Seville is breathtaking. I was very excited to visit based on what friends and family had already told me and sometimes when that happens you’re left feeling a little disappointed from the hype. That was not the case for Seville! From stunning architecture to tasty food and beautiful corners everywhere you look, this Andalusian city packs so much into a small area.
Seville is the largest city in the Andalusia region of southern Spain and due to its location on the river Guadalquivir, has been one of the most important cities in Spain throughout history. This means that the city is rich in tradition, architecture and with plenty of local dishes and drinks. The city centre itself is filled with a maze of narrow alleyways which are navigable by foot and a great way to explore is just by getting lost and seeing what gems you can find.
If you’ve only got a couple of days then you can pack the best sites in easily but Seville is best enjoyed with an extra lazy day so you can take the city slowly and sip that sangria without rushing somewhere else. For even longer, there are lots of daytrips nearby such as Italica, Ronda and even Cadiz. A dream would be to take an Andalusian road trip and combine a trip to Seville with Cordoba and Grenada.
Visit in November for cooler weather and smaller crowds, although the oranges won’t be in full season until the end of December.
Top Tip – Booking Activities & Tours
My favourite app for booking tours, adventures and plenty of fun is Get Your Guide. There are so many epic memories that you can choose to make from food tours to entry tickets, laidback wine tasting to adrenaline filled adventures. Make sure you use my discount code CATTHOMSON5 for 5% off your first booking when you download the app as a new user 👇
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1. Real Alcázar of Seville
Regardless of how much time you have in Seville, top of your list to visit must be the Real Alcázar of Seville. This is the most well known location in the city and the most visited place for tourists as well with over two million visitors every year. It’s grown in popularity since the Game of Thrones series which used the places around the Alcázar to film some scenes. Because it’s so popular, you should absolutely book your tickets in advance and you can do that here. Even in the off season of November, tickets had sold out for the day by the time we left at 11am.
Seville’s Real Alcázar is the oldest palace still in use in Europe and it is the residence of the Spanish royal family when they’re in town. When you enter through the Lion’s Gate you’ll be greeted with the fabulous Hunting Courtyard and it’s here that you begin to realise just how impressive this site is going to be. There are intricate details everywhere you look from the vibrant tiles to the ornate columns and carvings.
The most impressive space in the complex is the Courtyard of The Maidens which you will likely recognise and I would advise you head here first (and book the first ticket of the day!). This was a mistake that we made and by the time we got there at 10:30 (1hr after opening) it was heaving with tour groups.
The Alcázar is the site of the Islamic citadel from the 10th century. In 1248-49 the area was taken over by the Castilians who turned the Alcázar into the royal residence that it still is today. The Alcázar is such a treat to visit because it combines such a unique blend of architectural styles and symbols from its mix of Mudéjar, Gothic, Renaissance and Islamic influences.
It’s not just the interior of the Real Alcázar that’s stunning but also the gardens. You should set aside at least one and a half hours to explore the whole place but you could easily spend even longer here. The gardens as magnificent as the palace with one courtyard leading to another with plenty of fountains and follies to uncover. Even in november, there was lush greenery everywhere so I can imagine in summer they are even more bursting with colour. They were used throughout Game of Thrones with many spots around the gardens featured as the Water Gardens of Dorne, seat of House Martell.
Before you leave, don’t miss the Baths of Maria de Padilla beneath the palace. This intriguing place was built as rainwater tanks but is where King Pedro’s mistress, Maria de Padilla would come for some quiet. It’s a rather surreal location and it’s no wonder it was used as a GoT location!
