Generalife in Granada Tickets and Tours

Located on Cerro del Sol, the Generalife is one of the most beautiful places in the Alhambra. An oasis of tranquillity where you can enjoy the fresh air and stroll through its flower-filled gardens listening to the relaxing sound of water from the palace's fountains and pools.

Sounds great, doesn't it? If you want to discover the Generalife in the Alhambra, keep reading because in this post I'll tell you how to get tickets and visit this paradise in Granada, along with some tips to help you enjoy an unforgettable experience.

The direct option

Alhambra Skip the Line Tickets

Explore the Generalife and the Alhambra with this comprehensive ticket

Discover Granada's most iconic gardens and palaces with this skip-the-line ticket to the Alhambra monument complex. Includes access to the Generalife, the Alcazaba, the Palacio del Partal and other historic sites that shaped life in the Nasrid city.

From €16 at Hellotickets

A visit to the Generalife is one of the most special moments of any tour of the Alhambra. Its gardens, ponds and architecture evoke the peaceful life of the Andalusian sultans in their moments of rest. You can buy your skip-the-line ticket to the Alhambra and explore it at your own pace without having to wait in line at the ticket office.

In addition to the Generalife, this ticket includes access to the Partal Palace, the Alcazaba and the Palace of Charles V, where the Alhambra Museum is also located. A comprehensive and flexible way to discover the most outstanding areas of the complex.

Recommended if: you want to visit the Generalife and other areas of the Alhambra without waiting and with the freedom to move at your own pace.

The guided option

Granada Alhambra and Nasrid Palaces Guided Tour

Discover the Generalife and the Alhambra with a guided tour

Explore the most fascinating corners of the Generalife and the Alhambra monument complex with a comprehensive guided tour. Skip the queues and discover the history of the site accompanied by a local expert guide.

From €49 at Hellotickets

This guided tour will allow you to discover the Generalife, the Nasrid Palaces and other emblematic areas of the Alhambra complex in depth. This is the best option if you want to understand the historical and artistic value of Granada's most visited site.

With the help of an expert guide, you will stroll through the gardens of the Generalife, the former residence of the sultans, admire the beauty of the Palace of the Lions and enjoy the best views of the city from the Alcazaba. Headphones are included so you can follow the guide's explanations comfortably.

Recommended if... you want to discover the Generalife and the Nasrid Palaces accompanied by a guide who will help you understand everything you see.

The Generalife Palace and its gardens, together with the Nasrid Palaces, are one of the most popular areas of the Alhambra, attracting many visitors. You have to see it!

But to ensure you get in on the date and at the time you want, my advice is to book your tickets to the Alhambra online and as far in advance as possible** (around one or two months before your trip), as there are several advantages over buying them at the ticket office.

On the one hand, you can compare prices and ticket types, and on the other, you'll avoid having to queue for ages at the ticket office, with the risk of being left without tickets and stuck outside, as demand is very high, tickets are in great demand and capacity is limited each day.

Admission to the Generalife Palace and gardens is included in the price of tickets to the Alhambra (from €16) and most guided tours of the Nasrid fortress (from €49), so you won't have to pay extra to access this part of the fortress.

If you only want to visit the Generalife and the gardens, the ticket price at the ticket office is £7 and also includes the Partal and the Alcazaba. However, for a little more money, you can buy a general ticket to the Alhambra which, in addition to all of the above, includes access to the Nasrid Palaces, the jewel in the crown of this monumental complex.

However, in my experience, I do not recommend buying them at the ticket office as demand to visit the Alhambra is very high and capacity is limited each day, so if you choose this option, you run the risk of having to queue for a long time without being sure that you will be able to get tickets. Tickets sell out fast!

The only way to guarantee your access is to buy a skip-the-line ticket to the Alhambra online, which will allow you to enter the monument directly. And if you want a more complete self-guided tour, from just 16 you can buy tickets for the Alhambra with the Nasrid Palaces, including the Generalife.

If you want to know more about this topic, take a look at the post Alhambra ticket prices.

Are there guided tours of the Generalife? Are they worth it?

