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Generalife
Historic SitesArchitectural BuildingsGardens
8:30 AM - 8:00 PM, 10:00 PM - 11:30 PM
Monday
8:30 AM - 8:00 PM
10:00 PM - 11:30 PM
Tuesday
8:30 AM - 8:00 PM
10:00 PM - 11:30 PM
Wednesday
8:30 AM - 8:00 PM
10:00 PM - 11:30 PM
Thursday
8:30 AM - 8:00 PM
10:00 PM - 11:30 PM
Friday
8:30 AM - 8:00 PM
10:00 PM - 11:30 PM
Saturday
8:30 AM - 8:00 PM
10:00 PM - 11:30 PM
Sunday
8:30 AM - 8:00 PM
10:00 PM - 11:30 PM
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Top ways to experience Generalife

The area

Address
Neighborhood: Realejo - San Matias
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See what travelers are saying

  • RjessMMM
    Vancouver, Washington560 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing peaceful area
    A spectacular area of the Alhambra complex is a fair distance of the crowds of Nasrid Palace. Very serene with a ton of water features. You get a great view of Alhambra at the end of the paved area, After spending 4 hours, we really did not have the gas to get a cab to take us to Mirador de San Nicolas to take a picture and deal with another set of crowds. You can decide if it is worth the effort. I attached 2 pictures so you can make your own informed decision. Enjoy.
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written November 9, 2023
  • Jack
    Old Bethpage, New York3,377 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Stunning gardens! Beautiful palace!
    If you’re visiting the Alhambra, the Generalife is not to be missed. The Generalife was the summer palace of the Nasrid rulers of Granada. The Generalife was built in the 13th century alongside many beautiful gardens with views of the Alhambra. The Generalife is a must-see and I could not recommend more!
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written January 4, 2024
  • Stefanie H
    Lincoln, Nebraska1,745 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful!
    You can visit Generalife as part of your overall Alhambra visit, and you should! The gardens are beautiful, and it's a little quieter than the Nasrid Palaces. You can visit in any order, but you will run into the Generalife signs first as you enter through the main Alhambra entrance.
    Visited January 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written March 20, 2024
  • sue r
    Orlando, Florida27 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth the trip for the beauty and history.
    Visited Granda on a vacations by rail trip. Easy to get there by train. Lovely smaller city with lots of history. Beautiful generalife gardens and Alhambra palace. We had a very informative guide for our small group of six. We were only there one day. Wish we had more time. I prefer the smaller cities! Our weather in April was perfect but We heard it can be quit hot in the summer.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written May 7, 2024
  • R K L
    Seattle, Washington3,874 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Stunning views and manicured gardens...
    Generalife was situated on a hillside above and east of the Alhambra. It was actually not one of the palacial structures within the actual Alhambra complex and served at one time as a summer palace. Although a short but gradual uphill hike from the Alhambra was required, we found that the walking paths were well maintained and took us past some beautiful landscapes. Generalife itself was impressive, and the supporting infrastructure for its time was incredible. The stunning views, architecture, decorative treatments, water features and the magnificent, manicured gardens made this palace a must see.
    Visited December 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written May 23, 2024
  • Raintree_Thailand
    Bangkok, Thailand4,443 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A little summer hideaway!
    Generalife was the summer palace the Nasrid rulers of the Emirate of Granada. It is situated on the hillside opposite from the Alhambra and is included in the Alhambra ticket price. There is not much to see in the way of interior palace grandeur, but the gardens are fabulous. Also, good views of the Alhambra complex from the gardens.
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written June 12, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles11,515 reviews
Excellent
8,611
Very good
2,360
Average
423
Poor
69
Terrible
52

Kelleygirl2
Sarasota, FL6,294 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2019
We walked up to the Generalife Gardens passing through green arbors of cedar, and metal framed pergolas that were covered with oleander and wisteria, which must have been spectacular when in bloom, however at this time color came from below in the form of blooming orange zinnias and pink roses along the tall columnar green hedges. The colorful lush green gardens, fountains, water channels, colonnades and pavilions, and most especially the Courtyard of the Cypress, were created for expectations and surprises. These individual areas would also connect to the various outdoor “rooms” providing a paradise for the Sultans to enjoy. The elevated site was chosen to provide cooling breezes in the summer heat.