2. Plaza de España
If there’s another Seville landmark that is just as well known and competing for that top spot with the Real Alcázar then it’s most certainly the Plaza de España. If you Google Seville or search for Seville on Instagram or Pinterest then you’re certain to find that most photos will feature Plaza de España. It is possibly the most beautiful location in the whole city and when you come round the corner it will take your breath away. The Plaza de España is a very popular place to hang out in Seville (it’s free after all!) so come as early as you can to really enjoy the beauty of the Plaza without the crowds. If you’re up early enough for sunrise you may even be treated to a spectacular sky like we were 😍
In 1929, Seville hosted the Ibero-American Exhibition which was to build relations between Spain and Portugal and the USA and the Latin America region. This event led to a major redevelopment in the southern area of the city which included the building of the Plaza de España, designed by Aníbal González. There are an incredible number of details here which are all symbolic to Spain and its history. Around the plaza, there is a canal which is spanned by four ornately decorated bridges which represent the four ancient kingdoms of Spain. Along the edge of the plaza there are many tiled benches whose tile details link to various provinces around Spain and people love to find the ones they know and recognise.
This is a lovely spot to just sit and soak up the atmosphere of Seville, watching the world go by. Stroll around and find your favourite tiles or hire one of the rowing boats and glide (or splash!) your way around the canal.
Top Tip – Data Roaming
If you’re visiting Seville from overseas then getting online with an eSIM from Holafly is such a game changer. No swapping SIMs. No complicated data roaming. Lots of choice. If your phone is compatible, just download the eSIM and get going!
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3. Casa Pilatos
Seville has had a very wealthy past which means that there are some beautiful mansion houses in the city. A number of these can be visited to see what life as an aristocrat might have been like in ancient Seville, one of which is Casa Pilatos (or Pilate’s House). This was one of my biggest surprises in Seville. I had no idea of what to expect from Casa Pilatos but was blown away by how beautiful and embellished the house is. It’s also very reasonably priced to visit and you can upgrade to see the upper rooms if you’d like when you arrive.
Casa Pilatos is the permanent residence of the Medinacelli family but is partly open as a museum to the public. The house is said to be the best example of an Andalusian palace and it has 150 different tile designs throughout which is very impressive to see. Built in the 15th and 16th centuries, the house takes it’s name from Pontius Pilate, as the owners wanted to emulate the style of the Roman leader’s house from Jerusalem. There are busts and statues of Roman emperors and Greek gods throughout as well as a beautiful central fountain and other details.
4. Cathedral & La Giralda
There is one building that really stands out on the Seville skyline and that is the Cathedral with La Giralda. Seville’s cathedral is the biggest Gothic cathedral in the world and as you walk around its exterior you get a feel for the scale of its footprint. La Giralda is the bell tower of the cathedral and rises up above the city to a height of 105m. The bell tower was once the minaret of the mosque that previously stood in place of the cathedral. The rest of the mosque was knocked down in 1401 to make way for the cathedral after the Grand Mosque had been converted into a Christian place of worship in 1248 after Seville was conquered by Ferdinand III.
Don’t just admire the cathedral from the outside but make sure you book a ticket to see the interior as well. As the biggest Gothic cathedral in the world, it’s not surprising that there is so much to see inside with a warren of rooms filled with important religious artefacts, relics and artwork. Bizarrely, you can also find the tomb of Christopher Columbus in Seville Cathedral. Only a small part of him is buried here but it is the only remains that have been identified correctly which is very interesting! Make sure to get a work out in by walking to the top of La Giralda where you’ll enjoy some fabulous views of the city. If you need an excuse to take it a bit slower, there are little windows all the way up where you can truly admire the architectural detail and expertise employed in building this magnificent building.
5. Eat tapas
You can’t possibly write about anywhere in Spain without mentioning tapas. The art of small plates has swept across the world but it is in Spain where they have their origins. There are a number of stories as to where tapas came from but nevertheless they are associated with Spanish food. Of course in Seville it is no exception that you must taste tapas whilst in the city and there are so many types and places to choose from to get your fill.
A couple of recommendations in include Bar Alfalfa which you often have to queue for but it’s so worth the wait – this was some of the best food we had! The Iberian ham from Bar Las Teresas and the manchego cheese paired with orange wine from Alvaro Peregil.
