Alhambra Guided Tour: Nasrid Palaces with live guide

Walk the Nasrid Palaces with a guide who explains the stucco work and wooden ceilings still standing after centuries

A guided tour of Granada's Alhambra complex with a live guide in Spanish, English or French, covering the Nasrid Palaces, Palace of Charles V, Generalife Gardens and the fortress towers. You move through the Comares Palace and Palace of the Lions, climb to the Torre de la Vela for views across Granada, and end in the Generalife's summer gardens and orchards. Admission tickets must be purchased in advance on the Alhambra website.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each3 stops

1. Nasrid Palaces1h
2. Palace of Charles V15m
3. Generalife Gardens45m

Guided tour of Alhambra palaces and gardens

• Visit Comares Palace and Mexuar
• Explore Patio de los Arrayanes and Comares Tower
• Tour Palace of the Lions and adjacent rooms
• Conclude at Partal area and Torre de las Damas
• Visit military area and Torre de la Vela
• Enjoy views of Granada from Torre de la Vela
• Visit Jardín de los Adarves and Puerta de las Armas
• Explore Palace of Charles V and main courtyard
• Tour public Alhambra area and Christian modifications
• See ruins of Palacio de los Abencerrajes and Medina
• Visit Cerro del Sol hill and Nasrid orchards
• Tour Generalife Palace and its gardens
• Exit through Paseo de las Adelfas

The experience

The tour starts inside the Nasrid Palaces at the Comares Palace, where the guide explains the stucco construction and the original wooden ceiling techniques still preserved in the Throne Room. You then move through the Palace of the Lions, built by Sultan Mohammed V, to see the famous fountain courtyard, the Room of the Two Sisters and the Room of the Kings, finishing in the Partal area and Torre de las Damas. This section is the core of what makes the Alhambra distinct: the Islamic palatial architecture that survives nowhere else in Europe.

From there the route shifts to the military side of the complex: you climb the Torre de la Vela for views across Granada, the Albaicín and the Vega, and the guide explains the tower's defensive function and what changed after the Christian conquest. You walk the Jardín de los Adarves and pass through the Puerta de las Armas. The Palace of Charles V, a 16th-century building built after the conquest, gets its own stop: the guide covers its facades, courtyard, construction and the museums it now houses.

The final section moves to the Generalife, the summer retreat across the Cerro del Sol hill. You see the Nasrid orchards and the Christian labyrinth gardens, and the guide explains the flora and the fruits that once grew there. Inside the Generalife Palace itself, you visit the Patio de Polo, Patio de la Guardia, Patio de la Acequia with the Sultan's summer house, and the Patio de la Sultana with its cypress and tall gardens. The tour ends on the Paseo de las Adelfas as you exit the enclosure.

What’s included

Official tourist guide and audio system so you can hear the guide throughout the complex.

Options for this experience

3 options

Spanish tour9 departure times: the first at 08:15, the last at 15:00

English tour12:00 and 14:00Tour conducted in English

Français tourGuide in French · 12:00Tour conducted in French

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Lasts 3h, runs every day, 10 start times, from € 18 per person, with a live guide in English, Spanish and French and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesMonday and Wednesday: 08:15, 08:30, 09:00, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00 and 15:00Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday: 08:15, 08:30, 09:00, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 15:00Friday: 08:15, 08:30, 09:00, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 14:30 and 15:00Saturday: 08:15, 08:30, 09:00, 10:00, 10:30, 11:00, 12:00 and 15:00

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 30

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and French

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Paid on site€ 23

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Granada Turismo y Ocio

Is this one for you?Choose the language and start time that match your Nasrid Palaces ticket entry window. The tour is built around that schedule, not the other way around. If you're not comfortable with stairs and steep terrain, the route includes climbs to the Torre de la Vela and walks across uneven ground in the orchards and gardens.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

In Spanish, with 9 departure times. In English, at 12:00 and 14:00. In French, at 12:00.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What's inside the Nasrid Palaces that the guide will explain?

The Nasrid Palaces contain the Comares Palace with its administrative Mexuar area, the Patio de los Arrayanes with its porticos and pool, and the Comares Tower where the Throne Room sits. The guide explains the stucco and wooden ceiling techniques still visible there. You also see the Palace of the Lions with its famous fountain courtyard and adjacent rooms like the Room of the Two Sisters and the Room of the Kings, then finish in the Partal area and Torre de las Damas.

Do I need to buy Alhambra tickets separately, or are they included?

Admission tickets are not included in this tour and must be purchased in advance on the Alhambra website before the visit. Without a ticket, you cannot participate in the tour.

What times does the tour start, and how do I match it to the Nasrid Palaces schedule?

Tour start times vary by language: Spanish tours begin at 8:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m. or 5:00 p.m.; English tours at 12:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m.; French tours at 12:00 p.m. Each start time corresponds to a specific Nasrid Palaces entry window (ranging from 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.), so you choose your tour start time based on which Nasrid Palaces time slot your ticket covers.

Does the tour include the Generalife Gardens?

Yes, the Generalife is the final section of the tour. You visit the Generalife Palace, walk through the Nasrid orchards and Christian labyrinth gardens on the Cerro del Sol hill, and see the patios including the Patio de la Acequia and Patio de la Sultana before exiting through the Paseo de las Adelfas.