Everybody who comes to Granada has the intention of doing two things; tapas bar hoping and visiting the Alhambra. This coupled with the limited number of visitors allowed into the Fortress each day suggests that you should purchase your tickets in advance to ensure you get in. Of course if you feel lucky or are visiting in the off season you can hike on up the hill to the main entrance to pay cash, but it’s a bit of a walk to chance getting in. Here is a quick guide to getting your ticket and arriving at the last Moorish strong hold in Spain, the Alhambra.
I recommend you purchase your tickets as soon as you know the date you will be in Granada; and be sure of this. Tickets are good only for the date chosen and will have a specific half hour window printed on them during which you can enter the Nasrid Palace. This is not something you want to miss!
Up to 3 months 
in advance you can visit www.alhambra-tickets.es and follow the websites through until you print out a reservation number. There are 3 different types of tickets that you can purchase; A general daytime ticket, a night time visit and a visit to just the gardens. As you maneuver the website you’ll be asked if you want to visit in the morning or afternoon. Base you’re decision on the weather; it can get hot in the summer as the day progresses and be realistic about your previous night’s tapas and beer consumption. There’s nothing worse than being surrounded by beautiful Islamic architecture with its sunny open courtyards and large lattice work windows shinning rays of light through high arches only to have to wear sunglasses to ease the hangover that needed to be slept off.
Remember to bring the printed confirmation page with you and the card you use to make the reservation to the ticket office at the main entrance of the fortress. Its here that you will pick up your actual ticket, complete with the time you can enter the Islamic palace and several other subsections which staff will tear or stamp as you enter the various areas inside the walls.
Do be aware that if you’re traveling in a group larger than 10 the system
will not allow you to book all at once resulting in different entry times to the palace. If this is the case you may want to go through a travel agent. Also, once the tickets are purchased you can not cancel or change anything about them. For more information visit www.alhambra.org.
To get up to the entrance pavilion where you will pick up your ticket you have a few options. Walk, take a bus or drive. For most, you won’t have your own car and if you do your braver than I so I’ll run through the first two options.
To walk, you have two different paths you can take. Both are steep at points and a little over half a mile to the top. Still, it is pleasant walking along the fortified walls with small in-ground aqua ducts flowing past and the green trees rustling above your head. The more popular route is to take the street Cuesta de Gomérez up from Plaza Nueva. However, you can follow the river Darro up past Plaza Nueva until you come to Cuesta de los Chinos on your right which will also take you up to the Entrance, albeit around the other side of the Alhambra. The latter of whic
h is my favorite as it tends to be less crowded and depending on the season has a few small waterfalls. On the other hand the more popular route has some drinking fountains and a few surprises of its own.
If you’d rather save your energy for touring the home of princes at the top, you can catch bus number 30 or 32 from Plaza Nueva and get off at the entrance pavilion.
However you decide to reach the entrance of the Alhambra you won’t disappointed with your decision to visit one of the most magical and awe inspiring locations in all of Europe.
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