Granada Full Day Tour From Malaga

The visit to Granada and Alhambra was fantastic with a greatvtour guide who was very knowledgeable and took the time to explain everything and answer questions.

My mistake, but this 10 hour tour is centered around a TWO hour visit to Alhambra. The remaining time is on your own in Grenada and includes a 45 minute “rest stop” in each direction. If you’re looking to spend more time at Alhambra, this isn’t the tour for you.

Having booked the trip and then read some of the reviews (rookie mistake) I was a little concerned about how the trip would be; I needn’t have! Francesca, our guide for most of the trip, and Dolores (Lola) who guided us around the Alhambra, were an absolute delight. Diego, our driver, was the strong silent type but dealt with an issue with rear door which initially prevented him from starting the bus after our first comfort stop, admirably. Granada and the Alhambra have long been on my bucket list. I was not disappointed. Please don’t let any of the negative comments put you off booking with Julia Travel. If you read the instructions about which tour, which language, the need to pre book tickets for the Alhambra, Nasrid and Generalife, the need to input your passport details when booking as well as the need to bring them with you when you go to the complex and the amount of walking/steps there is no reason that you shouldn’t have a fantastic day like we did.

Either these people are incompetent or just horrible people. I booked a Granada day tour from Malaga with Alhambra included 3 months ago. They took my money February 26th. I received a confirmation with ticket on that February date. Julia Travel cancelled my tour the day before the scheduled date of May 22nd. This is one of the worst travel experiences I have ever had. Totally unacceptable.

I found the tour operator is not very communicative, didn't reply to my email. The tour bus arrived 40 minutes late to collect us. The guide and driver took another 5 minutes cigarette break after that. I found the guide was very rude and curt mannered when we are asking questions. But he had strange sense of humour and cracking jokes when explaining the journey details. Looks like he has good command of different languages, but what a shame he wasn't very friendly when he was asked information. When we enquired if bus can stop in city centre as we have to walk 15 minutes from the pick up stop, he was very blunt saying we will only drop you where we picked. He could atleast say it politely. After getting down the bus I thanked him, he didn't even acknowledge or atleast didn't even make eye contact. Normally the tour guides will be quite warm and friendly and make your day very enjoyable with their sense of humour.

Be very careful when booking this tour! We thought we were getting the full day tour of the Alhambra and gardens but we did not. Apparently we chose the "on your own" tour, which we would never have done if we had known. It was a 13.5 hour day with a lot of walking and browsing shops and restaurants that were overpriced. The tour guide was frazzled and disorganized and was no assistance to us whatsoever. While I am sure the Alhambra is memorable, it seems like an ordeal to try to get tickets for admission. The tour with the tickets is considerably more expensive, as we found out too late.

Our tour guide on the way to Granada was impressive. She translated into four languages some of the facts of the area. She had a positive attitude throughout the day. There is a lot of walking but worth it. Amazing trip.

The whole tour was made very easy by the operator, with a pick up from Malaga. The guide on the bus was a lovely warm person that made us welcome from the first moment. The tour is organised so that you have a reasonable amount of time in Granada to explore before meeting back for a guided tour of the Alhambra and General life. Granada was definitely worth spending the time on with the old silk market, and the Albaicín being my favourite. The Alhambra and Generalife are simply something else this was my second time, but still as breathtaking. It is definitely something everyone should see in their life.

Although I followed the directions to the letter, was at the correct pickup location, was aware of every bus that arrived and asked one of the guides present about the bus to Granada (and was told my guide would find me), I did not find the bus nor did the guide find me. Bottom line, I did not get to Granada. Many buses arrive within minutes of each other. Clients waiting for their respective bus tours are rushing back and forth looking for their tour bus. The guide I spoke with was very conscientious and clearly made an effort to find all her passengers. My guide clearly did not make any effort to find me. It was a great disappointment and since I was leaving Spain the next day there was no chance to try again. I was told to wait at Bus Stop 11. I was there 25 minutes before the pickup time and, not realizing my bus “allegedly’ had been there, I waited until 9:00 when I called (Julia Travel) to find out what was going on. After looking into the matter I was told that the bus had been there. Well maybe it was but, if so, the guide clearly made no effort whatsoever to locate me.

