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. Here are 10 Seville experiences not to be missed.
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 to buy online your tickets for the Cathedral of Seville and enjoy its 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.
2. Stroll through the Alcazar
It is the jewel of the city: a palace complex with beautiful gardens comparable in beauty to the Alhambra in Granada. Seville's Royal Alcazar contains as much beauty as history within its walls, which is why my recommendation is to take a guided tour of the Alcázar and, once the tour is over, set aside some extra time to enjoy the views and take all the photos that this essential setting deserves without rushing or taking too long.
If you would like to learn more about these three emblematic monuments, read my article on how to visit Seville Cathedral, the Giralda and the Alcázar.
Very close to the Alcázar you will find 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 if you want to visit Seville at night and experience the city at its best.
3. Take a guided tour of the historic centre
Seville combines the great monuments that dot the city and make travellers and locals look up and interrupt 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, which are also a perfect opportunity to learn more about the customs and legends of the Andalusian capital. I leave you with this post about the mystery and legends tours in Seville.
4. Attend a flamenco show
A visit to a flamenco show is a must on the list of the best things to do in Seville. The flamenco tradition is deeply rooted in the city and a proof of this are the many tablaos where you can go to enjoy a show of quality singing and dancing. They come in all price ranges and the best way to make sure they don't sell out is to buy your tickets for the flamenco show online.
For those who love flamenco, if you visit Seville, you can't miss the flamenco dance museum in Seville, pure art from the south of Spain.
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 the city by tourist bus
If Seville has one thing against it, it is undoubtedly 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 spelt that right). What does this mean for the traveller? Apart from the need to stay hydrated, extra fatigue when travelling around the city. And even more so if you're travelling with children. The solution? Buy a pass for the Seville tourist bus.
To cool down the high temperatures, I also suggest you take a night tour of the city or perhaps the boat trips available on our website can help you cool off.
Another great 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 public bikes to explore the city at your own pace.
7. Discover Andalusia
Another advantage of the Andalusian capital is its location. In Andalusia, in general, distances are quite manageable, so organised day trips 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 as much time as you don't know the roads or the destinations, so if you want to be back in the city on the same day, I recommend you to hire these organised tours from Seville.
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 escape to Morocco on these interesting excursions to the neighbouring country?
If you come to Seville for a few days and you don't want to go far away, I recommend you to visit the best villages in the region, such as Carmona, its incredible historical value and its Parador will captivate you. Or Santiponce and its Italic ruins, an authentic Roman town very well preserved.
8. Visit the Torre del Oro and walk along the Guadalquivir river
Possibly, after the Giralda, the Torre del Oro is the most recognisable image of Seville on an international level. This building, located on the banks of the Guadalquivir River, once served a defensive function. Today it houses the city's Naval Museum and you can climb up to enjoy the views.
9. Spend an afternoon in the María 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 more details that will leave you fascinated.
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 backdrop for film legends such as Star Wars and 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 bestviews of Seville.
Next to the Prado de San Sebastián, a neuralgic point located a short distance from the historic centre of the city, 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
During your visit to Seville you should not miss a stroll through one of the most emblematic neighbourhoods of the capital (without underestimating the Macarena neighbourhood). 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. I recommend this tour of the best tapas tours in Seville.
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 this wonderful city without seeing 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 the summer in Seville tends to be harsher 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 for Christmas