11 Best Things To Do in Seville
If there's one Spanish city that will steal your heart from minute one, it's Seville: its culture, art and the beauty of its streets will leave you wanting more!
The city of Seville does not disappoint anyone, but rather surprises those visitors who think of the Giralda or the Torre del Oro before their visit and, once they arrive, they realise that Seville is much more. These are the 11 Seville experiences you should not miss.
1. Visit the Cathedral and climb the Giralda
Seville's historic centre is home to the second largest cathedral in the world (second only to St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican).
To make your visit even more special, I recommend you book tickets for the Cathedral and Giralda of Seville or book a guided tour, so you can enjoy the impressive gothic structure without waiting, which is difficult to do without being distracted when you look up to the sky and see the famous minaret of the Giralda.
In the following post you can read all the information on how to visit Seville Cathedral, the Giralda and the Alcazar. You have several options available:
- Tickets for Seville Cathedral and the Giralda, from £18
- Guided tour of Seville Cathedral, from £33.
- Guided visit to the Alcázar and the Cathedral of Seville, from £54
- Guided tour of the Alcazar, the Cathedral and the Giralda, from £48.
- Guided tour of Seville with tickets to the Alcazar and the Cathedral, from £69
- Guided tour of the Alcázar and the Cathedral of Seville, from £50
2. Let yourself be dazzled by the Alcazar of Seville
It is the jewel of the city: a palace complex with beautiful gardens comparable in beauty to the Alhambra in Granada. The Royal Alcazar of Seville contains as much beauty as history within its walls, which is why my recommendation is to visit the Alcázar of Seville as part of a guided tour and, once the tour is over, set aside some extra time to enjoy the views and take all the photographs that this essential setting deserves without rushing.
If you want to take a closer look at these three emblematic monuments, here are some options available for your visit:
- Tickets for the Alcázar of Seville, from £18
- Guided tour of the Alcázar of Seville, from £31.
- Guided tour of the Alcázar of Seville in small groups, from £41
- Guided tour without queues to the Alcázar of Seville, from £31
Very close to the Alcázar you can enjoy all there is to see and do in the Santa Cruz neighbourhood. This iconic neighbourhood in the centre of Seville will captivate you and you can lose yourself in its narrow streets, a plan to take into account to visit Seville at night and experience the city at its best.
3. Take a guided tour through the historic centre of Seville
Seville's monuments make travellers and locals alike look up, interrupting their activities with hidden corners of authentic and authentic beauty.
To explore the former and discover the latter are the guided walking tours of Seville. A perfect opportunity to learn more about the customs and legends of the Andalusian capital. I leave you this post about the mystery and legends tours in Seville and I indicate you some proposals:
- Tour of the Jewish quarter of Seville, from £12
- Tour of Maria Luisa Park and Plaza España in Seville, from £12
- Guided tour of Seville with tickets for the Alcazar and the Cathedral, from 69
- Tour of legends in Seville, from £10.
- Legends of Triana Tour in Seville, from £10.
4. Attend a flamenco show
On your visit to Seville you must see the best flamenco shows in Seville. Flamenco tradition is deeply rooted in the city, and proof of this are the many tablaos where you can go to enjoy a quality singing and dancing show.
They come in all price ranges and the best way to make sure they don't sell out is to book your tickets in advance. Some of the options you can choose from are:
- Flamenco show at Casa de la Memoria in Seville, from £21
- Flamenco show at Tablao Pura Esencia, from £28.
- Seville Flamenco Show in Lola de los Reyes, from £23.
- Flamenco show at Los Gallos, from £30.
- Flamenco show at the Palacio Andaluz, from £35.
- Flamenco show at Teatro Flamenco de Triana, from £24.
- Tickets for Flamenco Dance Museum, from £10.
- Flamenco show at the Casa de la Guitarra, from £19.
- Flamenco show at Orillas de Triana, from £21.
- Tickets for the Flamenco Dance Museum in Seville with show, from £25
Also, if you are a flamenco lover and you visit Seville, you have to check the post about the Flamenco Dance Museum in Seville, pure art from the south of Spain. You can't miss the visit.
5. Visit the Museum of Fine Arts in Seville
Everyone knows that the capital of Seville is the cradle of several cultures and that, therefore, its historical legacy is immeasurable. That's why you can't miss a visit to the Seville Museum of Fine Arts, where you'll get a taste of Sevillian art, both in terms of the works it houses and the beautiful architecture of its building.
6. Tour Seville by tourist bus
If Seville has one thing against it, it is the high temperatures. Seville's summer runs from May to September inclusive and temperatures in July and August can easily exceed 45 degrees Celsius (yes, I spelled that right). What does that mean? Apart from the need to stay hydrated, it means extra fatigue when travelling around the city. And even more so if you're travelling with children, the solution is to book a ticket for the Seville tourist bus.
