Alhambra Guided Without the Nasrid Palaces: Generalife, Alcazaba, Charles V

This tour covers the Generalife and its gardens, the Alcazaba and the Palace of Charles V, with an English-speaking guide throughout. It does not include the Nasrid Palaces, and that is worth stating plainly at the top rather than in the small print.

What is left is not a consolation prize. The Generalife gardens go back to the 13th century, and they carry a good part of the story of the Nasrid kingdom of Granada. The Alcazaba is the main defensive structure of the complex, and the guided route goes through it.

The Palace of Charles V is seen from outside during the tour. Its mix of Baroque and Renaissance stands against the Moorish work everywhere else on the site, and the contrast is the clearest thing in the complex.

The guided part runs two to three hours and ends inside the Alhambra. The entry ticket stays valid afterwards, so the interior of the Palace of Charles V can be walked on your own once the group breaks up.

The order of the stops can change for practical reasons, and the Generalife, its gardens, the Alcazaba and the Palace of Charles V are all on the ticket.

Daily admissions to the Alhambra are capped, so book early for weekends, holidays and the high season. On rare occasions availability falls through after a booking is confirmed, and the operator then gets in touch to propose another date.