Granada and the Alhambra: the back story

About Granada and the Alhambra: the back story

By the ULTIMATE Marbella Editorial Team

The Alhambra was the palace and fortress of the Nasrid sultans, the last Muslim rulers in Spain.

The palace on the hill

Granada was the last Muslim kingdom in Spain, ruled by the Nasrid dynasty until the city fell to the Catholic Monarchs in 1492. Their palace-fortress, the Alhambra, stands on a hill above the city with the Sierra Nevada behind it, and together with the Generalife gardens and the Albaicín quarter it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

What to see

The highlight is the Nasrid Palaces, with their carved stucco, tiled walls and courtyards of water, including the Court of the Lions. Allow time for the Alcazaba fortress, the Renaissance Palace of Charles V and the Generalife gardens. Across the valley, the Mirador de San Nicolás in the Albaicín gives the classic view of the Alhambra, best at sunset.

The Alhambra’s Nasrid Palaces are timed to the minute: plan your day around your slot.

Timed tickets

Tickets are limited and often sell out weeks ahead in spring and summer. Each ticket gives a fixed time slot for the Nasrid Palaces, and if you miss it you cannot go in. Tickets carry the holder’s name, so bring the ID used to book. Buy from the official Alhambra ticket website or an authorised seller.

Getting there

Granada is roughly two hours from Marbella by car. Start early, and consider a night in the city to see the Albaicín and the tapas bars in the evening: in Granada a small tapa often comes with each drink.

Our advice: book your Alhambra tickets on the official site as soon as your dates are fixed, choose a morning Nasrid Palaces slot, and keep the afternoon for the Albaicín.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Granada and the Alhambra: the back story before you go.