Alhambra Palace and Granada city tour

Granada holds a central place in the history of Spain and the struggle between Christians and Moors, a legacy vividly illustrated in the vast Alhambra Palace and the Gothic Capilla Real (Royal Chapel). This full-day private tour explores this heritage, visiting a variety of the city’s most significant sights along the way. Your expert local guide will elaborate on the history and development of Granada as you walk through the historic lanes, leading you directly to the best viewpoints and locations so you can make the most of your time.

Your guide will pick you up from your hotel and firstly take you to the Alhambra Palace complex. The tour includes skip-the-line entrance tickets, so you’ll gain immediate entry. The order in which you see the palace sights will vary depending on the time of your scheduled entrance to the Nasrid Palaces. These ornate 14th-century palaces were the royal residences, and they showcase some of the finest Islamic art and architecture in Europe. Renowned for their intricately carved stuccowork, Arabic inscriptions, elaborate vaulting and vivid tiling, they’re one of the key attractions of the palace complex.

You’ll also visit the Generalife, a summer palace with interconnecting gardens, terraces and patios cooled by pools and fountains. As you tour the complex, your guide can reveal some of the human stories and tales of mystery, intrigue and betrayal that took place here.

After leaving the palace complex, you have some free time to enjoy lunch in the heart of the city before continuing your tour.

In the afternoon, your guide will lead you through the city’s labyrinth of historic lanes to visit the Capilla Real, the final resting place of the Catholic monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella. They completed the Christian reconquest of Spain when they ousted the Moors from Granada. This Gothic mausoleum, the city’s most significant Christian monument, is attached to the cathedral.

You also have time to explore the whitewashed medieval lanes of the Albayzin, Granada’s old Muslim quarter. Here, you’ll see mosques repurposed as Christian churches, ornate gateways and the prospect of the Alhambra from the San Nicolas viewpoint.

Once you’ve had some time to walk around, your guide can either escort you back to your hotel or recommend further places to visit in your own time.