Alhambra Entrances
Which Alhambra Entrance should you use?
Planning your visit to the Alhambra? It’s important to know which entrance to use, especially if you want to save time and avoid long queues.
Alhambra Castle in Granada has two entrances – the Pavilion Main Entrance and the Gate of Justice.
In this article, we share which is the better entrance and also suggest the best gate for differently abled visitors.
The Alhambra Castle attracts over 2.6 million visitors annually, so booking in advance is a smart choice. The skip-the-line ticket is the most popular and budget-friendly option. For a deeper understanding of the palace, the guided tour offers expert insights, while the night tour provides a magical experience in a peaceful atmosphere.
The Pavilion Main Entrance
The Pavilion Entrance is the main entrance of the Alhambra Castle, and is also known as the Access Pavilion. Get Directions
It is located on the east side near the Generalife Gardens and is the starting point for navigating the various parts of the Alhambra, including the Nasrid Palaces.
This entrance also has ticket counters, which means if you haven’t bought your tickets, you can get them here at the last minute. If for some reason, you haven’t received your QR code after ticket purchase, you can also collect them at these counters.
However, we strongly suggest, to avoid the long lines, you book your Alhambra tickets online. Otherwise, you may end up waiting 30 minutes to an hour at the counters. The queue can even get longer on weekends and public holidays.
This entrance is ideal if you’re arriving by private transport, as there’s a parking area nearby.
The Gate of Justice
The Gate of Justice (Puerta de la Justicia) is also known as the Gate of the Esplanade (Puerta de la Explanada) because of the large esplanade that extends before it. Get directions
This entrance is less crowded than the main entrance, and is located near the Alcazaba and Nasrid Palaces.
If you have bought your tickets online, you can use this entrance for quicker access.
The queue here is much shorter than at the main entrance, and the wait time is around 15 minutes to enter the Palace.
If you’re arriving by public transport and have already bought your tickets online, get off at the Gate of Justice bus stop to easily access this entrance.
Better Alhambra entrance for the differently abled
The Pavilion Main Entrance is a better entrance for differently abled visitors to the Alhambra.
Wheelchair rentals are available for free at the main ticket office.
The Alhambra Palace is partially accessible for wheelchair users. It provides ramps and elevators for easy accessibility.
Currently, about 50% of the site can be explored independently by visitors in wheelchairs.
With assistance, access can extend to 70%, but 10–20% remains permanently inaccessible due to stairs and uneven terrain, which includes parts of the Alcazaba and Nasrid Palaces.
Visitors who have trouble moving around can ask for special tours to reach areas like the Generalife Gardens and some parts of the Nasrid Palaces.
Free sign language guides are available in both English and Spanish.