When we booked with Tripadvisor it said that this was a visit to the Alhambra Place on your own. We were fully aware that a ticket into the place was not included and purchased two directly from their website. It wasn't until we got to Granada that Pedro the guide told us that the tour didn't go anywhere near the Alhambra. All the other people on the trip also believed we going to the place. We managed to get there by taxi but missed our time slot ! Further to this Pedro was very rude and unhelpful. When we were due to leave he was not at the agreed meeting point We and the remainder of the group had to run over a mile in 35c heat to where the couch had dropped us off and only got there just as it was about to pull away! A number of people were elderly and one lady had already fallen because Pedro had marched us off at the start of the trip. Three people were left behind and Pedro called us all liars claiming that he was at the meeting point. Tripadvisor were also very unhelpful when we complained to them. We will never use Tripadvisor or Julia Travel again and certainly don't recommend them.

When someone asked him to walk slowly because there were a lot of elderly, his answer was “this a walking tour.” He was asking for directions to the locals. The 2hs city tour was a waste of time and we never went to Alhambra. At the end, he wasn’t waiting for us at the pick up point so a lot of us had to run to the bus. When I asked him, he gave me answers like: “there was a miscommunication” and “I’m only responsible for my words, not if you understand me or not.” He finished saying “You don’t know the city” and all the bus got angry at him. Does he know the city, when he’s asking for directions?! If we don’t know the city, shouldn’t you as a tour guide make sure we understand you? Disaster of. Tour and disgusting human being.

We went on the tour to see Alhambra. It turned out this tour did not include Alhambra but it was ok to go on your own to Alhambra. This we did but after a hellish walk up there we found out Alhambra was fully booked that day! Walking back to Granada centre we were unable to find our bus. Tour operator was not possible to reach since they close for siesta between 13-16 h! We ended up having to take a taxi back to Torremolinos. Poor information and uninterested guide on the bus. Avoid!!

Alhambra is a fascinating place, incredible architecture and interesting history. Our guide, Christina, was very knowledgeable and obviously loves her job. We were on our own in Granada without any real guidance and were told we needed to eat lunch during our free time. Many restaurants were not open until it would have been too late to eat before getting back on the bus. We walked almost 8 miles so wouldn't advise anyone not in good walking shape to take this tour.

I was going on holiday in Torremolinos and knew it was possible to do a day trip to the Alhambra from there. The Alhambra had been on my bucket list for a very long time and it did not disapppoint - it is very impressive. My choice of trip was limited to that run by Julia Travel as that was the only one advertised during an off-season week in November. The reviews of it were a little mixed, so I was a bit wary, but the trip itself ran as expected without any hitches. The good: Julia Travel has an office in Torremolinos so it was easy to turn up and confirm the trip two days before it was scheduled as requested. They also offered a pick up point very close to my hotel when I did this, which was a great improvement on the one I had been told about at the time of booking which would have been an hour's walk away. I had booked this trip some months in advance as this is a very popular tour and can fill up quickly. The tour bus was modern, comfortable and arrived on time. The Alhambra itself was stunning and the guide was extremely knowledgeable. Our guide used a wireless microphone and transmitter and issued everyone with a receiver and headpiece at the start of the tour so it was easy to hear everything they said. The not so good: It's a 2.5 hour coach journey from Torremolinos. Pick up is early morning, around 7:30am. The coach was very full, and made multiple stops to collect people on the way there and drop them off on the way back which made it an extra long trip. There was also a 20 minute stop mid-way in both directions at athe same motorway services where staff desperately tried to sell everyone massively overpriced local produce, which was a waste of everyone's time. On arrival in Granada around 11am we were left to our own devices and told to come back to a meeting point at 1:30pm so that we could be transported to the Alhambra for 2pm. Entry to the Alhambra is strictly controlled and everyone had to have an ID document with them. This was scanned multiple times by Alhambra staff as we moved between different parts of the complex. The tour itself took around 2 hours and felt very rushed. Friends who have visited expressed surprise that it was so fast as there is so much to see there. Given how long it takes to get there and back and the amount to see we really needed longer and a more relaxed schedule for the tour. I found I often became separated from the group as they were moved at high speed between different parts of the Alhambra and I wanted to pause and look at some of the amazing architecture rather than move on at speed. There was no time to visit the museum or some parts of the complex, which was a bit dissappointing given how much the trip cost and how long it took to get there and back.

