The Alhambra Granada

The Alhambra Granada, or La Alhambra, is a Moorish palace and fortress as well as one of Spainīs most glorious pieces of architecture that will leave your family in awe. Itīs a must see during an excursion to Granada which is approximately a two hour drive from Marbella.

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This amazing palace and fortress is sometimes referred to as the 8th wonder of the world with its magical use of space, light, water and decoration which characterizes it as one of the most sensual pieces of architecture.

Built during the Nasrid dynasty in the 14th century, the Alhambra Granada was a masterpiece that was an attempt to create paradise on Earth. Even though modest materials are used such as plaster, timber and tiles, it is amazing to see how superbly they are worked into intricate details.

On the north side of the Alhambra Granada be sure to visit the Generalife and its cool gardens, which was the country estate of the Nasrid kings.

The city of Granada and the Alhambra are major cultural tourist attractions in Andalusia. Make sure you buy tickets in advance as you will not only avoid the lines, but avoid the hassle if they are sold out.

Hours:
November - February: Monday - Sunday: 8:30am - 6:00pm (Ticket office: 8:00am - 5:00pm);
Evening hours: Friday-Saturday: 8:00pm-9:30pm (Ticket office: 7:30pm - 8:30pm
March - October: Monday - Sunday: from 8:30am - 8:00pm (Ticket office: 8:00am - 7:00pm);
Evening hours: Tuesday - Saturday: 10:00pm - 11:30pm (Ticket office: 9:30pm - 10:30pm)
The Alhambra is closed on December 25th and January 1st

Price: Daytime visit: €12, Evening visit: €12, Garden visit: €6, Senior citizens (aged 65 years and over) and pensioners from the European Union: €7 (A justification of retirement must be presented), Children under 8 and disabled visitors: Free entry< br>
How to get there: Take the N 340 highway towards Malaga and then continue following the signs to Granada. The roads are well marked and you canīt miss them.

Tel: To book tickets in Spain: 902 88 80 01 Phone Abroad: +34 934 923 750

Hotel recommendations:

Near the Alhambra:
Parador Granada
Hotel Alhambra Palace

Downtown Granada:
Casa del Aljarife

Alhambra website: www.alhambradegranada.org

From June 24th to July 14th 2010 the Alhambra Granada will be the setting for the International Festival of Music and Dance. The Alhambra and its surroundings are filled with the sound of Spanish guitars, castanets, flamenco and much more. There will be about 40 shows presented as well as huge concerts in civic centers, churches, cafes and clubs throughout the city. There will be a variety of music presented from jazz to world music. Special concerts to be held for children at El Festival de los Pequeņos. This event will include symphony concerts held at the King Carlos V Palace, dance and ballet at the open air theater in the Generalife, recitals at El Patio de los Arrayanes, matinee concerts in Granadaīs historical churches and buildings, a performance called "Flamenco Late Nights" and world music in the El Albacin and El Sacromonte. For more information on this event go to the official website or call 958 221 844.

MarbellaFamilyFun grade: 9.5

Son's evaluation: Grade:

Daughter's evaluation: Grade:

Mom's evaluation: To be honest, we haven't taken this trip with the kids, but I plan to do so as I think they are now old enough and would be very interested.

I've been to the Alhambra Granada several times and am left in awe every time by its sheer elegance in architecture. There is a lot of walking, however, so be prepared and put on your most comfortable shoes, warn your kids and bring your strollers.

If you are going in summer it gets very hot in Granada, so be sure to drink plenty of water and wear lots of sunscreen.

The guides are excellent at the Alhambra Granada as there are so many stories to be told and lots of explanation that goes with each building. A really good guide will bear in mind that you have children and hopefully will skip long drawn out details and make it interesting for the kids.

If you have strong readers, be sure to buy them the Tales of the Alhambra by the American traveler Washington Irving (1783-1859). This book is sold onsite. Itīs best to combine this trip with a quick walk around Granada. There are many historical points of interest, but you will have to check to see if you have time to visit them as if you make this a day trip, youīll just have time for a lunch or early dinner before heading back to Marbella.

Youīll also have to consider the patience of your children as they may not find the Alhambra the best part of their tour if they arenīt "into it" and may be tired from all the walking done already.

In general, Granada is a bustling university town, so itīs very dynamic in both the day and the night with lots of shops, cafes and restaurants. In the winter, there is an indoor ice-skating rink located in the center of town.

If you are looking to stay the night, then I can recommend the Parador Granada on site at the Alhambra. Itīs a convent thatīs been converted into a hotel, so itīs small, but has lots of charm. Itīs only drawback is that itīs pricey. Grade: 9.0

Dad's evaluation: The Alhambra Granada is one of my favorite places in Andalucia. It allows you to immerse yourself in a critical time of Spanish history (the end of seven centuries of Moorish influence).

Touring the palace and its beautiful gardens, you cannot help get a sense of the sweet life the leaders of the Nasrid dynasty enjoyed. The architecture and its repeated carved decorations are remarkable. The use of water (fountains, jets, ponds...) throughout the gardens is thoroughly enjoyable on a hot Andalusian day. This visit can be a rich cultural and educational opportunity for the children if you can re-create for them a tale and visualization of the last years of Boabdil's reign. For that, it would be enough reading a few lines on the Alhambra Granada in wikipedia. It will make the trip more valuable. (June 2009) Grade: 10

Natashaīs Family grade: 9.0

Mom: The Alhambra Granada ( La Alhambra ) is a beautiful place to visit and a truly cultural experience, however we mustīve chosen the wrong time to go as a couple of mishaps spoiled the trip. We went in August at peak tourist season and the hottest month in Spain. We hadnīt really planned the trip and thought weīd just "wing it" and figure it all out once we got there. My biggest piece of advice is to buy tickets in advance.

When we got to our hotel, Hotel Alhambra Palace, which was conveniently located within walking distance to the Alhambra Granada, we thought weīd just book our tickets with the concierge. Unfortunately, it was too late and we were told to go stand in line at the ticket office at 7:00 in the morning. My husband then decided he would go ahead and get the tickets while I stayed behind with the kids. When he got back he told us we had to rush as we had an appointment for 8:00.

We didnīt realize that you have to "make an appointment" to visit La Alhambra and if you missed your entrance time you simply wouldnīt get in. So we skipped breakfast in a mad rush and ran up the hill to the ticket office. The kids were still tired as they were on "Spanish time" and had gone to bed very late the night before. They were tired and hungry and already complaining of the heat.

Once we got up to the ticket office we were told to go to a different entrance which was entirely on the other side of La Alhambra. Once again we dragged complaining kids to another site and finally got in. We organized an audio tour with the portable headphones, but couldnīt get them to work in English, so we just tried figuring everything out ourselves. It wasnīt too bad as the fortress is beautiful and a pleasure just to look at.

The tour of the Alhambra Granada wouldīve been more interesting for my kids if we were better planned. I also suggest that you donīt go in August as the heat made my kids miserable. Once we got through the tour we decided to eat elsewhere. So our trip was a little spoiled by the whole morning fiasco, but I do strongly recommend to go for a visit, only with good planning.

However, we thoroughly enjoyed the evening before at the flamenco show that we bought tickets for at the Generalife which is also on the grounds of La Alhambra. It was a wonderful evening show that took place outdoors under a beautiful sky on a warm night. My kids (10 and 5) also really liked it, only keep in mind that the show takes place at about 10:00 at night and goes on until late in the evening.

We also highly recommend the hotel that we stayed at - Hotel Alhambra Palace. It was a very nice hotel with good service and amenities and was really conveniently located. Grade: 8.0