Alhambra – A Palace-Building Classic for Families and Friends 🕌

A family classic where everyone builds their own palace and keeps one eye on the money. Alhambra by Dirk Henn won the Spiel des Jahres in 2003, and this Family & Friends Compact Edition from Queen Games brings it to 2 to 6 players aged 8 and up, in 45 to 60 minutes.

The fun lives in small, tense choices: buy the tower now, or wait a turn for the right coins so you can pay exactly and go again? You each build your own palace, but you all buy from the same market, so the building you were saving for can be gone before your turn. Walls must line up and every building has to be reachable on foot, which turns each new tile into a little puzzle. It suits families with kids from 8, friends who like a relaxed but clever game and couples, with an imaginary third builder named Dirk. Four modules in the box add new ideas once you know the base game.

💰 Take Money

One card, or several worth 5 or less in total.

🏛️ Buy a Building

Pay in its currency. No change is given.

🎯 Pay Exactly

…and take another turn right away.

🧱 Build Your Palace

Match the walls and keep every building reachable.

📊 Score Three Times

Most buildings of each kind, plus your longest outer wall.

Why You'll Love It:

• 👥 2 to 6 players: families, friends or a pair with Dirk.
• 🔄 Grows with you: Vizier's Favour, Camps, Bazaars and Falconers for later games.
• 🏆 Spiel des Jahres 2003: a classic in a compact box. More ideas among our family games.

Quick facts

• Type: tile-laying strategy game
• Players: 2–6
• Playing time: 45–60 minutes
• Age: 8+
• Designer: Dirk Henn
• Publisher: Queen Games
• Award: Spiel des Jahres 2003 (Alhambra)
• Contents: game board, 6 starting tiles, 54 building tiles, 108 money cards in 4 currencies, 6 reserve boards, 6 scoring counters, 6 60/120 point tiles, 2 scoring cards, scoring summary; modules: 6 vizier tokens, 8 camps, 8 bazaars, 15 falcons with a scoring summary; rules
• Edition / language: Family & Friends Compact Edition, Multilingual Edition (English, German, French, Dutch)

Which languages are the rules in? English, German, French and Dutch, all in the box.
Is this the big-box Revised Edition? No – it is the compact Family & Friends Edition of the same game, with four modules in the box.

Count your coins, pay exactly and see whose palace grows the most splendid. 🕌

⚠️ Warning: Choking hazard – small parts. Not for children under 3 years.