Granada 1 hour 30 min from Los Callejones Villa Holidays
Alhambra Complex
The Alhambra Palace was so called because of its reddish walls (in Arabic, («qa'lat al-Hamra'» means Red Castle). It is located on top of the hill al-Sabika, on the left bank of the river Darro, to the west of the city of Granada infront of the neighbourhoods of the Albaicin and of the Alcazaba
Planning Your Visit
When you book your ticket to visit the Nasrid Palaces, you will be required to select a time. Time slots are available every half hour, with a capacity of 300 people per slot. It's important to note the palaces are situated about a 30-minute walk from the Alhambra main entrance, so plan to arrive earlier than the time on your ticket. We recommend booking for late morning/afternoon slots (if possible) as this allows more time to walk around the beautiful grounds beforehand. Be aware that if you miss your time slot, you will be denied entry to Nazrid Palaces complex of buildings (but not the outer areas or the Generalife Gardens), so it makes sense to enter the Alhambra well in advance, at least an hour before your assigned entry time. You can then visit other sections of the Alhambra beforehand. Keep hold of your ticket at all times, as you will need to show it several times during your visit.
Logically it is best to visit the Alcazaba (fortress) first, then the Palace of Carlos V (with museums) before the Nazrid Palaces. Then you can walk along the north wall towards the Generalife (gardens). To visit everything at a leisurely pace requires 4 hours and is approximately a 3km walk..
Access to the Alhambra by car is made by the southern bypass direction Sierra Nevada, private transport is not permitted to access the Alhambra from the centre of the city.
Follow the Granada bypass on the edge of the city, toward the South (Motril) and follow the directions toward the Alhambra (Ronda Sur) which will lead you to the monument’s car park You must pass the Serrallo tunnel, turn left at the roundabout and go up by Avda. de Santa María de la Alhambra and then by Camino Viejo del Cementerio.
About
The Alhambra is located on a strategic point, with a view over the whole city and the meadow (la Vega), and this fact leads to believe that other buildings were already on that site before the Muslims arrived. The complex is surrounded by ramparts and has an irregular shape. It limits with the valley of the river Darro on its northern side, with the valley of al-Sabika on its southern side and with the street Cuesta del Rey Chico on the eastern side. The Cuesta del Rey Chico is also the border between the neighbourhood of the Albaicin and the gardens of the Generalife, located on top of the Hill of the Sun (Cerro del Sol). The first historical documents known about the Alhambra date from the 9th century and they refer to Sawwar ben Hamdun who, in the year 889, had to seek refuge in the Alcazaba, a fortress, and had to repair it due to the civil fights that were destroying the Caliphate of Cordoba, to which Granada then belonged. This site subsequently started to be extended and populated, although not yet as much as it would be later on, because the Ziri kings established their residence on the hill of the Albaicin.
Tips for Alhambra Palace and best ticket time to visit Nasrid Palace
