Free Areas inside Alhambra
What You Can See Without a Ticket
Large parts of the Alhambra complex are freely accessible without a ticket, including the Gate of Justice, Gate of Pomegranates, Gate of Wine, Plaza de los Aljibes, the Alhambra Forest, Charles V Palace exterior, Museum of the Alhambra (free entry), Museum of Fine Arts, Church of Santa María, Angel Barrios Museum, Crimson Towers, and the Carmen de los Mártires gardens. These areas give a genuine sense of the site’s scale and architecture.
Many visitors to Granada don’t realise that a significant portion of the Alhambra complex can be explored completely free of charge — without any ticket, at any time during opening hours. Whether tickets are sold out, your budget is tight, or you simply want to extend your visit beyond the paid areas, the Alhambra’s free zones are genuinely impressive in their own right.
This guide walks through every free area of the Alhambra in the order you would naturally encounter them walking up from Granada’s historic centre. For those who do have tickets, the free areas are also worth understanding — they form part of the overall Alhambra experience and include some architecturally significant structures. If general entry tickets are sold out, read our last-minute Alhambra ticket guide for additional options.
Alhambra Top Tickets
All Free Areas at a Glance
| Free Area | Type | Approximate Location |
|---|---|---|
| Gate of Pomegranates (Puerta de las Granadas) | Historic gateway | Base of Alhambra hill — Cuesta de Gómerez |
| Alhambra Forest (Bosque de la Alhambra) | Shaded elm-tree paths | Sabika Hill — between city and complex |
| Fountain of Charles V | Renaissance fountain | Pedestrian path left of Cuesta de Gómerez |
| Gate of Justice (Puerta de la Justicia) | 14th-century Nasrid gateway | South entrance to the old walled city |
| Plaza de los Aljibes | Central public square | Between Alcazaba and Nasrid Palaces |
| Gate of Wine (Puerta del Vino) | 14th-century gate | Centre of complex — medina entrance |
| Charles V Palace exterior & courtyard | Renaissance palace | Centre of complex |
| Museum of the Alhambra | Free museum | Inside Charles V Palace (ground floor) |
| Museum of Fine Arts | Museum (free some days) | Inside Charles V Palace (upper floor) |
| Church of Santa María de la Encarnación | 17th-century church | Calle Real — east of Charles V Palace |
| Saint Francis Convent (Parador Hotel) | Historic convent / hotel | Calle Real — further east |
| Angel Barrios Museum | Free music museum | Near Charles V Palace |
| Gate of the Carriages | 16th-century gate | Northwest — edge of forest |
| Bib-Rambla Gate | Historic arch | Cuesta de Gómerez — lower |
| Carmen de los Mártires gardens | Romantic garden | Near Manuel de Falla Auditorium |
| Torres Bermejas (Crimson Towers) | Pre-Nasrid watchtowers | South of main complex |
The Free Walking Route — From Granada City Centre
The most rewarding way to experience the Alhambra’s free areas is to walk the full route from Granada’s Plaza Nueva uphill to the complex. The route takes approximately 20–25 minutes on foot and passes through several historically significant areas along the way.
1. Gate of Pomegranates (Puerta de las Granadas)
Starting from Plaza Nueva, follow the pedestrianised Cuesta de Gómerez uphill. The first landmark you encounter is the Gate of Pomegranates — built in 1536 under Charles V, replacing an earlier Moorish gate called Bib-Albuxar. The gate features three arches (the central one for horses, the two outer ones for pedestrians) and elaborate pomegranate carvings — the symbolic fruit of Granada. It marks the official entrance to the Alhambra hill and the Forest beyond. Get Directions
2. The Alhambra Forest (Bosque de la Alhambra)
Passing through the Gate of Pomegranates, you enter the Alhambra Forest — a shaded woodland of English elm trees planted in the 17th century across the slopes of Sabika Hill. Three paths lead upward toward the palace: the central route (for vehicles) and two pedestrian paths on either side. The forest provides welcome shade in summer and is a pleasant, atmospheric arrival experience in any season. Get Directions
3. Fountain of Charles V
Taking the left pedestrian path from the Gate of Pomegranates, you’ll encounter the Renaissance Fountain of Charles V — a carved stone fountain featuring three water spouts, each representing one of the rivers of Granada: the Beyro, the Darro, and the Genil. It is a fine example of 16th-century Spanish Renaissance craftsmanship, often missed by visitors who take the right-hand path. Get directions
4. Gate of Justice (Puerta de la Justicia)
Continuing up from the Fountain of Charles V, climb the stairs to reach the Gate of Justice — one of the most architecturally impressive structures in the entire Alhambra. Built in 1348 during the reign of Yusuf I, it features a double horseshoe arch with remarkable carved stone symbolism: a hand on the outer keystone (representing the five pillars of Islam) and a key on the inner arch (symbolising the authority granted to open the gates of heaven). According to legend, the world will end when the hand and key finally meet. Walking through this gate costs nothing and is one of the great free experiences in Granada. Get directions
5. Plaza de los Aljibes
Enter through the Gate of Justice and you reach the Plaza de los Aljibes — the great central square of the Alhambra, situated between the Alcazaba’s southern wall and the Nasrid Palaces. The name means ‘Square of the Cisterns,’ referring to the large underground water reservoirs that were filled from the Darro River via the Alhambra’s ancient acequia (irrigation channel) system. From this square you can look up at the towers of the Alcazaba and appreciate the scale of the complex around you. It is entirely freely accessible. Get directions
6. Gate of Wine (Puerta del Vino)
From the Plaza de los Aljibes, turn right to find the Gate of Wine — one of the oldest surviving structures in the entire Alhambra, built during the reign of Muhammad III between 1302 and 1309. Unlike the outer defensive gates, it leads directly into the old medina (artisan and servant district) and was not designed with a defensive L-shaped turn. It features decorative tilework and Nasrid inscriptions. Wine merchants once traded through here, giving it its popular name. Get directions
