to those areas of the Nasrid Palaces open to the public. There are also Garden Visit tickets available during the evening hours. These tickets allow visitors to enter and tour only the Alhambra's main gardens, including the Generalife, the Portal, Alcazaba, and the three gardens of the Alhambra itself.
There are 7,800 tickets available to enter the Alhambra each day. Of these, only 1,800 are available for sale to the general public on the day that they can be used. Tickets may be reserved up to a year in advance through any of the following means: Purchase your tickets online at www.alhambratickets.com Order tickets by phone with your Visa or Mastercard credit card. In Spain, call 902-224-460. Outside Spain, dial the international country code (from the US 011, from another European country, 00), then dial 34-915-379-178. You can make your reservation at any BBVA Bank in Spain.
You can also ask if your hotel can book your reservations for the Alhambra when you book your room. There are 400 tickets set aside daily for guests of various hotels. Your hotel may charge you a few for making the reservation, but it may be the easiest way to ensure that you have tickets to the Alhambra.
If you've come to Granada without a reservation, it's still possible to get tickets. It's just harder, and there's more of a chance that tickets will be sold out by the time you get to the ticket window. Again, the easiest way is to ask if your hotel can make reservations or get a ticket for you. Some of the pricier hotels make a point of holding a few tickets in reserve for exactly that purpose.
Find a BBVA bank branch and make a reservation for the following day at the window.
Finally, you can take your chances at the Alhambra ticket window, located by the Generalife Gardens. The ticket window opens at 8:00 AM, and during busy times tickets can sell out as early as 10:00 AM. Generally, if you're in line by 8:15 AM, you'll get tickets.
Buy a Bono Turistico city pass that includes admission to the Alhambra and to Granada's other top sites. Your appointment time will be scheduled when you buy the pass. Join a guided tour of the Alhambra, available through some of the fancier hotels or through your tourist agent.