Best Things to do in Seville, Spain – A Complete Travel Guide (2025)
Seville, the sun-soaked capital of Andalusia, Spain, is a city brimming with Moorish architecture, flamenco rhythms, and mouthwatering tapas. As the capital of Andalusia, Seville is indeed a very lively city, but I also found it to be peaceful and charming. We spent 3 days in this wonderful city, and fell in love with every corner.
In this guide I’ll take you through tips for planning your trip – from top attractions and local cuisine to tips on where to stay and the best time to visit.
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Best Time to Visit Seville
The best time to visit Seville is in spring (March to May) or fall (September to November) when the weather is warm but not scorching.
Personally I would avoid visiting in summer (June to August) as temperatures often soar above 40°C (104°F), making sightseeing uncomfortable.
Seville is known for being lined with orange trees. While this is true, the best time to see the trees WITH oranges, is late December to early February. I visited in the fall and was slightly disappointed to see no oranges!
How to Get to Seville
🛫 By Plane: Seville Airport (SVQ)
Fly into SVQ, the city’s main international airport located about 10 km (6 miles) northeast of the city center. It serves direct flights from major European cities like London, Paris, Rome, and Amsterdam.
- 🚖 Airport to city center:
- Taxi: Approximately €30 (15–20 min)
- Bus: The Airport Bus (Aeropuerto Especial) is a shuttle between the airport and the center, runs frequently (up to 5 times an hour) and takes ~35 minutes to reach the city center. Tickets cost €5.
🚄 By Train:
Spain’s Renfe AVE high-speed trains connect Seville with major Spanish cities. Seville Santa Justa Station is located about 1.5 km (1 mile) east of the city center. Taxis and buses are available for access to the city.
- From Madrid Atocha Station: 2.5 hours
- From Barcelona Sants Station: 5.5 hours
How to Get Around in Seville
Once you are in the city center, Seville is a very walkable city. The best way to get around is on foot. For longer distances, buses and trams are available. Uber is also available and easy to use.
Where to Stay in Seville
Most of the sights in Seville are close together, within 20 minute walking distance in the city center. Therefore no matter where you stay, as long as you’re close to the historic center you should have no difficulty getting around.
Seville has a lot of great hotel options – it was actually difficult choosing a place because there were too many amazing hotels I was interested in experiencing.
We stayed at Querencia de Sevilla, Autograph Collection, a boutique hotel that opened in 2022. This hotel could not have been more perfect. Location is super central as its in the Centro district, the rooms are cozy with quintessential Andalusian vibes, and it has an amazing rooftop bar that overlooks Seville Cathedral.
This hotel also has a rooftop bar with incredible views of Seville Cathedral.
Best Hotels in Seville
These are my top choice hotels for Seville, with the best locations, Andalusian charm and high ratings. You won’t regret staying in any of these!
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- CoolRooms Palacio Villapanés
- Plácido y Grata
- H10 Casa de la Plata
- Querencia de Sevilla, Autograph Collection
- Hotel Casa del Poeta
- Hotel Casa Palacio Don Ramón
- Hotel Gravina 51
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Best Things to do in Seville
Real Alcázar of Seville
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Real Alcázar is a breathtaking royal palace with intricate architecture, stunning tilework, and lush gardens. It seamlessly blends Mudejar, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architectural styles.
The Real Alcázar served as the filming location for the Game of Thrones series, representing the Water Garden in Dorne.
This is one of the top visited sights in Andalusia, and you should absolutely book tickets in advance.
You can also book skip-the-line combination tickets including the Real Alcázar, Seville Cathedral and the Giralda Tower (which are mentioned next on the list of things to do).
Catedral de Sevilla (Seville Cathedral) & Giralda Tower
The Seville Cathedral is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The interiors are stunning with intricate details. You can explore the tomb of Christopher Columbus inside the cathedral, and also climb the Giralda Tower for panoramic views of Seville.
If you like guided tours, this tour with priority access gives you a one hour tour of the Cathedral, and also access to the Giralda Tower.
Plaza de España
This is hands down my favorite place in Seville. The Plaza de España is one of Seville’s most iconic landmarks, with its semi-circular design, ornate bridges, and canals. The canals certainly add a charm to the vast plaza, and you can even rent a boat to ride through the canals. Andalusian tiles (Azulejos) are used to decorate the benches and alcoves at the foot of the buildings that each represent a Spanish province.
I visited twice – once in the mid afternoon and once in the very early morning just before sunrise. It was definitely crowded during mid day, but empty in the morning around sunrise. However, there definitely was a lot more going on during mid day, including horse carriage rides and free flamenco dances to see.