If this is your first time at the Alhambra, taking a guided tour of the Alhambra and Generalife is undoubtedly the best option. Going on your own can be nice, but without context it's easy to miss many details that make all the difference.

Here are some advantages of choosing a guided tour:

• Historical and artistic context: you will understand the real meaning of the architecture and the history behind every corner.
• A professional guide accompanies you: you will discover interesting facts, anecdotes and details that you won't find on the information panels.
• An enjoyable and entertaining experience: the guides are usually dynamic and know how to make history come alive and easy to follow.
• Structured tour: you won't miss the essentials and you'll make the most of your time.
• Ideal for group or family visits: the guide keeps everyone's attention and adapts the content to the different profiles of the group.

In short, taking a guided tour is a much more enriching way to discover the Alhambra and the Generalife. Don't think twice: it's well worth it.

Due to the enormous interest in this monumental complex, there is a wide variety of guided tours available to explore the Generalife and the Alhambra. Having an expert guide will allow you to better appreciate the artistic details, learn about the history of the place and enjoy a much more enriching experience. Here are the best options available:

If you only purchase a ticket to see the Generalife and its gardens, you can go directly to see it, but if you are visiting as part of a complete tour of the Alhambra, then it is best to plan your visit there according to the time of access to the Nasrid Palaces indicated on your ticket, as each visitor is only allowed to enter this part of the fortress at their assigned time and this cannot be changed.

I recommend seeing the sultans' residence first, then exploring the Alcazaba and finally the Generalife, where you can enjoy the beautiful landscape as you stroll among the trees and along paths that lead to beautiful gardens with flowers, orchards and pools that decorate this part of the Alhambra.

It's the perfect end to a sensational visit! You won't stop taking photos in the Generalife and its gardens.

To see the Generalife at your leisure, enjoying the views of the fortress and the city of Granada in the distance and taking all the photos you want of the beautiful landscape, I recommend spending at least 30 minutes there.

This part of the Alhambra is usually left until the end of the visit, and some people even skip it altogether, so unlike the Nasrid Palaces, this site is not crowded and there is no time limit.

You can stroll around the Generalife for a while and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of its gardens and fountains, just as the Nasrid sultans did in the past!

This is undoubtedly a very popular part of the visit to the Nasrid fortress, but there are other very interesting parts. In my article How long does it take to visit the Alhambra, I tell you in detail how much time you will need to see the monument in its entirety, among other things.

This way, you can plan your activities for afterwards, such as booking a table at a restaurant near the monument. In the post Where to eat near the Alhambra, you will find several great suggestions with beautiful views.

Yes, and it's a fascinating experience! It's an option I recommend if you'd like to see the Alhambra by moonlight in an original and different way. As the sun sets, darkness and silence envelop it in a mysterious and captivating atmosphere that will leave you spellbound.

While the daytime tours cover the entire monumental complex, the night-time tours focus exclusively on the beauty of the Generalife Palace and its gardens or the Nasrid Palaces. Both tours last 1 hour and 30 minutes but are conducted separately within the same time slot.

In my opinion, seeing the Generalife at night is an essential part of any trip to Granada because, if the Alhambra is amazing in daylight, under the stars it has an enigmatic and special charm.

What I like most about night-time visits to the Generalife is that there are fewer visitors than during the day and, as the night falls, the walk through the Alhambra is more peaceful and introspective.

In addition, the delicate lighting of the monument at night creates an intimate atmosphere that is ideal for quietly enjoying the fusion between the natural surroundings and the architecture of the palatine city.

If you would like to know more about the night-time visit to the Generalife and its gardens, I recommend reading my article Night-time visits to the Alhambra.

What to take with you to see the Generalife Palace and its gardens?

In addition to a good camera to capture the beauty of this Granada icon, remember to bring your passport or ID card with you on the day of your visit.

Don't forget! This document is essential for entering the Alhambra. For security and conservation reasons, the monument's staff carry out ID checks on visitors and you must show your documentation together with your tickets, which are nominative, personal and non-transferable.

On the other hand, to see the Generalife Palace and its gardens from top to bottom without hurting your feet at the end of the day, I recommend wearing comfortable shoes for the visit because the tour of the Nasrid fortress is long (3.5 kilometres) and you will be walking a lot.