Generalife means architects paradise in this Sultan country house. For over 250 years, 24 sultans made this their home. With its amazing views and pools for lounging I am sure it once was a paradise, but over the years, repairs and restorations to the palaces consisted of plastering over the delicate lacework, covering much of the once fairytale like architecture. Now the previously open lacework of the walls creates enclosed corridors that I am sure, block some of those intended breezes to pass through the once delicate walls.

Water was important to growing the luscious gardens and maintaining good food supplies for those who lived here. In the Generalife there were several residences, and beyond, farmland, that was used for grazing as well as terraces for cultivation of vegetables and fruit, but for the Sultans, it was all about relaxation.
Written March 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Angela Lopez
Norwalk, CT23 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2019 • Friends
We had such an amazing half of the day at the Alhambra, Generalife and Palace. I would recommend to dedicate a whole day just to enjoy the beautiful architecture of the complex. Most be beautiful to go in spring season when you can enjoy the colorful display of the flowers at the gardens.
Written January 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

reawakenadventure
61 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2022
My son and I took a private tour of both Generalife and Alhambra on our trip to southern Spain last week. The guide really helped us see all the iconography throughout the compound, and helped us make sense of things. Going without a guide would also be a lovely experience, though. The cypress tree walk was incredible, along with the gardens, building - pretty much everything.

Be sure to book your ticket ahead - only a certain number of people are allowed each day, and you get a timed slot to tour.
Written May 31, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

aavct90
Connecticut283 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023
Where do I start? The fountains, flowers and gardens are so beautifully manicured and the mosaic/textiles left over are stunning. My words cannot begging to describe how unique this place is - everyone needs to go once in their lifetime. I recommend getting a general day visit pass so you can see the Alhambra in it’s entirety. However, please note that this is a somewhat tricky place to visit for someone with disabilities. I have one that can impact my ability to walk and I have no idea how I would manage on a bad day. None the less, this is a must.
Written July 2, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

staledale
1,428 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2019
Purchase your ticket ahead of time, and bring your passport as we were asked for our passports upon entering a few of the inside attractions. We spent 6-6.5 hours in the Alhambra and Generalife, and the walking was worth all the incredible views, architecture and history. Too much to describe; you simply have to experience it. Awesome!
Written February 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dimitris L
Sydney, Australia51,118 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2019
Generalife is another one of the wonderful buildings in the Alhambra complex. This palatial structure was first built in the 13th century, and was used as a summer palace for the Nasrid rulers of the day, and was added to in later times. It has some beautiful interiors and some stunning gardens. The gardens are beautifully landscaped with multiple water features, flower beds and a wide variety of countless plants and trees. Not to be missed.
Written April 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

digitalroc
Calgary, Canada2,139 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023 • Friends
The Generalife is part of the Alhambra visit, and was built during the 13th and 14th centuries by Muhammad II. The Generalife was a country villa that was used both as a private retreat by elites as well as a farming estate with agricultural functions. The garden is absolutely stunning, especially the sculptured shrubs in arched shapes, to the brightly coloured flowers. We had a good weather day so we experienced the garden in all of its glory, until later that night when it rained.

When we were leaving the Generalife, we saw an outdoor seating area being set up, and our tour guide mentioned that Bob Dylan is to play at the Alhambra in 4 weeks. The Generalife is also an UNESCO World Heritage Sites (declared in 1984).
Written July 19, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

StevenK
Singapore, Singapore273 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2022
The Alhambra's ticket covers this section while admittedly is a small area to explore and not much to see after a long walk through the big garden with rows and rows or plants and trees. Feels more like a garden area for this and The Alhambra. Not something i will recommend.
Written April 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Amanda Freeman
Dublin, Ireland63 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
It is a most see if you are visiting Granada. The best possible views of the city. The downside is there is no signage instructing you where to go when you arrive in Alhambra and some of the staff have little understanding of English and even with my attempts to Spanish, my husband and I ended up walking around without a audio guide and didn't really know much about what we were seeing. So I would recommend visitors to go for a guided tour.
Also, a lot was cordoned off and closed to the public when we visit. Possibly because we went in winter - January.
Written January 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

RjessMMM
Vancouver, WA560 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Couples
A spectacular area of the Alhambra complex is a fair distance of the crowds of Nasrid Palace. Very serene with a ton of water features. You get a great view of Alhambra at the end of the paved area, After spending 4 hours, we really did not have the gas to get a cab to take us to Mirador de San Nicolas to take a picture and deal with another set of crowds. You can decide if it is worth the effort. I attached 2 pictures so you can make your own informed decision. Enjoy.
Written November 9, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Generalife - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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