There's something special about Seville - 3 days in the lively cultural hub of Spain!
- Anju Chandna
- Jun 22, 2022
- 8 min read
Updated: Sep 28
A vacation to Spain would be incomplete without a trip to Seville, the capital of the Spanish autonomous community of Andalusia.
The city is a surprise package with its narrow, cobbled streets and buildings that are a curious mix of Jewish, Moorish and Christian architecture that weave a web of magic for anyone who sets eyes on them.
The entire city can be covered on foot since most of the touristy attractions are within walking distance of each other. Besides, you wouldn't want to miss the hidden architectural gems in every nook and corner of the city. A horse-drawn carriage is also a fun way to go on a 40-minute round trip to the historic area.
We had 3 days to see this city with many attractions. Ideally, one should spend more time in Seville, savouring the sights and soaking in its wonders, but for most of us, touristy places have to be covered in tightly packed itineraries.
So, I have picked the 10 Must-See Attractions in Seville that can be fitted into a 3-day itinerary.
I have divided them into day-by-day itineraries as we saw them, but you can re-arrange the order depending on the amount of time you spend seeing each attraction.
Most of these attractions are located in the Old Town within walking distance of each other.
Day One
Day Two
Day Three
The Royal Alcazar
You can start your Seville outing with a visit to the Historic Centre of Seville in the Old Town, one of the largest historic districts in Europe.
Spread over 4 km, it houses the three World-famous UNESCO World Heritage Sites namely Royal Alcazar of Seville, Seville Cathedral and La Giralda, and the Archivo General de Indias.
The Royal Alcazar is an absolute must-see attraction. In Spain, Alcazar is a name given to any palace or fortress that belongs to the time of the Moorish invasions.
Keep aside at least 2 to 2.5 hours to see this UNESCO-listed site and a masterpiece of Moorish architecture*.
The Palace, with its beautiful rooms, especially the Hall of the Kings, with its opulent interiors, offers an interesting insight into the indulgent lifestyle of the royalty.
You should opt for a guided tour even if you're not a big history buff to make the whole experience of seeing the palace enjoyable.
My Tip
To visit the Real Alcazar, buy online tickets beforehand.
There are massive queues lined up for entry into the palace. Try to reach at 9:30 when the palace opens for tourists.
Please check their website to check for Opening hours before planning a visit. Also, on some days, entry to the palace is free.
Please do remember to start your Alcazar tour from the past, that is, from the times of the Moors, into the new gardens and not the other way around. Otherwise, the palace can be a bit confusing, especially for tourists like us who have little knowledge of Spanish history.
In case you've bought combined tickets for the Alcazar and the Seville Cathedral, then remember there is a dress code for entering the cathedral. Exposed shoulders and legs are not allowed.
Seville Cathedral and La Giralda
After spending the first half of Day One in The Royal Alcazar, we headed to the Seville Cathedral. The cathedral is about half a kilometre away from the palace in the historic town.
Seville Cathedral is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, and it is home to a very impressive collection of artworks in Spain. You will need at least an hour or a little more to walk through the cathedral.
Things to see in the cathedral are the Tomb of Christopher Columbus, the Royal Chapel and the Treasure Room.
La Giralda, the 104-meter-high tower, is the minaret of the cathedral visible from a long way off. You can walk up to the tower which does not have a staircase but a slope to walk on. This was done to ride up the tower on horseback. I believe one gets nice views of the city all around, but we did not venture into the tower. We were exhausted from our visit to the palace in the first half of the day.
My Tip
I would say from experience that although visiting Real Alcazar and the Cathedral on the same day sounds like the sensible thing to do since they are close by, you should plan to do it on two separate days. The idea is to beat the crowds by starting on these two outings first thing in the morning. Plus, there is so much walking involved that it's not enjoyable anymore after a while if you do them together.
Archivo General de Indias
This building lies very close to the Cathedral. Honestly, it was just rows and columns of books, beautiful marble staircases and some stunning halls.