Booked and paid for this tour 2 months ago. Had confirmation email. Emailed to confirm pick up address to be advised sorry not booked as they can’t get the entry tickets to the palace confirmed. All other tour operator options are now booked meaning we can not visit the Alhambra palace on our trip to Spain. Will not be back since coming from NZ which is a 30 hour flight. So thanks to Julia travel will miss what was anticipated to be a highlight of our trip. If I had not contacted them would they ever have advised the tour was not actually booked? Will I ever have my money returned from them… Can not warn you off ever booking with this company more. BUYER BEWARE you will not know if your apparently confirmed tour is actually booked for you until you get on it it seems

Alhambra wonderful guide knowledgeable at Alhambra but rushed us to the shop and then disappeared from 15 minutes withoutv waiting for people who were struggling to keep up There was no need for so long at souvenir shop but it was inexcusable that she didn’t m ake sure everyone was accounted for

The castle is well worth a visit . Entry fee is minimal and helps support with continuing repairs . Great view from the top over Malaga . The castle is well maintained and is fantastic for photography.

Alhambra is a beautiful place! It is a must see if you’re in the area! Our guide knew so much about the history and culture of the place. We loved our visit!

Amazing expérience. Thé Al Hambra is breath-taking and Christina was a perfect spanish/french guide. First part was also great because you could explore Granada on your own and not as a group.

Thr trip was not well organised. The time at Alhambra was 2:30. We started from the hotel at 7:20and had to spend 3 hours in Granada on a bank holiday with all the shops closed. Fantastically boring !

The Alhambra was lovely and definitely worth the visit. The gardens, the views, the fountains; it's worth the visit. The bus trip was memorable as well.....it seemed like a full bus and people were not acting like adults. The guides did their best to deescalate the situation and my husband and I now have a great inside joke (you had to be there) but Julia needs to not book their tours so full or buy more comfortable buses. It was a good trip but not a great trip.

Alhambra was very nice and is well worth a visit, but the operator requested additional fees not included in the price.

Natalie was amazing! From pick up to drop off she kept us entertained and gave so much information not only about Granada but the areas we travelled through. The day was perfect. We had the freedom to see what we wanted to see but knew that Natalie was there if we needed. Stephen and Matt

The Alhambra in Granada is a world's wonder! Amazing architecture, art, and history. Imagine you being there in awe and then having your tour guide rushing through it! What a shame, this is not how you do a TOUR! I would understand if this is a full day tour. But is not! Your tour, excluding travel, is essentially only 2.5 hours . The rest is FREE time in the city - 3 hours! I felt duped.... I joined the tour in Malaga at 8:00 am, met by the tour guide Jean Pierre. The ride to Granada was about 1.5-2 hours. At Alhambra, we were handed off to a local guide, who guided is through the palace until around 12:30. Then we were handed back to Jean Pierre, who the led us to the cathedral in Granada..He showed is the entrance to the entrance of the cathedral. We were to tour the cathedral our self and have free time from 1-4 PM. Jean Pierre was anything but a guide. In the bus, he just mostly read through a script. In Granada, he continuously failed to bring attention the group to follow him. He rarely spoke and kept walking very far ahead of the group. Most people were having a hard time catching up especially the elderly - he didn't seem to care of anyone in the group got lost or left behind. The local guide, I think his name was Hani, was a bit better. But still, not a very good guide. He rushed through the tour, rarely facing the group, and basically just doing the tour via his microphone. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS TOUR. GRANADA IS AWESOME, BUT USE A DIFFERENT TOUR!

<p>Enjoyed the beautiful Alhambra palace and gardens. The local guide was knowledgeable and spoke English fluently.</p>

<p>Really a good tour! We left from Torremolinos, and no one locally could get us tickets to the Alhambra Palace nor the Alhambra Gardens, thanks god this company is havind the possibility to visit the Alhambra Garden's, and we can say, the Gardens are as beautiful as the Palace... Really worth to visit, for sure seeing the prices they are asking to visit the Palace, as the gardens are the same or even better... Julia Travel did a good job for us! Thank you to our guide Paco for this great experience!</p>

Everything worked out great, even in German

The bus arrives 25 minutes late. The description of the excursion suggests that we will see the akan ta. That is not the case. The guide gets rid of us at the first opportunity without explanation. Why sell an excursion that is not one? I could have rented a car and made the same trip. It is almost a fraud. I have canceled my other trips with you.

