If you’re planning to book a day trip from Marbella to Alhambra in Granada, you came to the right place!
I have visited the Alhambra palaces three times already, and in this article, you will find all your options for booking a day trip to this stunning historic monument, together with my practical tips for making the most out of your time there.
If you prefer to skip the details and book right away, there is a link included below, where you will find available dates in the calendar.
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Your Options for a Day Trip From Marbella To Alhambra
There are three different ways you can see Alhambra on a day trip from Marbella:
- Booking a day trip with a tour operator – the best option which will save you a lot of hassle and time, and you will also get a dedicated tour guide to make the most out of your trip. It’s one of the most efficient ways to see Alhambra without the added stress of commuting and trying to secure tickets on your own. The tickets to all parts of the Alhambra and a guide in English are included in the price.
- Plan a day trip on your own with a rental car – you can also organize your own day trip by renting a car in Marbella, and then driving to Granada on your own. You will still have to get tickets to the Alhambra monument, find a place for parking and pay for the car rental (often with a security deposit), parking fees, highway toll fees and petrol, on top of navigating big city traffic in a car. It might end up costing you a lot more than option one, and the added hassle with driving.
- Plan a day trip on your own using public transport – getting public transport from Marbella is a little problematic as the city is not connected with big transport hubs like Malaga with a train network. You can only get a local bus to Malaga and then take a train or bus to Granada from there, but it would take considerably longer than option one or two. The tickets to Alhambra (access to Nasrid Palace) are also for a dedicated time slot, so you don’t want to run the chance of getting there late and missing out on your spot.
Where to Book Day Trip From Marbella To Alhambra
To ensure you don’t have to worry about transport, guide or tickets to Alhambra, I recommend booking your trip online to save a lot of time and hassle, via the link below.
PLEASE NOTE: in the summer months even day trips like these sell out really fast, so secure your spot as soon as you know the details for your stay in Marbella.
Online booking for a day trip like this has a lot of advantages, for example:
- Guide in English included
- Pick up and drop off in Marbella (designated place in the city)
- Skip the line tickets to the monument included, so there is no need to worry about securing your own tickets
- Honest traveler reviews are included on the booking page, so you can check the feedback before you make your booking
- Activity duration of 10 hours, which is perfect for a day trip like this (includes transport)
What’s Included in this Day Trip From Marbella To Alhambra
- tickets to the Alhambra Palace – full complex access included (palaces, Alcazaba, Charles V palace, and Generalife gardens)
- free time to explore Granada
- English-speaking tour guide
- transport to and from Granada to the pick-up location in Marbella
Itinerary For Your Day Trip From Marbella To Alhambra
- pick up in Marbella, at the designated pick-up location (time and the exact location are shared in the booking confirmation)
- drive to Marbella via the highway in a comfortable air-conditioned bus
- once you arrive in Granada, you will head straight to the Alhambra with priority skip-the-line tickets included in your day trip voucher and see the whole complex
- time to explore Granada
- travel back to Marbella
What You Need to Know: Day Trip From Marbella To Alhambra
I have been to Alhambra a number of times, and have seen it both in busy season and off season – in either case, you can’t simply get tickets for next day and drive there with a car, especially from Marbella. The tickets sell out pretty fast, and if you want a guided tour you might struggle to secure a guide with a smaller group, especially in the main summer season.
For booking this day trip, it’s essential that you plan quite a bit ahead and secure a spot on this day trip as soon as you have dates for your main trip to Marbella confirmed.
Here are some of my tips for making the most out of your trip:
- The day trip option I linked above runs four times a week, so you have plenty of availability to choose a day that works for you!
- For the booking, you will need to provide details for the travellers including their date of birth and passport number – the tickets are issued as personal ones and checked against the ID at the entrance, don’t forget to bring your ID with you for this trip
- Wear comfortable shoes for exploring Alhambra and the gardens, the complex is pretty big
- Take water with you to keep hydrated, especially in the summer months. There are some vending machines between the Nasrid palace entrance and the Alcazaba courtyard, that’s where the toilets also are
- No food is allowed inside the complex, you can have a snack in the courtyard between the Charles V palace and Alcazaba, there is also a small kiosk to buy coffee, drinks and snacks
- No backpacks are allowed inside the Alhambra complex (bigger than 40×40 cm), there are lockers near the vending machines but the number of available ones is pretty limited – please keep this in mind!
- Baby prams are also not allowed inside the complex, you will have to leave them in the luggage storage room
Frequent Questions About Day Trip From Marbella To Alhambra
Is this trip suitable for kids?
Older kids would be fine with this trip, but smaller ones might struggle with the bus journey. The palace can get quite crowded, so if you’re travelling with kids make sure you keep an eye on them at all times.
What should I do in my free time in Granada?
There is some free time in Granada included in this day trip, I think with the limited time you have, the best use of it is to take a stroll through the streets of Albaicin and take in the views of Alhambra from one of the higher points.
You can also sit down for a drink and enjoy the old custom of free tapas with every drink served, pretty much anywhere in the city. If you’re looking for some restaurant recommendations, my favourite ones are in this article.
Is there barrier-free access in Alhambra?
As far as I remember there isn’t and this day trip is not recommended for wheelchair users or people with reduced mobility.
Can you do this trip in bad weather or on a rainy day?
You can easily see Alhambra even if the weather is not great, as most of the exploring is indoors. The only issue is seeing the Generalife gardens and the Alcazaba fortress.
I hope this article provided a good overview of what you can expect on this recommended online booking for a day trip to Granada! I hope you will enjoy this trip and will be keen to hear your feedback in the comments section.
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