Spain Travel Guide: 7 Sights You Really Shouldn’t Skip in Seville

You can’t go to Andalucia without stopping in Seville, its capital city! Read on for the best things to do in Seville

Seville is the capital and largest city of Andalucia (AKA Andalusia), and is the perfect place to start or end your Southern Spain road trip. Known for sprawling mountain regions, beaches and stunning Moorish architecture, Andalusia is one of the best regions to visit in Spain if you love easy road trips and beautiful, picture-perfect weather. If you only have 2 or 3 days in the city you absolutely need to see these amazing attractions in Seville!

How to get around Andalucia

The best way to get around the region of Andalucia is by car, but you’ll find that you can get around within cities easily on foot. Expect to pay anywhere from 10-20 Euros for overnight parking, or 1-3 Euros per hour, and in our experience there was minimal highway tolls and plenty of gas stations along the way.

We picked up our car from Europcar in Madrid and drove down to Granada and Ronda before venturing onwards to Seville, and would recommend that you pay close attention that you aren’t overcharged.

Unfortunately, we did not have a great pick up experience with Europcar at the Madrid Airport and their staff tried to charge an additional few hundred Euros because we picked the car up 1 hour earlier than the registered pick-up time.

They then claimed that the extra fee was the “one-way fee” (we were dropping the car off in Portugal), even though the quote was inclusive of the one-way fee. Long story short, make sure you understand all of the fees you are being charged. Alternatively, you can fly directly into Seville International Airport.

Looking for the best prices for rental car companies around the world? Click here to book your rental car ahead of your trip. Bookings can be cancelled or amended if your plans change!

The drive towards Seville from Ronda is one of the most stunning you will ever see – it is home to hundreds (thousands?) of acres of bright yellow sunflower fields during the summer months! Click here to see some photos of the breathtaking sunflower fields of Andalucia.

How to get around Seville

Most of the tourist landmarks in Seville are located around the city centre and it is easy to get around Seville on foot or by public transportation. I wouldn’t recommend driving around Seville – parking is limited and we were so incredibly confused by the directions on Google Maps (which were often wrong). There are lots of one-way streets and we ended up driving around in circles because Google Maps sent us the wrong way.

Where to stay in Seville

Unfortunately we didn’t have a great experience with the hotel in Seville, so can’t recommend it. The Apartamentos Sevilla Palace, though centrally located, wasn’t as clean as we would have liked (the washing machine was full of stale, mouldy water and I cut my foot on some broken glass that was on the floor) and the key pick-up process was a hassle. Click here to see other highly rated hotels in Seville instead.

What to see in Seville in 48 hours

You can’t go to Andalucia without stopping in Seville. The city is home to the famous Real Alcázar de Sevilla where many scenes of Game of Thrones were filmed, or stop by the gigantic Cathedral where Christopher Columbus is buried. Read on for 7 places you can’t skip if you only have 2 days in Seville, Spain.

1. Real Alcázar de Sevilla

The Alcazar of Seville is a stunning Moorish palace and the most popular tourist attraction in Seville. The sprawling complex is a maze of stunning rooms, chambers, hallways and courtyards. In 1987, it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and features incredible architecture from the Spanish “Golden Age”. You might also recognize it as it was used as a filming location for Game of Thrones – its gardens were used to portray the palace grounds of Dorne.

You should aim to arrive well before the complex opens at 9:30 AM as the queue to enter starts as early at 8:30 AM, and capacity is capped at 750 people at any given time. To explore the entire complex it will take anywhere from 2-3 hours, and you will need to purchase a special ticket online in order to access the High Real Room (Cuarto Real Alto).

Entrance is also free on Mondays but only between 6-7 PM from April to September, and from 4-5 PM from October to March. Click here for more information about Alcazar opening hours and prices.

Interested in exploring more Spanish palaces? Then you can’t miss the beautiful Alhambra complex in Granada. Click here for my guide to the Alhambra!

2. Seville Cathedral

Seville’s fifteenth century cathedral is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world and like the Alcazar also has UNESCO World Heritage status. The construction took more than a century and was built to replace the grand mosque. The Cathedral is the final resting place of the remains of Christopher Columbus and has several altar areas and chapels.

The entrance fee is 9 Euros and also includes entrance into the next monument, the bell tower. The Cathedral closes early on Mondays so make sure you check the opening times here. You can also purchase your tickets ahead of time here.

3. Torre Giralda

The Torre Giralda is the bell tower of the Cathedral of Seville. It was the former minaret of the mosque and was converted into a bell tower that reaches more than 100 metres high. The spiraling climb to the top is relatively easy and involves flat stairwells rather than hundreds of steps (like the Duomo in Florence).

The view from the top of the Torre Giralda is stunning and you get a panoramic view over the city of Seville – see why visiting the tower is one of the best things to do in Seville?

4. Torre del Oro

The “Tower of Gold” was a military watchtower dating back to the 13th century. It is located on the river bank and now houses a maritime museum detailing the rich history of Seville as a port city. You can climb to the top for just 3 Euros, or go on a Monday for free entry.

5. Plaza de España

Plaza de España was built in 1928 with beautiful tile panels and a canal-slash-moat. Taking a stroll through the Plaza is one of the top things to do in Seville – its corridors offer sweet shade on those sweltering hot days that Seville is known for.

Surrounding the plaza is many tiled alcoves, each representing a different province of Spain.

6. Palacio de las Dueñas

Don’t skip the underrated Palacio de las Duenas of the House of Alba, a small 15th century palace complete with traditional courtyards, gardens and bundles of bougainvillea.

It’s the perfect place to visit in Seville if you’re looking for some respite from the crowds (and the heat), and go for a wander through quiet halls and courtyards. Opening times and ticket prices can be found here.

7. Metropol Parasol

Last but not least, head over to the old quarter of Seville to see the wooden structure in the form of giant mushrooms. It’s a recent addition to the Seville landscape and you can head upstairs to the panoramic terrace or downstairs to the local market.

Where to eat in Seville

Seville also offers absolutely delicious Spanish fare. If you only have 2 days in Seville, head to Maravilla Social Club for some of the best tapas you’ll taste in Spain (go early, the queue starts to form as soon as it opens!) or La Linterna Ciega, a small restaurant with delectable tapas and plenty of craft beer options.

For an amazing cup of coffee, head to Torch Coffee Roasters across the street from Torre del Oro or Virgin Coffee in Plaza de la Encarnación.

Ready to see Seville? I recommend looking for accommodation options in the “old town” district for easy access to the top attractions in Seville. Click here to see highly rated hotels and apartments!

Headed to Spain? You might also enjoy these reads:

• Looking for other amazing things to see and do in Andalucia? Click here for 8 beautiful cities to visit in Andalucia
• And check out this 1 week Andalucia road trip itinerary
• You won’t want to miss out on wandering through the Alhambra palace and gardens in Granada
• Or check out this 3 day Ronda itinerary – a totally underrated city in southern Spain
• Driving to Seville? You might stumble upon these breathtaking sunflower fields

Have you been to Seville? Tell me about your trip in the comments section below!

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