Tickets to the Alhambra in Granada that include the Nasrid Palaces can sell out days in advance. However, there is a workaround that will get you into the palaces.
The Alhambra of Granada is one of the greatest attractions in Andalucia, Spain. The palace and fortress complex is one of the world’s most impressive examples of Islamic architecture, and is steeped in history.
The problem for most visitors is that they think they can just rock up to the Alhambra and get tickets on the day.
Getting tickets for the Alhambra on the day
It is possible to get into the Alhambra buying tickets on the day. However, these tickets tend to only cover the gardens, Generalife palace and Alcazaba fortress.
All of these are well worth seeing, and would be the highlight of most other cities. But the star attractions at the Alhambra are the Nasrid Palaces.
What are the Nasrid Palaces?
The Nasrid Palaces are the jewel in the Alhambra’s crown. These former royal palaces feature the most sumptuous decoration within the complex, and largely retain their Islamic character.
Timed tickets are required to visit the Nasrid Palaces, and these Alhambra tickets often sell out days in advance.
In fact, when I checked, they were sold out for the whole of next week.
How far in advance should you book Alhambra tickets, and what time slots are available?
Alhambra tickets with Nasrid Palaces access typically sell out 7-14 days in advance during peak season (April-October), 3-7 days ahead in shoulder season (March, November), and sometimes just 1-3 days during winter (December-February), though Christmas holidays and weekends sell out faster regardless of season.
The official Alhambra ticket website releases tickets exactly 3 months in advance at midnight Spanish time—meaning tickets for June 15th become available March 15th at 00:01 CET, and popular morning slots (9:00-10:00am) often sell out within hours of release.
Nasrid Palaces entry operates on strict 30-minute time windows throughout the day: morning slots run 8:30am-2:00pm, while afternoon entries span 2:00pm-6:00pm (extended to 8:00pm April-October for night visits). You must enter the Nasrid Palaces during your designated 30-minute window. Arriving late means you forfeit entry with no refund, though you can explore the Generalife gardens and Alcazaba fortress anytime during opening hours before or after your timed palace entry.
If checking availability and finding “sold out” across all time slots, check again at 7:00am and 2:00pm daily when the ticket office occasionally releases cancelled reservations or holds additional spots, though availability remains limited to typically 5-15 tickets maximum. For guaranteed next-day access when official tickets are unavailable, guided tours with pre-allocated Nasrid Palaces entry usually show availability even when individual tickets display as sold out for weeks ahead.
How to get Nasrid Palaces tickets for tomorrow
If you want to see the Nasrid Palaces, and haven’t bought tickets well in advance, there is a workaround. It’s a more expensive workaround, sure, but it’ll usually get you into the Nasrid Palaces the next day or the day after.
The solution is to book a ticket for a tour. Guided tours get pre-allocated a number of tickets for all areas of the Alhambra – including the Nasrid Palaces. Therefore, if there are spots on the tour available – and availability is usually much better than for the self-guided Nasrid Palaces tickets – you can get in.
Alhambra ticket costs: Tour vs self-guided
At the time of writing, the price for an individual ticket to the Alhambra that includes the Nasrid Palaces is €19.09. For a guided tour that includes the Nasrid Palaces, as well as the rest of the Alhambra, it’s €39.99.
That’s twice as much, but if you’ve not planned in advance, this may well be the only way to see the best of the Alhambra while you’re in Granada. Besides – on a tour, you’ll get a lot more information than you’ll pick up walking around on your own.
Other attractions in Granada include the Spanish Inquisition museum inside the Palacio de los Olvidados.
Disclosure: There are affiliate links within this article. If you buy a product after clicking through on these links, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to yourself.
More Andalucia travel
- A guide to Almeria for first time visitors.
- Does the Almeria to Granada train make for a viable day trip?
- How fast is the Madrid to Cordoba train?
- Is the Mezquita in Cordoba the strangest building in the world?
- Five things to do in Cordoba once you’ve seen the Mezquita.
- Why the Museo Picasso in Malaga is worth visiting.