Finally, if, like many other tourists, you are taking advantage of the summer holidays to travel to Granada and visit the Generalife and the rest of the monumental complex, you should be aware that it is very hot in the city at this time of year. Temperatures can reach 40ºC!

To protect yourself from the high temperatures, especially when visiting a part of the Alhambra where you will be spending a lot of time outdoors, I recommend applying sunscreen, covering your head with a hat and wearing sunglasses. Also, remember to carry cold water and a fan in your backpack to cool yourself down. It always comes in handy!

You can read other useful tips for visiting the monument in the post Tips for visiting the Alhambra.

The best time

If you are passionate about photography, the best time of year to see the Alhambra is in autumn (September and October) and spring (April, May, June) when the landscape is ablaze with colour and you can admire the beauty of the Generalife gardens in all their splendour. What's more, during these two seasons the climate is milder and more pleasant than in summer or winter.

The best time

If you want to see the Generalife Palace and its gardens along with the rest of the Alhambra in the morning, in my opinion the best time is first thing in the morning when the monument opens its doors or after lunch around 3 or 4 PM, when there are fewer tourists inside.

Within this time frame, I recommend visiting the Generalife at the end of your tour, after seeing the Nasrid Palaces and the Alcazaba, so that you can enjoy the views of the Alhambra's natural surroundings at your leisure and take all the photos you want.

However, if you want to focus on seeing the Generalife and its gardens, a highly recommended option is the night-time visits to the Alhambra (at 8 p.m. in winter and 10 p.m. in summer), which are very charming. Seeing it in the moonlight and in the serenity of the night is a magical and special experience that is difficult to forget.

If you would like to know more about the opening and closing times of the Alhambra to better plan your visit, don't miss the article Alhambra opening times in Granada, where I tell you everything in detail.

No, generally not. As with the Nasrid Palaces, access to the Generalife Palace and its gardens is subject to an admission fee, and you will need to purchase a ticket to visit this area of the Alhambra, whether for a daytime or night-time tour.

But as with everything in life, there are exceptions! Only if you are from Granada or a resident of Granada can you visit the Alhambra for free on weekends as part of an initiative launched by the Patronato de la Alhambra y Generalife to raise awareness of the cultural importance of the Alhambra among the local population.

These free visits are in high demand and it is not easy to get a place. However, if you are from Granada, you can try to get a place by making an online reservation, filling in the form and attaching the required supporting documentation. If you prefer to apply in person, another option for residents of Granada is to go to the Residents' Office located in the Corral del Carbón.

However, if you are a visitor passing through Granada, don't worry because there are ways to save money on your tickets to the Alhambra. I'll tell you all about it in the article How to get free or discounted tickets to the Alhambra!

The Generalife Palace was a summer villa separate from the Alhambra where the Nasrid sultans would retreat to relax and get away from the formalities of court life.

Designed as a recreational estate for the royal family of Granada, the Generalife was equipped with every comfort to make their stay as pleasant as possible. A multitude of trees and flowers were planted for pleasant walks, and gardens were created for resting in the fresh air.

Walking through the Generalife, among the lush vegetation and listening to the murmur of water in the irrigation channels, you can truly feel the peace that the sultans sought when they came here to escape the hustle and bustle of life in the Alhambra.

As you enter the gardens of the Generalife, you will see that the landscape looks like something out of a story from "One Thousand and One Nights", as it comes from the cultural legacy of Al-Andalus, although you will also see ornamental elements belonging to other historical periods such as the Renaissance and Romanticism.

The result is a beautiful orchard full of roses, jasmine, oleanders, lavender, myrtle, cypresses and water lilies on the pools, which are worth photographing and enjoying with your eyes and nose, especially at sunset when the air of the Alhambra is filled with the fragrance of the flowers and plants that decorate it.

Some of the most beautiful spots you can visit during your tour of the Generalife are the Cypress Walk, the Sultana's Courtyard, the New Gardens and the Acequia Courtyard, among many others. Get your camera ready because you won't tire of taking photos!