7. Charles V Palace — Exterior, Courtyard & Museums
Crossing through the Gate of Wine, you reach the Palace of Charles V — an imposing Renaissance square palace with a famous circular inner courtyard, begun in 1527 but never fully completed. The exterior and the remarkable circular courtyard are entirely free to walk through. Inside, the ground floor houses the Museum of the Alhambra (free entry), containing original Islamic artefacts, ceramics, and Nasrid-era decorations removed from the palace for preservation. The upper floor contains the Museum of Fine Arts (free on certain days — check current terms at time of visit). Get directions
8. Church of Santa María de la Encarnación
Following Calle Real eastward from the Palace of Charles V, you reach the Church of Santa María de la Encarnación — a 17th-century church built on the foundations of the Great Mosque of the Alhambra (al-Masjid al-Aʿẓam), which was dismantled after the Christian Reconquista. The statue of Saint Mary of the Alhambra, created by Torcuato Ruiz del Peral (1750–1760), is housed here and carried through Granada in a renowned Easter procession. Get directions
9. Saint Francis Convent (Now the Parador Hotel)
Continuing east along Calle Real, the former Convent of San Francisco — now the Parador de Granada — occupies the site of a 14th-century Nasrid palace built by Muhammad III. The Catholic Monarchs donated it to the Franciscan order in 1492; Queen Isabella was temporarily buried here before the Royal Chapel in the city was completed. The chapel and viewpoint within the hotel grounds are worth a brief visit for their royal history.
10. Angel Barrios Museum
Near the Charles V Palace, the small Angel Barrios Museum commemorates the life and work of the Granada-born musician and composer Ángel Barrios (1882–1964). Located on the site of what was once the bathhouse of the Great Mosque of the Alhambra, the museum preserves the remains of the Nasrid bath structure alongside exhibits on Barrios’s musical legacy.
11. Torres Bermejas (Crimson Towers)
South of the main Alhambra complex, the Torres Bermejas are a set of pre-Nasrid watchtowers built in the 11th century over even earlier fortifications — making them among the oldest structures on the hill, predating the Nasrid period by two centuries. They were part of the defensive wall system that linked the Alcazaba to the south. Accessible from the Callejón Niño del Royo street near the Rodríguez-Acosta Foundation, they offer views across the Vega of Granada. Get directions
12. Carmen de los Mártires
Just outside the main Alhambra perimeter, the Carmen de los Mártires is a romantic 19th-century garden on the site of a former Carmelite convent and, before that, a Nasrid-era prison. The gardens are laid out in a mix of formal French and romantic English styles, with fountains, a small lake, peacocks, and views of the Realejo quarter. The adjacent Alhambra Palace Hotel terrace is a popular spot for sunset drinks with views of the illuminated palace. Entry to the Carmen de los Mártires gardens is free during their opening hours.
Tips for Visiting the Free Areas
- Best time to visit the free areas: Early morning (before 10 am) or late afternoon (after 5 pm) when the main visitor flow through the paid areas is at its peak and the free zones are quieter.
- The Gate of Justice is freely accessible even without a ticket — you do not need to pay to walk through and admire it from both sides.
- Museum of the Alhambra — free to enter; one of the best Islamic art collections in Spain. Allow 30–45 minutes.
- Walking shoes are essential — the walk from Plaza Nueva to the top of the hill and around the free areas involves uneven cobblestones and uphill paths.
- The free areas can be combined with a paid visit: arrive early, explore the Gate of Pomegranates and Forest on the way up, then use your ticket for the paid areas, and finish at the Gate of Wine and Charles V Palace museums on the way out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I visit the Alhambra for free?
Yes — a significant portion of the Alhambra complex is freely accessible without a ticket, including the Gate of Justice, Gate of Pomegranates, Gate of Wine, Alhambra Forest, Plaza de los Aljibes, Charles V Palace exterior and courtyard, Museum of the Alhambra, Church of Santa María, and the Crimson Towers. The main ticketed areas — Nasrid Palaces, Alcazaba Fortress, and Generalife Gardens — require a paid ticket.
Is the Museum of the Alhambra free?
Yes. The Museum of the Alhambra, located on the ground floor of the Charles V Palace, is free to enter and contains an impressive collection of original Islamic artefacts, ceramics, marble fountains, and Nasrid-era decorations. The Museum of Fine Arts on the upper floor may charge admission on certain days — check current terms at time of visit.
Can I walk through the Gate of Justice without a ticket?
Yes. The Gate of Justice is not a ticketed entrance gate — it is a free public area that anyone can walk through, admire, and photograph. You only need a ticket when you proceed into the ticketed zones of the Alhambra beyond the free public areas.
What’s the best free view of the Alhambra?
The best free views of the Alhambra from outside the complex are from the Albaicín neighbourhood — particularly the Mirador de San Nicolás, which offers the classic postcard panorama at sunset. From within the complex’s free areas, the Plaza de los Aljibes provides an excellent view of the Alcazaba towers.
How long does it take to walk the free areas?
A leisurely walk from Plaza Nueva through the Gate of Pomegranates, Alhambra Forest, Fountain of Charles V, Gate of Justice, Plaza de los Aljibes, Gate of Wine, and Charles V Palace takes approximately 45–60 minutes. Adding the Church of Santa María, Paradors visit, and Crimson Towers extends this to 1.5–2 hours.
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