The travel guide on the bus was very skilled. But the stop in Grenada at first was bunk.

We could not visit the Alhambra because Viator could not buy tickets. We only visited Granada but free of charge and could not resume the excursion. These tickets were booked since April very big disappointment. Few details about the excursions purchased, Get your Guide is very precise.

Visit the city of Granada and the halhambra gardens and palaces. We took some very nice pictures. Beautiful gardens and history of the magical place.

a special goal, please take time Choose cool season listening to a good tour guide take lots of beautiful pictures as a reminder!

We loved it! It is worth going to see the Alhambra and the excursion itself is very good because before the visit we stopped in the center of Granada and it was great, we will repeat for sure...

J'ai été enchantée de cette excursion étant donné que je suis québécoise Française J'ai pris en anglais mais je suis tombé sur un guide facile et drôle à comprendre je suis vraiment contente

Very good trip. It was fun and very exciting. The Alhambra was great. Can only recommend, the price was good

Julia Travel avait très bien organisé cette excursion. Je tiens à féliciter la guide, Anabela, qui nous accompagnait dans le car. Elle, parfaite trilingue, nous a bien expliqué et nous a bien accompagné. Bravo à elle !

Bien apprécié notre visite avec une guide tres intéressante qui a sue nous captiver du début jusqu'a la fin. Cette visite est incontournable. Merci

Trop vite , supposé être en français prioritaire parlait plus en espagnol et anglais et en français on comprenait rien

La visite des Jardins de l'Alambra et le palais du Generalife nous a beaucoup plus. La guide locale était très intéressante.

Allez retour aucune description du guide, aucun moment pour un repas, 30 minutes pour visiter la ville de Grenade et on doit passer rapidement le generalife, jardin de l’Alambra, car on manque de temps…Déçu!9

Organisation au top ! Horaires respectés , programme à la hauteur et le guide du bus et à l Alhambra exceptionnels 🤩 ravis du choix de cette excursion , on recommande !

Notre guide parler un super bon français et décrivez les lieux de façon remarquable. Elle était super gentille et si il attentive nous besoin. Merci pour cette belle visite! Chantal

Good morning, During our stay in Torremolinos, we took the opportunity to make several excursions: Gibraltar, Ronda, Mijas/Marbella and Granada. I must first congratulate Elena from the Julia agency on Calle del Peligro who took the time to explain to me what the different tours included and who gave me a lot of advice and relevant information. I have rarely seen such efficient customer service. Well done Elena and I will refer people to you when they go to Torremolinos. As for excursions, it is true that the journey is long when you have to pick up several people from different places, but we preferred to relax on the bus and enjoy the landscapes than to drive. The guides are all very knowledgeable and eager to help and inform us. The French of some guides was less good, but fortunately we understood English and a little Spanish, so we didn't miss any details. The only point for improvement: during the visit to Granada, we had far too much free time to visit the old town before the visit to the Alhambra. We would have preferred that our guide took us to see the places of interest and gave us facts about the history of certain buildings and other places, (thus a guided tour) rather than letting us wander for three hours in the streets of the city. It was a long walk... On the other hand, the guide at the Alhambra was competent and captivating. In addition, if the stop at the restaurant in the morning was appreciated, the one on the way back at the end of the afternoon was not necessary. This lengthened the return trip unnecessarily. Thank you, we loved discovering the Costa del Sol with your company. Elaine (Elena), the Canadian

Very beautiful gardens unfortunately in pouring rain. A perfectly French speaking guide that gives us all the details about the history of these places

Has been a healing week, with a great day trip to Gibraltar. The Sunshine area is recommended. It's been beautiful weather. Delicious food experiences.

Très belle visite de l'Alhambra. Notre guide locale en français expliquait très bien et avait un bon sens de l'humour.

It was a very nice and interesting excursion with a very good and clear guide. Highly recommended.

Très belle ville jardin alembra magnifique Guide vraiment très bien parlant bien français Guide dans le car tres bien A recommander

Very nice experience, congratulations to Miguel who was a great guide, congratulations to Henrique who drove the coach all day and congratulations to Maria who explained to us all the secrets of the Alhambra