Visiting Generalife Palace in Granada – Itinerary, timetables and price

The Generalife is part of the monumental complex of the Alhambra and was built to be a place of recreation for the Granada kings when they wanted to flee from the official life of the Palace. It is one of the most important historical points and one of the biggest tourist attractions in the city, so visiting the Generalife in Granada is a must for both tourists and locals.

Its privileged environment, the constant sound of water, the freshness of the flower beds, its paved floors, geometric decorations or the smell of jasmine …

Do you want to know how to visit the Generalife and what are the hours and price?

The 4 things you should know to visit the Generalife in Granada

To enjoy and take advantage of your visit, the ideal thing will be to know at least a little of its history, what the visit is like, how much the entrance costs and at what times you can visit.

Below we detail everything;)

1. What is the Generalife and where is it?

The Generalife is since 1984 and together with the Alhambra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is located in the same monumental complex, on the hill called Cerro del Sol and a short distance from the historic center of Granada.

Its creation was due to Muhammad II, at the end of the 13th century.

It means “garden of the architect” and constituted a rustic villa with gardens or royal orchard used by the Nasrid kings as a place of rest and retreat.

After several owners, including the Catholic Monarchs, the last private owner was the Marquis of Campotéjar. Later, in 1925, it became state property, finally becoming part of the Board of the Alhambra and the Generalife.

But what will you find at the Generalife?

These are several buildings, patios and gardens in the Nasrid Arabic style, located on the northern side of the Alhambra and which constitute one of the most remarkable architectural ensembles of Muslim civil architecture.

Tiled baseboards, plasterwork, wooden coffered ceilings, marble columns, muqarnas and atauriques, arches and geometric lattices, are the main decorative elements of the monument, but the most notable are its gardens and patios with ditches.

2. Generalife tour

Although the Generalife is visited together with the Alhambra and is part of the same monumental complex, it is located outside its walls, and despite the fact that in its early days it lacked direct communication with the Alhambra, currently they are perfectly communicated and are visited in set.

In this way, the buildings of the Generalife were restored for your visit and knowledge, and today it is possible to visit the Generalife of Granada both with the general entrance of the Alhambra and with the entrance of gardens and Generalife. In this second option, there is the possibility of a day and night visit.

Therefore:

In the general visit to the Alhambra, the usual route is as follows:

1. Alcazaba
2. Nasrid Palaces
3. Gardens of El Partal
4. Generalife

In total, it takes about 3 to do the entire tour.

During the visit to the Generalife, you pass through the following areas:

• Paseo de los Cipreses; walk that connects the Nasrid Palaces with the Generalife, outside El Partal.
• Amphitheater: an amphitheater founded in 1954, very spacious and open air. It is inspired by the classic Nasrid riad and is the work of the architect Francisco Prieto Moreno.
• Los Jardines Nuevos: gardens with fountains, cypress trees, a pool and beautiful views over the Alhambra.
• Las Huertas del Generalife: of all the gardens that existed, currently the Huerta de la Mercería, the Huerta Colorá, Huerta Grande and Huerta de Fuentepeña are preserved.
• El Patio de la Acequia: perhaps the most photographed part of the Generalife. It is a courtyard steeped in history and with a beautiful canal with water jets. At its ends are located the south pavilion and the north pavilion of the Generalife.

• El Patio de la Sultana: a courtyard surrounded by oleanders, ivy, cypress trees and water jets. It is named for the legend where the sultana kissed with her lover secretly from the sultan.
• Los Jardines Altos: these are beautiful gardens with magnolias, firs, cypresses, a huge cedar, myrtles, jasmine and rose bushes. Here are the beautiful Water Stairs, which leads to the Romantic Viewpoint and the Paseo de las Adelfas.
• El Mirador Romántico: this is the highest part of the Generalife and is not always open to the public. It can be visited in some private tours of the Alhambra.
• El Albercón de las Damas: Hydraulic system where the water needed by the entire monumental complex of the Alhambra and Generalife is generated.

Download the plan of the visit to the Alhambra and Generalife.

3. Generalife ticket price

How much does it cost to enter the Generalife?

Well, the price depends on the type of visit you want to make:

• Complete and general visit to the Alhambra, the Generalife being one of the 4 areas that are visited in the monumental complex with this ticket -> € 14 per adult.
• Daytime visit to the gardens of the Alhambra, Generalife and Alcazaba (that is, without visiting the Nasrid Palaces) -> € 7 per adult.
• Night visit to the Alhambra and Generalife Gardens -> € 5 per adult.
• Dobla de Oro Ticket, which includes the full Alhambra, Corral del Carbón, Bañuelo, Dar al-Horra Palace and Moorish houses -> € 19.65 per adult.
• Alhambra Experiences Ticket (Nasrid Palaces at night and El Partal, Alcazaba and Generalife by day) -> € 14 per adult.
• Combined ticket, full Alhambra and Rodríguez Foundation – Acosta -> € 17 per adult.

You can buy official tickets through the oficial website of the of the Alhambra and Generalife.

4. Generalife schedule

The schedules to see the Alhambra and the Generalife are:

• Monumental Complex day tour: Monday to Sunday. From October 15 to March 31, from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. And from April 1 to October 14 from 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
• Monumental Complex night tour: From October 15 to March 31, Friday and Saturday from 8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. From April 1 to October 14, from Tuesday to Saturday from 10pm to 11:30 pm.
• Gardens and Generalife’s Palace at night: from April 1 to May 31, Tuesday to Saturday from 10pm to 11:30 pm. From September 1 to October 14, Tuesday to Saturday from 10pm to 11:30 pm. From October 15 to November 14, Friday and Saturday from 8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Keep in mind that it is necessary to choose the day and time to visit the Nasrid Palaces, but the rest of the parts included in the general admission of the Alhambra in Granada, including the Generalife, you can visit them on the same day of the reservation without being told force to comply with entry hours.

On the other hand, in the vicinity of the monument, the areas of the Alhambra Forest, Carmen de los Mártires, Rodríguez – Acosta Foundation, the Manuel de Falla House – Museum, the Bermejas Towers or the Mirador de la Silla del Moor.

Do you already have all the information about visiting the Generalife in Granada? Do not forget to also take a look at this post with more information about how to visit the Alhambra in Granada.