# The Alhambra, Granada > The Alhambra is a palace and fortress complex on a hill above Granada and Europe's most famous monument of Moorish architecture. Building began in 1238 under the Nasrid dynasty, and the main palaces, with their carved halls and the Court of the Lions, date from the 14th century. Beside them stand the Alcazaba fortress, the Palace of Charles V and the Generalife gardens. A UNESCO site since 1984, it's entered on timed tickets that sell out weeks ahead; allow 3–4 hours. Web page: https://yesgo.io/spain/granada/alhambra - City: [Granada](https://yesgo.io/spain/granada), Spain - YesGo score: 60/100 (Yes, go) - Time on site: 3 h - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Timed ticket, weeks ahead - Hours: Daily by day, night visits too - Time needed: 3–4 hours - Highlights: Nasrid Palaces, Alcazaba, Generalife - UNESCO: Since 1984 - Location: Sabika hill above central Granada - Coordinates: 37.17634, -3.58821 - Facts checked: 11.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1238** — building began under the Nasrids (source: English Wikipedia) - **14th c.** — the main palaces were built (source: English Wikipedia) - **1984** — added to the UNESCO list (source: UNESCO World Heritage List, no. 314) - **6+** — palaces once stood in the citadel (source: English Wikipedia) ## About the Alhambra The Alhambra is a whole fortified city on **Sabika hill** above Granada. Building began in **1238** under the first emir of the **Nasrid** dynasty, and later rulers kept extending and decorating the palaces for two more centuries. The name comes from the Arabic al-Hamra, the red one, after the colour of its walls at sunset. Within the walls there were once a mosque, baths, workshops, homes and at least six palaces. Best preserved are the **Nasrid Palaces**, the only near-intact palace of the medieval Islamic world. The Alhambra joined the UNESCO list in **1984** and is now one of Spain's most visited sights. ## What to see in the Alhambra - **The Nasrid Palaces** — the Mexuar, Comares and Palace of the Lions. - **The Court of the Lions** — a fountain borne by twelve stone lions. - **The Court of the Myrtles** — a long pool mirroring the Comares tower. - **The Alcazaba** — the old fortress with a tower and city views. - **The Partal gardens** — a pool, an arcaded pavilion and roses. - **The Generalife** — the summer palace with gardens and fountains. ## The Nasrid Palaces The **Nasrid Palaces** are the main reason to come, and entry is strictly at the time on your ticket. The route starts in the **Mexuar**, where rulers received visitors, and leads into the **Comares Palace** with its Court of the Myrtles: a long pool edged by myrtle hedges reflects the tower whose throne hall sits beneath a carved wooden dome. Next comes the **Palace of the Lions** and the Alhambra's most famous courtyard, where twelve stone lions carry a fountain basin on their backs amid a forest of slender columns. Nearby halls have ceilings of thousands of carved cells, like stalactites or honeycomb. The walls are covered in lacy carved plaster and Arabic poetry, above geometric tiles. > **Book tickets early** Alhambra tickets are timed and strictly limited, and in high season they sell out several weeks ahead. Buy on the official website as soon as your date is set. Entry to the Nasrid Palaces is only within the half-hour on your ticket: miss it and you can't go in. Bring your passport, as the name on the ticket is checked. ## The Alcazaba and Partal gardens The **Alcazaba** is the oldest part of the Alhambra, a fortress on the western tip of the hill. Climb the Torre de la Vela for a view over all of Granada, the white [Albaicín](https://yesgo.io/spain/granada/albaicin) quarter opposite and the snowy peaks of the [Sierra Nevada](https://yesgo.io/spain/granada/sierra-nevada-spain) beyond. It's especially lovely in the evening as the city lights come on. After the palaces, step into the **Partal gardens**: a large pool reflecting a five-arched pavilion, with terraces of roses and cypresses. A path leads on to the [Generalife](https://yesgo.io/spain/granada/generalife), the summer palace and gardens. In the middle of the complex stands the Renaissance [Palace of Charles V](https://yesgo.io/spain/granada/palace-of-charles-v), whose round courtyard houses the Alhambra Museum. ## How to get there 1. Minibuses **C30** and **C32** from Plaza Isabel la Católica. 2. On foot uphill from Plaza Nueva, about 20–30 minutes. 3. By taxi to the main entrance by the ticket pavilion. 4. By car, with paid parking at the main entrance. ## Tips for your visit Allow 3–4 hours and wear comfortable shoes: the grounds are large and the paths go up and down. Plan your route around your Nasrid Palaces slot, seeing the Alcazaba before it and the gardens and Generalife after. There are cafés inside, but the choice is limited, so bring water. In summer the most comfortable times are morning and evening. There are also **night visits** to the Nasrid Palaces and the Generalife: floodlit halls in the quiet are a completely different experience from the daytime. Book these well ahead too. The best view of the whole Alhambra is from outside: the Mirador de San Nicolás in the Albaicín. Go at sunset, when the walls glow red against the mountains. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Book a timed ticket weeks ahead - [ ] Bring your passport - [ ] Reach the Nasrid Palaces on time - [ ] Climb the Alcazaba tower - [ ] See the Alhambra at sunset from the Albaicín ## Places in Granada: compare and choose Places in Granada rated by YesGo. - [Alhambra](https://yesgo.io/spain/granada/alhambra) — YesGo score 60/100 (Yes, go) · 3 h · Paid - [Palace of Charles V](https://yesgo.io/spain/granada/palace-of-charles-v) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Courtyard free, museums paid - [Generalife](https://yesgo.io/spain/granada/generalife) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · On the Alhambra ticket ## Don't mix it up The Alhambra is the Nasrid palace-fortress in Granada; the Alcázar is the royal palace in Seville. ## Tips - Book weeks ahead. - Reach the palaces on time. - Bring your passport. - Sunset from the Albaicín. ## Questions ### How do I buy Alhambra tickets? On the official website, for a set time and well ahead, often weeks in high season. ### How long do you need at the Alhambra? 3–4 hours including the Generalife gardens. ### What should I see first at the Alhambra? The Nasrid Palaces and Court of the Lions, the Alcazaba and the Generalife. ### How do I get to the Alhambra? Minibuses C30 and C32 from the centre, or a 20–30-minute uphill walk. ### Are there night visits? Yes, to the Nasrid Palaces and the Generalife, on separate tickets. ## How we checked Facts from English Wikipedia and UNESCO. Hours, prices and bus routes weren't confirmed with an official source — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Alhambra - UNESCO World Heritage List, no. 314 - Official website, alhambra-patronato.es --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.