Alhambra Palace to revolutionise visits with more personalised tickets

Until now, access has had only three formats: general admission to the palaces, the gardens and night visits, which has become quite restricted and with little room for manoeuvre for different types of visitors.

On 25 June, the Patronato de la Alhambra will propose in a meeting which includes the board, Granada city hall, the provincial Diputación de Granada and the University of Granada (UGR) a major regulatory reform that opens the door to flexibility in organising visits and access to the monument. The idea is that there will be many different types of entrances available and that products can be created to diversify in high season and boost visits in July and August.

The Alhambra will continue to receive 2.7 million visitors a year, but it will try to get more out of it and make the experiences more rewarding by adapting them to visitors.

The new regulations will be drafted with the Patronato's technicians and will go through the filters until they are approved. It is estimated that it could have the final approval by the end of this year and from 2027 start selling these Alhambra experiences through its official channels.

The classic entrances will remain, but times and hours will come into play. In other words, it will be possible to divide the day into segments so that school visits do not coincide with those of a visitor who wants to experience the palace at a quieter time.

An 'express' entrance will be looked into, with a shorter content, for those who, for example, are looking for a photo. The idea is to give "a big twist" to the experience. This idea is linked to applying digital technology to the management of the monument and making it a more immersive experience. The idea is to put an end to congestion at certain times of the year, as visitors will be focused on fulfilling their own expectations.

This reform proposes enriching the visit, adding spaces and even freeing up parts of some gardens or adding attractions. All this is in line with the increase, of up to 30 per cent of the Alhambra's visitable extension, once the Carmen de los Porcel is added to Torres Bermejas and other areas not yet open to visitors that will be added.

A new system for surplus tickets could also be set up and there could be a last minute option for locals, or some kind of auction to sell any tickets that have been left over. In addition, the Alhambra will offer specialised visits for blind, deaf and disabled people who require time and space to enjoy the tour.

Ticket prices are expected to go up as part of the reform and sources from the Patronato indicate that the Alhambra has to earn seven million euros more per year to pay the new wage bill, consisting of about a hundred new staff in sectors such as security, workshops, administrative support and facilities.

The Alhambra also needs the income for maintenance and preventive conservation. One of the projects, which is about to start, is the restoration of the Patio de los Leones. For all this, ticket prices will increase and personalised packages will try to satisfy visitors so that the monument remains just as attractive, adapted to new, more specialised visitors.