Casa de Pilatos
Casa de Pilatos is an Andalusian palace built in 15th century – 16th century, and it’s a true gem that you shouldn’t miss in Seville. We almost didn’t make it due to a tight itinerary, but I’m really glad we went.
While the Real Alcazar is always packed, this place was quite empty, allowing us to admire the architecture and details in a peaceful setting. There is also a beautifully maintained garden with fountains inside.
The architecture is a harmonious blend of Gothic, Mudéjar and Italian Renaissance styles.
Casa de Pilatos holds one of the largest Azulejo tile collections in the world.
🗓️ Open daily 9 am – 6 pm
🎟️ Tickets: 12€ (Ground floor & gardens)
Churros at Bar El Comercio
The name says bar, but this place is really known more for their churros. Actually, they serve porras, which are the fluffier, thicker versions of churros. It is served with a chocolate dipping sauce, which was perfect amount of sweetness and thickness. Makes a great afternoon snack while exploring the sights of Seville.
Barrio Santa Cruz
The Santa Cruz neighborhood is Seville’s historic Jewish quarter. It is filled with narrow, winding cobblestone streets, charming squares, cute flower-filled patios, and romantic old-world ambiance.
I recommend getting lost – just wander through this charming neighborhood and discover cafes, tapas bars and artisan shops.
Flamenco Show
No visit to Seville is complete without experiencing the flamenco, a passionate and expressive Andalusian dance.
💃 Flamenco is a passionate and exhilarating art form that combines music, singing and dance, and has become a symbol of Spanish culture. Seville has a rich cultural heritage, and flamenco is one of its most beloved traditions.
Every venue that offers a flamenco show is different in terms of intimacy and options like dinner or drinks.
5 places where you can experience Flamenco shows in Seville:
1. Museo del Baile Flamenco (Flamenco Dance Museum) – in Santa Cruz neighborhood, founded by legendary flamenco dancer Cristina Hoyos in 2006. You can purchase tickets that combine visits to the museum to learn about flamenco’s history.
This is the one I went to – these actually do sell out so purchase in advance! No photos are allowed during the show.
2. Teatro Flamenco de Triana – in Triana neighborhood, this is an intimate venue that seats up to 100 people so it gives you a very immersive experience.
3. Tablao Flamenco Los Gallos – this historical venue has been showcasing flamenco since 1966 and is known for its high quality shows. In Santa Cruz neighborhood in a beautiful Andalusian architecture building. Also an intimate experience as it only seats 80 seats.
4. Tablao Flamenco El Arenal – this historic venue located in Arenal neighborhood offers standalone flamenco performances, but also packages that include tapas or dinner and drinks before the show.
5. Plaza de Espana – there are flamenco performers (dancers, singers, guitarists) who perform at Plaza de Espana. If you don’t have time for an actual show, this is a place you can catch some Flamenco action.
Drinks with a view at La Terraza de EME
La Terraza del EME is located on the roof of the emblematic Hotel EME Catedral Mercer, in a historic 16th century building. No reservations unless you’re booking a private booth.
While the drinks are pricey and nothing amazing to write home about, the views are incredible from this open rooftop. We got seats right in front of Seville Cathedral and the Giralda Tower at sunset.
Setas de Sevilla
Setas de Sevilla, or formerly Metropol Parasol, is a large, predominantly wood structure located at La Encarnación square in the old quarter of Seville, Spain.
The structure is made of six giant mushroom-like parasols, making it the largest wooden structure in the world. Its honeycomb-like design offers both shade for the plaza below and a winding rooftop walkway with 360-degree views of Seville.
It is a strikingly modern building, in contrast to the rest of Seville which exudes old-world charm.
Sunset is the most popular time to go – you’ll see the sky change colors against views of Seville, and after it turns dark the LED lights on the wooden structure begin to turn on, creating rainbows of colors on the entire structure.
Parque de Maria Luisa
Stroll through this peaceful park featuring scenic plazas with landscaped gardens, plus fountains & monuments. The park is located adjacent to the Plaza de España.
Book these popular activities in Seville
Where to eat in SEville
- La Brunilda – a popular spot for tapas. More modern and fusion options. We made a reservation and were very glad because there was a line out the door even before the restaurant opened.
- Bar Alfalfa – a tiny, and I mean tiny – rustic tapas place. No reservations so you may have to wait a bit.
- Restaurante El Traga – this wasn’t on my list but we happened to stumble into it after exploring Casa de Pilatos. This ended up being one of my favorite spots in Seville. Great food, and service.
- El Pinton – a tapas restaurant with beautiful Andalusian interiors.
- La Bodega de la Alfalfa – a solid option for tapas.
- Bar Sal Gorda – traditional and creative tapas. Try the oxtail donuts.
google Maps of Seville, Spain Recommendations
I saved all of my recommendations for you in the map below to make it easy to get around!