Interestingly I didn’t see much patatas bravas on the menu but the only thing I’ve found on Google is a suggestion that they’re less popular in Seville than the rest of Spain. The only ones we did have were pretty bad which was a shame!
6. Watch a flamenco show
A must do while you’re in Seville is to watch a flamenco show. The origins of flamenco are in Andalusia and are thought to be related to the arrival of gypsies in the 15th century to the area around Cadiz. As such, it has woven a rich and vibrant thread through Andalusian culture and especially so in Seville. There are plenty of ways to experience flamenco depending on your level of interest.
To understand more about the history of flamenco and what it means then visit the Museo del Baile Flamenco or you can try it out for yourself with a flamenco class. There are plenty of different shows to check out. You can head to a small intimate venue to feel the passion and fury up close and personal or enjoy the theatrical experience in a larger location. I booked this on the recco of a friend who had done lots of research. I didn’t really know much about flamenco other than flicky dresses and castanets so it was incredible to get swept up in the experience of the singing, music and dancing.
7. Grab a coffee
On my city break / what to do posts there’s always an item referencing coffee because I am a big fan! Seville, is of course, no exception. At the time of writing (2024) coffee prices in the UK are hitting about £3.50 as standard so with the most expensive flat white I found in Seville only €2.60 I was on a mission to make the most of the cost and went to 7 different cafes during the trip. I’m planning to write a separate post in more detail about food and drink in Seville so make sure you subscribe so that you don’t miss it 😉
Searching on Google Maps brings up a whole host of cafes and coffee shops and I was impressed to see so many had incredibly high ratings with lots of reviews. That’s when you know it’s going to be good! Some favourites were Syra Coffee, Parceria & Late. A couple of others I wish I’d been able to try include Virgen & MUY.
8. Les Setas
Seville feels like a very historic city, where you get the feeling that if the walls could talk, they would have an awful lot of stories to tell. So it’s an interesting juxtaposition when you come across Les Setas in the old quarter. The Setas de Sevilla (translated as the Mushrooms of Seville and previously known as the Metropol Parasol) is a giant wooden structure which undulates its way over La Encarnación square. Architect Jürgen Mayer won a competition to invigorate the square in the 2000s and give it an uplift. The work was completed in 2011 and its design was created to represent fig trees and the vaults of the Seville cathedral.
There are many ways to enjoy Les Setas and I recommend trying them all! During the day you can see the remarkable structure and how it blends in with the scenery around the square. Buy a ticket to head up onto the walkway and you’ll see some wonderful city views as you walk across the slightly otherworldly terrain on top. You must come back at night to see the LED show which is magical both from on top as well as below. Your ticket will let you visit both during the day and at night which is great so that you don’t have to choose between them! Walking through Les Setas at night is rather surreal as the lights change along with ethereal music playing to make you feel like you’ve walked onto a Sci-Fi set!
9. Drink Sangria
Before visiting Seville, I was dreaming of those rooftop sangrias and relaxing in a terrace garden with a glass as big as my head! Interestingly, you won’t find Spanish people in Seville (possibly the whole of Spain?) drinking sangria at a restaurant or bar because for them, it’s a drink for home and every family has their own slight version that’s special to them. Rather, Sevillians will order a Tinto de Verano which is red wine mixed with lemonade. It does taste different to sangria because you don’t have the same complex notes of fruit and spices (usually cloves) and generally it’s the lemon (or orange flavour) from the soda that you taste in addition to the red wine.
One of the best things we did during the trip was to join a rooftop sangria tasting workshop which you can book here. I specifically booked a time slot that meant we would see the stellar view during the day, as the sun went down and then with the city lights. Can confirm it’s a great idea if it works with your schedule! Our local guide, talked us through four different types of sangria made with sherry, white wine, red wine and cava with a variety of garnishes and mixers. It was so interesting to learn more about this classic drink which is so much more than most people realise!
