What to Do If Alhambra Tickets are Sold Out? Other Ways to Gain Entry

It might happen that the tickets to the Alhambra are sold out especially during peak seasons. When no tickets are available for a specific day there are 6 alternative ways to gain entry:



If you could not buy any type of the entrance ticket you can visit the free part of the Alhambra complex - it is the last option to consider. You should visit these free areas after seeing the Alhambra anyway.

Option 1 - Buy Another Type of Entrance

When the tickets to the Alhambra are sold out you can purchase an alternative type of admission ticket.

There are 5 other types of tickets:

1. Generalife and Alcazaba, 2. Night Visit to Nasrid Palaces, 3. Night Visit to Generalife, 4. Alhambra Experience, 5. Dobla de Oro, daytime and nighttime.

Some of these tickets only include the Generalife (summer palace and gardens) and the Alcazaba (fortifications), and others only nighttime visits of the Nasrid Palaces, but at least you can see a part of the Alhambra.

These tickets can be purchased on the same official Granada tourism borad website where the general tickets are sold.

Dobla de Oro is the only ticket, apart from the Alhambra General, that includes the day visit to the Nasrid Palaces, Alcazaba and Generalife.

Alhambra Experience Visit

When the Alhambra tickets are sold out the second best option (apart from Dobla de Oro) is to buy the Alhambra Experience ticket.

It includes a daytime visit to the Generalife and Alcazaba and a nighttime visit of the Nasrid Palaces on two consecutive days. The price of this visit is only slightly higher than that of the general ticket.

With this option, we can see everything in the Alhambra complex, except the Nazrid Palaces at night. If you choose this option, you'll need to stay overnight in Granada.

Night Visit to Nasrid Palaces

This option includes only the visit to the Nasrid Palaces at night. You cannot visit the Alcazaba or Generalife. It offers another prospective of the palace.

The area designated for the night visit is much smaller than that for the day visit. Try to arrive early, as the queues could be long.

This option is for people who prefer to see the Nasrid Palaces rather than the rest of the Alhambra site or have no other choice.

Visit Generalife and Alcazaba

This ticket includes the Alcazaba, Partal and its Palace (the remains of the residence of Sultan Yusuf III) and Generalife gardens.

It does not include the Nasrid Palaces, but you can see the rest of the Alhambra complex.

This option is for people who prefer to see the Generalife and the Alcazaba rather than the Nasrid Palaces or have no other choice.

Visit to the Generalife

There are two ticket types for the gardens: the day and nighttime visits. These visits include only the Generalife gardens. They do not include the Nasrid Palaces or Alcazaba.

For more information visit: How to Buy Tickets, and the Alhambra Prices.

Where to Buy the Tickets

You can buy tickets to the Alhambra at https://tickets.alhambra-patronato.es.

Option 2 – Buy a Guided Tour

When there are no tickets left, a great option is to book a guided tour with an official guide who will make your visit very special.

This choice is for people who want to visit the monument and learn from professional guides.

Having a guide explain everything about the Alhambra adds a unique dimension to the experience.

This tour proudly holds a five-star rating: Alhambra Guided Tour.

Option 3 - Buy Dobla de Oro

What is Dobla de Oro? Dobla de Oro is a combined ticket that allows you to visit the Alhambra and 5 key monuments located in the Albaicín.

This ticket if valid for three days, so you can visit these monuments one day before or after the date you visit the Alhambra.

This touristic route has been designed to connect the Alhambra with the Albaicín in a historic journey that will give you a glimpse of how life was in the city of Granada outside the Alhambra walls of the Alhambra during the Nasrid period.

Through these monuments, which were once the residences of very important families, you will witness the transformation that Granada underwent after the conquest by the Caholic Monarchs.

Dobla de Oro includes a visit to the entire monumental complex of the Alhambra (the Nasrid Palaces, Alcazaba and Generalife Gardens) and these monuments:

1. Bañuelo: one of the oldest and best preserved Arab public baths in Spain.

2. Dar al-Horra Palace: it was the official residence of Aixa la-Horra, mother of the last Emir of Granada: Muhammad XII, known as Boabdil.

3. Casa del Chapiz: it belonged to two Arab families who who converted to Christianity when Granada was conquered. Like most of these houses, it has beautiful gardens overlooking the Alhambra. Find more information in Casa del Chapiz

4. Casa Horno de Oro: a typical Nasrid stately home that was transformed in the 16th century.

5. Casa de Zafra: a Nasrid palace built at the end of the XIV century. It was given to the Catholic Monarchs’ secretary, Hernando de Zafra. See more info »

The Dobla de Oro route includes the visit to the Corral del Carbon, although this monument offers free admission regardless.

Dobla de Oro tickets cost 20,84 euros, 6 euros more than the Alhambra tickets.

However, it includes some very interesting monuments and serves as an alternative way to obtain tickets to the Alhambra when the General Entrance tickets have already sold out.

Where to Buy Dobla de Oro Tickets

You can buy Dobla de Oro tickets at https://tickets.alhambra-patronato.es

Option 4 - Buy Granada Card

Another option to gain entry to the Alhambra when the tickets are sold out is to purchase the Granada Card at one of the official sale points in Granada or online.

The Granada Card includes the ticket for the Alhambra, as well as entrance to other major monuments in Granada, free trips on the urban buses and one ride on the tourist train.

The card is a good option as it grants us access to the Alhambra and allows us to visit other 10 monuments.

If we don't have enough time or don't want to visit so many monuments, we can simply visit the Alhambra and focus on the ones that interest us the most. Even if we only visit 60% of the monuments, we'll still make the investment worthwhile.

In high season, tickets to the Alhambra can sell out, but the Granada Card guarantees you entry.

Keep in mind that Granada Cards can also sell out, especially in high season and holidays, but it's worth a try.

See detailed information in Granada Card.

Where to Buy Granada Card

You can purchase the Granada Card at this site: https://granadatur.clorian.com/es/

Option 5 - Buy at the Last Moment

Wait for a cancellation. There is a possibility of released tickets becoming available starting at 00:00 on the same day due to group or guided visits being cancelled.

Simply visit the official sales site at 00:01 and check.

It is a risky strategy, there is no guarantee than you will get the tickets.

Option 6 - See a Free Part of the Alhambra Complex

If none of the above options are available, a large part inside the walls of the Alhambra complex can be visited without an entrance ticket.

For all the main parts of the Alhambra (the Nasrid Palaces and the Generalife) you need a ticket. However, there are different palaces, gardens and gates within Alhambra that you can visit for free.

The Alhambra Museum, Charles V Palace, Torre de las Cabezas, Carmen de los Martires, Puerta de la Justicia and other hidden gems in the surrounding area can be explored for free.

More information in Alhambra Free Areas.

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No tickets left

A month and a half before my visit to the Alhambra there are no more tickets left. The options given here helped me a lot, but still everything was sold out. I bought the granada card. Other option was to buy expensive guided tour, for children 49 euros, its too expensive.