Alhambra Palace
The Alhambra, the magical Red Palace, gets its name from the Arabic ‘qu´lat al-Hamra'. It is a rambling complex divided into four main areas: the Palaces, the Military zone (or ‘Alcazaba'), the City (or ‘Medina') and the Agricultural estate of the Generalife. Surrounded by woods, gardens and orchards, the site enjoys panoramic views over the city of Granada.
In the 13th century the first Nasrid King Mohammed I established his royal residence, re-inforcing the existing Alcazaba (fortress), which dates back to the 9th century. Over the next 100 years, successive rulers added their own mark until, in 1492, the city fell to the Catholic monarchs. In later years Carlos V demolished part of the complex to build the palace which bears his name.
Every part of the Alhambra is richly decorated with ceramics and plasterwork. Indeed, so great was the desire to decorate, false, superfluous arches were built to provide more space for the prodigious architects. Its uniqueness was recognised when it became one of the 14 finalists in the voting for the New Seven Wonders of the World. It is also a UNESCO world heritage site.
Owing to the large number of visitors the Alhambra attracts, and restrictions limiting the number of visitors entering at any one time, it is advisable to purchase tickets in advance. This can be done easily via the website detailed below.
Contact details: For information: http://www.alhambradegranada.org/ and http://www.alhambra-patronato.es/. For tickets purchase: http://www.alhambratickets.com/
Opening hours: Nov - Feb: 08.30 - 18.00 and 20.00 - 21.30; Mar - Oct: 08.30 - 20.00 and 10.00 - 23.30hrs.
Entrance: Daytime visit: €10.00. Evening visit: €10.00. Gardens: €5.00. Visitors over 65 years and retired EU citizens: €7.00. Children under 8 and the Disabled: free.
Getting there: The Alhambra is located in the city of Granada. It is well signposted from all main road entry points into the city and from the city centre. Buses run regular shuttle services from the city centre to the monument.
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Verdict: 5.0
We decided to stay in the Alhambra palace hotel for three nights last November, our aim was to visit the Alhambra palace and decided to stay as close as possible , this was a perfect choice, as it happened
The hotel , is a hundred years old and is in very good condition through out ,, the hotel was built on a large grand scale similar to the orient express hotels of that era ,we had a superb spacious double room which had two nice tiny balconies , the view from the room over to the snow capped sierra mountains and Granada were stunning
The hotel service was impeccable , in the bar , restaurant and at the reception desk , we felt very comfortable staying in the hotel
The hotel reception was able to arrange a last minute tour of the Alhambra palace for a small party , you need to book in advance for a personal tours
We booked the hotel on line with kelkoo travel and got very reasonable room rate
Verdict: 5.0
If you can't get a ticket, the walk up to the Alhambra gates from the Puerta de la Granada is enjoyable in itself, and offers some great spots to relax and chill with a book!
Verdict: 5.0
If you can't get a ticket, the walk up to the Alhambra gates from the Puerta de la Granada is enjoyable in itself, and offers some great spots to relax and chill with a book!