The Nasrid Palaces
The heart of the Alhambra: halls of carved plaster, muqarnas vaulting and Arabic calligraphy, above all the Court of the Lions.
Jebulon — CC0 · Holger Uwe Schmitt — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Holger Uwe Schmitt — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Holger Uwe Schmitt — CC BY-SA 4.0
The Alhambra is the most famous thing Muslims built in Spain, standing on a hill above Granada. The Nasrids, rulers of the kingdom of Granada, raised it in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, and it was the last Muslim stronghold in Spain until Granada fell in 1492. The name means "the red one", after the colour of its clay walls. It is not one palace but a whole walled city: a military fortress, palaces for governing and living, mosques, baths and houses, and gardens. UNESCO lists it as World Heritage, and it is the most visited monument in all of Spain. Visiting takes serious planning. Tickets sell out weeks ahead, and entry to the Nasrid Palaces is at a time fixed to the minute that cannot be moved. Book on the official site as soon as your travel dates are set, and carry your passport, since ID is checked at the gate.
The heart of the Alhambra: halls of carved plaster, muqarnas vaulting and Arabic calligraphy, above all the Court of the Lions.
The summer gardens with their running water and pools, on the facing hill looking back at the palaces.
The oldest military fortress in the complex, its towers looking over all Granada and the Sierra Nevada.
Thousands of lines carved into the walls, the most repeated being "There is no victor but God".
Calle Real de la Alhambra, 18009 Granada
Palace of Charles VThe Palace of Charles V is a Renaissance building standing inside the Alhambra, 2 minutes walk4.7
Nasrid PalacesThe Nasrid Palaces are the heart of the Alhambra and its greatest treasure. Thre2 minutes walk4.8
GeneralifeThe Generalife was the summer garden of Granada's rulers, on the hill facing the3 minutes walk4.9
Alcazaba of the AlhambraThe Alcazaba is the military part of the Alhambra and its oldest section. Built 4 minutes walk4.8
Palacio de los CórdovaA Renaissance palace below the Alhambra hill in Granada, surrounded by gardens o5 minutes walk4.4Only on the official site, and as soon as your dates are fixed. Tickets are released months ahead and go quickly, especially in spring and summer. You will choose a specific slot for the Nasrid Palaces, and that time cannot be changed. Avoid reseller sites, which charge several times the price.
Three hours minimum, four to five for a comfortable visit. The complex is large and the walking goes up and down. Plan your day around the Nasrid Palaces slot: do the Alcazaba or Generalife before it, and the rest after.
Spring and autumn: mild weather and the gardens at their best. Summer in Granada is very hot and the crowds are at their peak. If you must come in summer, take the first morning slot or an evening visit, and bring water and a hat.
Particularly so. The inscriptions on the walls are Quranic verse and Arabic poetry you can read directly — something most visitors cannot do. Many Arabic speakers describe the visit as unlike any other monument in Europe.