# The Alhambra



## randster2 (Oct 6, 2012)

We are staying at the Marriott Playa Andaluzza in Spain.  How far is a trip to The Alhambra?  How do I get tickets?  Is it worth the trip?  Thanks


----------



## beejaybeeohio (Oct 7, 2012)

*Definitely!*

We had a rental car and took a daytrip from Estepona to Grenada and the Alhambara.  Prepurchased our tix online (choose a time about a half hour later than you think you need, because the walk to the tour of the palace from the parking lot is at least a half mile) and the drive took about 2 hours.  

Our resort, McDonald Villacana, offered lots of daytours that could be booked thru the resort.  I would imagine that the Marriott would have many options such as trips to Gibraltar, Tangiers, etc. as well as the Alhambara, so you might want to research their offerings.

PS- Great game last nite!!


----------



## PStreet1 (Oct 7, 2012)

The Alhambra is Spain's national treasure.  I can't imagine being anywhere close and not seeing it; there simply is nothing like it elsewhere.  If you have a car, it is possible to get to the parking lot without driving through Granada (which would be a good thing to miss if driving).  If you have the Rick Steves guide, he tells you how to do it, quickly and easily.  If you don't have it and will be driving, post again on this board and I'll find the book and post the directions for you.  It is definitely not a difficult drive.  We drove in Granada, and because of the one way streets, which are not clearly posted, if you can avoid the city, I would recommend doing so.


----------



## PStreet1 (Oct 7, 2012)

I forgot to say two tickets are required:  1 for the grounds, and those are not difficult to get and the other for the Palace.  The ones for the palace are the "timed entry" tickets.  If you aren't at the palace handing the ticket to the ticket-taker within 30 minutes of the time stamped on the ticket, you aren't going into the palace--and the palace is 90% of why you are going there.  That's the reason for getting one time on the entry ticket and a 30 min. later time on the palace ticket--to be sure you get to the palace in time.

If tickets are not available (and the number is very strictly limited), you can get a night-time ticket for the palace only.  There are few people there at night and the tickets are easy to get.  The palace is beautifully lit at night, so it would be lovely.


----------



## randster2 (Oct 7, 2012)

I waited too long for advance tickets.  I think I will have to take a tour for tickets.  I ordered a tour guide for southern Spain.  It sounds like there are many things to see.


----------



## Passepartout (Oct 7, 2012)

randster2 said:


> I waited too long for advance tickets.  I think I will have to take a tour for tickets.  I ordered a tour guide for southern Spain.  It sounds like there are many things to see.



Do it even if you have to take a tour. I have done both (2 trips) and got more from the guide than it cost. Well worth the price. There is simply nothing quite like The Alhambra.

Jim


----------



## PStreet1 (Oct 7, 2012)

You may not have waited too long.  I couldn't buy them on line (waited too long), so I contacted the place we were staying--a 1* establishment, so I wasn't expecting much.  After he struggled to get an English speaking person for me to talk to, which didn't help much, we exchanged emails using an on-line translator.....and he got the tickets for me.  When we got there, he had them in his wallet for us, gave them to us, and wouldn't let us pay for them until "later," after we had rested.  Nice man.  

At any rate, if "my guy" was able to get us tickets, I bet the Marriott could come up with some.  I'd give it a try.


----------



## PStreet1 (Oct 7, 2012)

Another possibility for a great day is going to the horse show in Jerez.  We LOVED it.  They do the show only one (or maybe 2) days a week, so check the guide.  It was magnificient.

You also must see the Mezquita mosque in Cordoba.  It, too, is a one of a kind.  It is so enormous that after the Moors were driven out of Spain, they built a cathedral inside the mosque--and you don't really notice the cathedral when you enter.  You have to walk around quite a bit before you spot the cathedral.  Very close to the mosque is a ruin of a Moorish bath--doesn't take long to see, and it's very interesting.


----------



## randster2 (Oct 9, 2012)

Thanks for all the help.  I am excited for my first trip to Europe next week!


----------



## smiths (Oct 9, 2012)

You are going to Love it, going tapas and people there are really open, good singers and dancers, and of course, the views, Alhambra... everything!!


----------



## Blues (Oct 12, 2012)

PStreet1 said:


> Another possibility for a great day is going to the horse show in Jerez.  We LOVED it.  They do the show only one (or maybe 2) days a week, so check the guide.  It was magnificient.



Oh my, yes!  My wife is a horse lover, so I surprised her with tickets to the Royal Equestrian School horse show in Jerez.  She was ecstatic.  She literally cried at the beauty of the horses and riders in the show. And she's not a crier at all, in almost any other circumstance.  Even I, a neophyte when it comes to horses, thought it was a wonderful show.  Do it.

-Bob


----------



## nspils (Oct 27, 2012)

We were there at Plaza Anadulza last week. The trip to Granada was very easy, about 2-1/2 hours - especially if you take AP-7 (the toll road) rather than A7. Lots of olive trees, great valleys, looked like Central California. An interesting component in planning is how late the sun comes up - it was about 8:45 am while we were there. We had a 12:30 pm entry to the Palaces and we wanted to tour Generalife and the gardens before we went to the Palace so we drove most of the way to Granada in the dark. Still it was a nice drive. Coming from the West you drive around to the "back side" of Granada - the Alhambra is in the northeast part of the city. When we left we drove around in the central city and then to the Morroccan sector of town. 

By the way --- if you go to Gibraltar check on what is going on with crossing back into Spain through the frontier. We took 4 HOURS to cross back into Spain on a Sunday - they were letting 4 cars at a time through the border, and all cars had to park and open the trunk to allow an "inspection" - which was a glance. Talk about aggravating!


----------



## randster2 (Oct 28, 2012)

We spent last week at Playa Andaluzza.  Spain was beautiful, and the resort was nice.  It was my first trip to Europe.  The travel day was LONG, but the trip was great.  There were many choices of places to go and things to see.


----------



## MULTIZ321 (Oct 28, 2012)

randster2 said:


> We spent last week at Playa Andaluzza.  Spain was beautiful, and the resort was nice.  It was my first trip to Europe.  The travel day was LONG, but the trip was great.  There were many choices of places to go and things to see.



Did you get to Alhambra or Jerez?


Richard


----------



## randster2 (Oct 28, 2012)

We went other places - Seville, Marbella, Benahavis, Puerto Banus, and a Esteponza market.  Rain prevented a trip to Ronda.  There were so many other places we wanted to see, but a week was not long enough.


----------



## beejaybeeohio (Oct 29, 2012)

nspils said:


> By the way --- if you go to Gibraltar check on what is going on with crossing back into Spain through the frontier. We took 4 HOURS to cross back into Spain on a Sunday - they were letting 4 cars at a time through the border, and all cars had to park and open the trunk to allow an "inspection" - which was a glance. Talk about aggravating!



We parked our car in Spain and walked about half a mile to the Gibraltar border.  When we crossed we took a taxi tour to stop at the highlights, then wandered the city area, had lunch and took a public bus back to the border.  Very easy day for four folks in their 60s.


----------



## RAMBO (Nov 10, 2012)

^ That is what Rick Steeves recommends in his book, which by the way is a very good resource. When we were there 2 years ago even though we had a car we opted for a guided trip to Alhambra and it was well worth it. We were dropped right at the entrance, minimal walk into Alhambra and a very good guide.


----------