10. Museo de Bellas Artes
Next up is the Museo de Bellas Artes or Fine Art Museum of Seville. This is the second most important art gallery in Spain after the Prado and so it’s a must visit. Even if you’re not an art lover, it’s very cheap to visit (free for EU members or €1.50 if you’re not) so you don’t need to spend too much time here. Alternatively, if you appreciate art, you can easily wile away a couple of hours here soaking up the atmosphere or even book a tour to learn more about the gallery.
The entrance way itself is stunning as are the courtyards which the rooms are centred around. From here, you’ll find 14 rooms, the majority of artwork within are Spanish and are arranged in chronological order from the medieval period to the 20th century. Don’t miss the fabulous roof in the convent which . Also look out for El Greco’s Portrait of George, the evocative Sevilla en fiestas, by Gustavo Bacarisas and paintings by Murillo.
11. Archive of the Indies
The Archive of the Indies forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site which makes up a large footprint in central Seville and includes the Cathedral and the Alcázar as well as the Archive. It’s free to visit which means it’s a must visit and you don’t need to spend too long here or you can immerse yourself in understanding more of Spanish history. The building is also stunning so make sure you don’t miss seeing it for yourself. The Archive of the Indies was created to house all of the documents related to the history of the Spanish Empire when it was involved in the Americas & Asia. If you’re interested in understanding more about the history of the Spanish Empire then this is the place for you. With 9km of shelving with documents relating to this period it is where historians and the like come to understand more about this period of time. Of course, there is an exhibition set up with key details for visitors!
12. Visit Triana
On the other side of the water from the Old Quarter is buzzing Triana. This has grown in popularity as an area of Seville to visit and it has become busier than it once was with tourists heading over the river. The streets are bustling with life and work as a working class area part of the city. Triana is famous for its ceramics and there are plenty of beautiful shops to browse and find gifts to take home. You can spot ornately tiled buildings on every corner and visit the ceramics museum to learn more about the art and creation of tiles.
There’s lots of colour in Triana and lots of vibrant bars to and squares to sit with a glass of tinto de verano and watch the world go by. You’ll also find lots of flamenco shows around here in smaller, more intimate establishments and the charming Mercado Triana with mouth watering food to taste.
Top Tip – Booking Activities & Tours
My favourite app for booking tours, adventures and plenty of fun is Get Your Guide. There are so many epic memories that you can choose to make from food tours to entry tickets, laidback wine tasting to adrenaline filled adventures. Make sure you use my discount code CATTHOMSON5 for 5% off your first booking when you download the app as a new user 👇
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13. Torre del Oro
The rather unusual looking, dodecagonal building along the banks of the river is the Torre del Oro, a military watchtower built in the 12th century to keep a look out on the river. It was also used as a storage location and a prison, today housing a naval museum. Again, it’s another low cost thing to do in Seville as the ticket price is a donation of €3 so it’s up to you how much you want to donate. The museum is relatively small and I think that the view from the top isn’t quite as good as you might expect it to be because the view is restricted by the bits of masonry sticking up to fortify!
14. Palacio de las Dueñas
Palacio de las Dueñas is another of Seville’s palatial houses that you can wander through. Today, this home is owned by the Alba family and is filled with their treasures from statues to posters and from tapestries to ornaments. The design is primarily Renaissance but with Moorish and Gothic influences throughout. Similar to lots of other buildings in Seville, there are exquisite carving decorations and beautiful tiles as well. As well as the rooms that surround the courtyard, there is a garden to sit and enjoy. In November it was full of lush greenery but not many bright splashes of colour whereas I imagine that in Spring & Summer it’s a fabulous array of vibrant cheer!
