I did it. I finally had my Alhambra visit. I can finally check it off the list.
What’s the Alhambra? Well it’s one of the must-see sites in Granada. Last year I was a failure because I never visited it. Isn’t that how it always works? We often don’t spend enough time being a tourist in our own city. Every weekend last year I meant to go but things came up. A weekend away or a friend’s birthday. I just kept putting it off even though it’s amazing. However when I heard that I could go for free, I was all about it. I had to finally do it.
An Alhambra visit is normally not free. However on Sundays they offer free tickets to Granada residents (if there are tickets available). All you have to do is go to the Alhambra office the week before the Sunday you wish to go. All I needed was to present my NIE that indicates my address in Granada. If any of you live in Granada, you have to take advantage of this! Many Granadinos simply don’t know that they can get free tickets.
So on a cold but sunny Sunday in December I had my Alhambra visit with my friend Leya.
Why have an Alhambra visit?
As mentioned above, the Alhambra is one of the most famous sites in Granada. It’s an old castle or fortress from when the Moors were in Spain. It’s called the Alhambra because it’d red and Alhambra means red castle. It sits on top of a hill overlooking the city. The earliest documented residence of the property was in the year 889, according to alhambradegranada.org. In the 9th century, a castle was added to the property. Many think this means it became a military fortress. You can read all about the history of the Alhambra here.
What I wore
So as most of you know, I’m all about the dresses. Whether warm or cold and no matter the function, I usually wear one. I love to pair my outfits with some sneakers for a day like this. I knew that my Alhambra visit would be a lot of walking and un-even terrain. So I opted for my fun and inexpensive pink tennis shoes.
Tights are a big life-saver in the winter. Eons ago, I wrote about how to dress for winter travel. I have lots of different tights that I can pair with my dresses. This day the weather was a tad nice, so I opted for some thin black tights. The scarf is always a must as well.
The Alhambra visit
The Alhambra is not in the dead center of the city. If you’re staying in the city center like most people, you can either walk, take a taxi or take the bus. We opted to take the bus. You can catch the C3 right here:
I would recommend this option as the buses are super affordable in Granada.
Once we arrived outside of the Alhambra, we had a quick coffee and entered the fortress. First you go through the beautiful Gardens of Generalife.
Then we wondered throughout the Alhambra. It’s simply beautiful. You also get some of the coolest views of the city.
Tips for your Alhambra visit
Everyone living in or traveling to Granada should visit the Alhambra. Here are a few of my tips:
- If you live in Granada, get those free Sunday tickets!
- If you’re visiting, reserve your tickets online in advance. It can often sell out and you don’t want to miss out. You can book here.
- Go early so you can stay as long as you want.
- Wear comfortable walking shoes
Have you been to the Alhambra in Granada?