To cool down the high temperatures I also suggest you check out the best night tours in Seville or perhaps the best boat trips in Seville can help you cool down.
Another nice way to get around Seville is by bike. There are several types of tours to get to know Seville by bike or you can rent the public bikes to cycle around the city at your own pace.
7. Discover Andalusia
Another advantage of the Andalusian capital is its location. In Andalusia, in general, the distances are quite manageable and you can take advantage of it to get to know other cities and towns. The best tours and excursions from Seville are a unique opportunity to get to know nearby cities. Although you can also do this type of visit if you rent a car and go on your own, you won't spend so much time as you don't know the roads or the destinations.
Among the most recommended tours in Andalusia, you can't miss the tour to Granada, Cordoba, the excursion to the White Villages or the one that takes you to Gibraltar, Doñana... or why not opt for the excursions to Morocco?
If you come for a few days and you don't want to go far away, I recommend you to visit the best villages of Seville. Be sure to read the posts on what to see and do in Carmona or how to go to Italica from Seville and get ideas. Here is a list of the excursions available:
- Excursion to Gibraltar, from £100.
- Excursion to Tangier, from £167.
- Excursion to Cordoba and Carmona, from £83.
- Excursion to the white villages and Ronda, from £67.
- Excursion to Granada from Seville with tickets to the Alhambra, from £125
- Excursion to the Roman city of Italica, from £37
- Excursion to Cadiz and Jerez, from £84.
- Excursion to Doñana National Park, from £75.
- Excursion to the Caminito del Rey, from £83.
8. Don't miss the Torre del Oro and a trip along the Guadalquivir river
Possibly, after the Giralda, the Torre del Oro is the most internationally recognisable image of Seville. This building, located on the banks of the Guadalquivir, once served a defensive function. Today it houses the city's Naval Museum and you can climb up to enjoy the views. You can also admire its splendour if you book a boat trip on the Guadalquivir.
9. Spend an afternoon in the Maria Luisa Park
Seville is a city with many green spaces. Orange trees line the main avenues and in spring the scent of orange blossom fills the streets. Of all the green spaces in the city, María Luisa Park is the most charming. Declared an Asset of Cultural Interest, it is located in the city centre next to the Palace of San Telmo.
Admission is free and inside you will find fountains, sculptures, ponds, vegetation, wooden bridges, waterfalls, tiled benches and many other fascinating details. Also, if you want to know all the details and anecdotes about its history, you can book a tour of the María Luisa Park and Plaza España.
10. Walk around the Plaza de España
It would have been daring to leave out of this list the square that has served as the setting for film myths such as Star Wars or Game of Thrones. The Plaza de España is another important point in Seville whose charm is difficult to describe in words, undoubtedly one of the best views of Seville.
On your trip to Seville, be sure to book a tour of the Plaza España Next to the Prado de San Sebastián, a neuralgic point located a short distance from the historic centre, you will find this enormous semi-elliptical square embraced by an architectural construction whose style is a mixture of Renaissance and Baroque.
11. Stroll through Triana
On your visit to Seville you cannot miss a stroll through one of the most emblematic neighbourhoods of the capital, Triana (without underestimating the neighbourhood of La Macarena). You will have heard of it many times for its charm, its flamenco tradition, its terraces by the river, its brotherhoods at Easter, its fair... None of these references is enough to get to know the Triana neighbourhood, you have to explore it for yourself.
But there are many other neighbourhoods in Seville that you can't miss to taste its tapas and meet its friendly locals. Read the post the best tapas tours in Seville and learn more about it.
Tips for your trip to Seville
Once you land at Seville airport, I recommend that you plan your transfers to the city centre, as it is a bit far away.
Also, so that your trip goes well, it is advisable that you make a plan with the things you want to see so that you don't leave the wonderful city without knowing at least most of its charms. To do this, I'm going to give you some posts about what to see and do depending on the length of your trip:
- What to see and do in Seville in 1 day.
- What to see and do in Seville in 2 days.
- What to see and do in Seville in 3 days.
- What to see and do in Seville in 4 days.
- What to see and do in Seville in 5 days.
When to go to Seville
This city is alive all year round and offers endless activities at any time of the year. Although summer in Seville tends to be tougher due to the high temperatures, the city has events of all kinds to keep you entertained. With a mild winter and especially a mild autumn in the Andalusian capital, the most beautiful time to visit Seville is undoubtedly in spring. Not surprisingly, its popular Feria de Abril (April Fair) will fill you with colour and life at this time of year.
Even so, here are some small guides by month so that you don't miss anything whenever you go.
- 10 things to do in Seville in January.
- 10 things to do in Seville in April.
- 10 things to do in Seville in August.
- 10 things to do in Seville in September.
- 10 things to do in Seville in October.
- 10 things to do in Seville in November.
- 10 things to do in Seville in December.
Or maybe you also want to know the best things to do in Seville at Christmas.