Palacio de las Dueñas is not a large site to explore so you can probably spend a good hour here although if you would like a more extensive visit then it’s best to visit with a guide. On Monday afternoons, it’s free to visit after 4pm (albeit with a booking fee of €1 per person) so book in advance for this! The Monday afternoon slot is also great if you’d like to see the inside but aren’t as interested in spending so much time here.
15. Get lost in Santa Cruz
The area to the north east of the Alcazár is called Santa Cruz, also known as The Old Jewish Quarter. The reason it’s not called the Jewish Quarter is because when the Christian powers took over Seville, anyone else was pushed out. This is also why you’ll find so much pork and pig products on the menu as a typical dish in the area. Santa Cruz is a charming area filled with very narrow passageways and buildings all crammed together so it is oen of those places that you can just spend some time getting a lost and seeing what you can discover. It’s not large so you don’t need to worry about getting too far away, and the edges are very obvious!
In Santa Cruz, you’ll find some lovely taverns and tapas bars tucked away in small squares as well as boutique shops and the impressive Hospital los Venerables which is famous for its baroque style.
16. Parque de María Luisa
In 1893, the gardens of Parque de Maria Luisa were donated to the city from the San Telmo palace and became a public park. It’s now the biggest green space in the city and a lush oasis away from the narrow streets of the centre of Seville. A visit in November meant a stroll through the park before stopping at a terrace for tinto de verano but I can imagine that in the hot summer months this is a wonderful shaded space away from the oppressive sun.
17. Markets
Seville has lots of markets to explore so make sure to add a visit to one of them to your itinerary. If you’re a foodie then there’s lots of choice. The most famous is the Mercado de Triana which has a mix of tapas bars as well as grocery shops. Pick up fresh local produce from Mercado de la Feria to the north of the city centre which has amazing seasonal goodies to create a picnic from. If you happen to visit on the third sunday of the month (which we did!) then check out the Maria Luisa Souk, in the park which lots of local craftspeople bring their homemade clothes, prints, candles and jewellery to. You’re sure to find a lovely gift. If flea markets are more your thing then every thursday you’ll find Jueves at Calle Feria.
18. Guadalquivir river
The Guadalquivir river winds its way through Seville in the same way that it winds its way through the city’s history. The importance of Seville over the years is owed undisputedly to the Guadalquivir as the only navigable major river in Spain. This means that Seville was a centre of military and trade importance for a very long time as the gateway into the rest of Andalusia. In 1717, Seville’s importance dwindled as the Casa de Contratacion moved to Cadiz with a more suitable port as Seville’s was prone to flooding. Today, however, it’s a great spot to spend some time. Whether that’s crossing over to Triana and admiring the beautiful view, sitting by the river banks in summer or enjoying a leisurely cruise along the river.
19. Plaza de América
Plaza de América also forms part of the Ibero-American Exposition space and can be found at the south of the Maria Luisa park and is another beautiful spot to see in Seville. The water feature is at the centre of this Plaza with three buildings surrounding it. Similar to the Plaza de España, the Plaza de América is the design of Aníbal González and each of the three buildings was designed with a different architectural style and each serves a different purpose. You can visit the Museum of Popular Arts and Customs and the Archaeological Museum whilst the third is a Royal Palace.
20. Discover Seville’s Roman history
Seville’s varied history also takes in the Romans and its name at that time was Hispalis. Due to its prominent location on the Guadalquivir, many different groups have invaded, conquered and laid down foundations in Seville as I’m sure you’ve seen through this post and when you visit Seville itself. I’m lastly sharing that you can understand more about Seville’s Roman history on your visit in a number of different locations. At Les Setas you’ll find the Antiquarium with ruins from the 1st century and its the largest Roman site in Seville itself. Underneath the Divine Salvador Church you will find a Roman museum set out amongst the remains of a Roman Basilica which the church was built on top of. Take a morning or afternoon trip to see nearby Italica which was the birthplace of the emperors Trajan & Hadrian. It was also used for some Game of Thrones filming so if you’re a fan of the series then it’s a must visit!
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