Capilla Real de GranadaThe Royal Chapel and Granada Cathedral: separate monuments, separate tickets
What they are
The Royal Chapel (Capilla Real) is a mausoleum—a building made to hold the tombs of the Catholic Monarchs. It was built 1506–1521, alongside the Cathedral, to bury Ferdinand and Isabella in the city they took from the Nasrids in 1492. You enter the Chapel, walk past the reja (wrought-iron screen), see the marble cenotaph above, descend to the crypt, and visit Isabella’s painting collection. 30–45 minutes.
The Cathedral (Catedral Metropolitana) is a working church and parish—a place where Granada worships. Built 1518–1703, it rises beside the Chapel. Charles V (the son of Ferdinand and Isabella’s daughter Joanna) wanted a grand space next to his parents’ tomb, so he commissioned it. You enter the Cathedral, walk the ambulatory, see the altarpiece and the royal chapel inside it (a different chapel—confusing), and look at the dome from below. 45–60 minutes for a self-guided visit.
Why they are separate
They have different legal status (one is a museum, one is a working church). They have different opening hours (Cathedral hours are longer). They have different owners—the Chapel is run by the Archdiocese through the official site, capillarealgranada.com. They are two physical buildings with a wall between them. Most importantly, they tell different stories. The Chapel is about Isabella and Ferdinand and why Granada mattered to them. The Cathedral is about the architectural ambition of Charles V. They are linked by dynasty and chronology, not by design.
How to visit both
Option 1: Book the €38 guided tour. It includes both €7 tickets, skip-the-line, and three hours of explanation of how they fit together. This is the normal way most visitors do it.
Option 2: Buy the €7 Chapel ticket at the door or online, then buy the €7 Cathedral ticket separately at its entrance. You will walk between them (30 seconds) and see both, but you pay full price and have no guide linking the story.
Option 3: Buy just the €7 Chapel ticket and skip the Cathedral. The Chapel stands alone as a story. The Cathedral is optional.
The Chapel is where the story lives
The Catholic Monarchs chose Granada as their burial place specifically because they took it from the Nasrids. The crypt—underground, plain lead coffins, five of them stacked in a stone chamber—is the emotional center of the visit. That contrast (marble above, lead below) and the reason for it (dynastic power displayed to visitors, true burial kept humble) is what makes the Chapel matter. The Cathedral beside it is architecture; the Chapel is history. If time or budget forces you to choose, choose the Chapel.
The Cathedral during the Kerygma exhibition
Until 28 November 2026, the Cathedral is hosting the "Kerygma" exhibition (Christian art and theology). The entrance price rises from €7 to €10 during this period. The exhibition is inside the Cathedral itself—you walk through it as part of the visit. This does not affect the Chapel; the Chapel stays €7 year-round.
Practical: entrances and opening hours
The Chapel entrance is on Calle Oficios, inside the pedestrian block between the Cathedral and the Alcaicería. The Cathedral entrance is on the Cathedral square itself. Both open 10:00–18:30, Sundays 11:00–18:30. Admission stops at 13:30 and again at 18:30 (they close for the long Spanish lunch). Closed 25 December, 1 January, Good Friday, and afternoons on 2 January and 12 October. Corpus Christi and other feast days shift hours—always check on the day.
The confusion solved
When you see a tour titled "Granada Cathedral and Royal Chapel," it costs €38 and includes both €7 tickets. When you see "Granada: Cathedral only" or "Granada: Albaicín and Cathedral," those tours do not include the Chapel. The Chapel is always listed by name if it is included. This site only features tours that go inside the Chapel, so every tour here includes it.
Summary
| Granada: Royal Chapel of Granada Entry Ticket | Top pickGranada: 3-Hour Cathedral and Royal Chapel Tour | Granada: Cathedral and Royal Chapel Private Tour with Ticket | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chapel only | €7 | Included in €38 | Included in €144 |
| Cathedral only | €7 (€10 during Kerygma) | Included in €38 | Included in €144 |
| Both together | €14 at the door | €38 with guide | €144 private |
| Why visit each | History, crypt, Isabella’s art | Same, plus context | Same, plus pace control |
| View → | Book this → | View → |
More on the Chapel
Read what’s inside the Chapel, whether it is worth visiting, or the guided-tour options.
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Frequently asked questions
Are the Chapel and Cathedral the same building?
No. They are two separate buildings next to each other with a wall between them, two separate entrances, and two separate €7 tickets. They are physically linked by proximity and historically linked by dynasty, but structurally and legally separate.
Do I have to visit both?
No. Most visitors do the Chapel only (€7, 30–45 minutes) and skip the Cathedral. The Chapel is the core—the tombs of Ferdinand and Isabella and the reason Granada is important. The Cathedral is optional context.
Why can’t I buy a combined ticket at the door?
The Chapel and Cathedral are run separately. There is no door-side combined ticket. A guided tour handles this by buying both separately and bundling them into one price (€38). If you want both without a guide, you pay separately at each entrance.
How long does it take to see both?
Chapel: 30–45 minutes self-guided, or 1.5 hours with a guide talking. Cathedral: 45–60 minutes. Together with a guide, 2.5–3 hours is typical, which is why the €38 tour runs three hours.
Should I visit both or just the Chapel?
Just the Chapel is enough for most visitors. The Chapel has the mausoleum, the crypt, Isabella’s paintings—the historical core. The Cathedral is beautiful architecture but not essential to understanding Granada. Skip it if short on time or budget.
What is the Cathedral’s Kerygma exhibition?
Art and theology related to the proclamation of Christ (kerygma in Greek), displayed inside the Cathedral until November 2026. Entry rises from €7 to €10 during this period. The Chapel is unaffected.
Can I enter the Cathedral from inside the Chapel?
No. They are separate buildings. You must exit the Chapel, walk 30 seconds across the street, and enter the Cathedral through its own entrance.
Is the Chapel closed on any days the Cathedral is open?
Both are closed the same days: 25 December, 1 January, Good Friday, and afternoons on 2 January and 12 October. Corpus Christi and other feast days may affect hours. Check on the day if visiting those dates.