It's a beautiful structure, so as a tourist just taking pictures would suffice. You go inside only if you're seriously into Spanish history. Entry is free.
My Tip
I mean no offence, but this place was quite boring. We stepped inside and stepped right back out to make better utilisation of our limited time in Seville.
Plaza de Espana
This awe-inspiring semi-circular plaza was built in the year 1929 as part of the Ibero-American Exposition.
The plaza was showcased as a centrepiece of this large-scale international fair to display the industrial and cultural achievements of Spain.
These days, the plaza has been adapted to house various government agencies.
Everything about Plaza de España spells grandeur. The structure brings together the Renaissance and Moorish Revival Architecture. The entire outer facade has ceramic tiles in bright colours that lend a magnetic appeal to this structure.
The plaza is a delight to watch with its colourful, vibrant facade, colonnades and a huge fountain in the centre. There are footbridges and canals, a moat surrounding the main structure, and the entire building has 48 alcoves, each of which represents a Spanish province. Tourists can hire rowing boats and sail around in the moat. Entry to the plaza is free.
The plaza is situated in Maria Luisa Park, spread over a sprawling 50,000 square feet. The park is as delightful as the plaza. There are small ponds, palm trees and beautifully landscaped gardens.
My Tip
In the late afternoon, we hired a horse carriage from the Old Town for a round trip around the old city, including a stop at the spectacular Plaza de Espana. If you want to walk, it takes less than 20 minutes on foot from the Seville Cathedral.
Entry into the plaza is free. The ride was not too expensive, it was fun and informative. Our carriage driver, who also served as a tour guide, provided us with interesting insights into the plaza's history.
Day Two
Metropol Parasol
Winding our way through the narrow streets of Seville, we suddenly came face to face with this mammoth structure right in front of us that claims to be the largest wooden structure in the world.
It is located in the Plaza de la Encarnación in the Old Quarter of Seville.
While reading about parasols, I discovered that they were first made in Egypt to provide sunshades to royals and nobles.
In Seville, the parasol offers some great photo opportunities.
It has a look-out deck or the viewpoint on the top that can be reached via an elevator to get beautiful views of the city.
My Tip
The Parasol is unique from whichever angle you see it. The views from the plaza level are amazing and you can see the entire structure and its formation. If you want to save time, you can avoid going to the top. Although, you do get nice views from the top but nothing spectacular.
Torre del Oro
About a 20-minute walk away from Metropol Parasol is Torre del Oro.
The tower was constructed as a watchtower along a canal close to the river Guadalquivir. Now, there is a Naval Museum on the first floor of the tower. The exhibits are nicely displayed with interesting information. You can also climb up the 200-odd wooden steps to reach the top of the tower to get beautiful vistas of the city.
My Tip
If you've seen the city views from the top of the Parasol or La Giralda, then skip this one. I always reiterate the point that while travelling, one needs to conserve one's energy, especially in a place as hot as Seville.
Iglesia del Salvador, the Saviour Church
This beautiful Roman Catholic church with its baroque architecture is surely worth a visit. It's painted bright pink on the outside, so you cannot miss it.
Remember, your ticket to the Seville Cathedral is valid in this church as well, so just keep it secure. You can use this ticket on any day, as we used it the next day.
The interiors of the church are rich with exquisite craftsmanship and design. Tall windows with stained glass and a very colourful altar endow the church with a lot of grandeur.
We spent about an hour inside before heading to our next stop.
My Tip
This small church is beautiful from the inside. Also, it will give you a chance to take a refreshing break from the summer sun.
Plaza Nueva and Ayuntamiento, Seville City Hall
Very close to Iglesia del Salvador is Ayuntamiento, Seville City Hall, which faces the Plaza Nueva.
We had seen this square the previous day while walking around it, but today we decided to spend some time around it.
The impressive Town Hall building has the faces of some important historical figures engraved on its walls if you look closely. A grand statue of King Fernando III is situated right in the centre of the plaza. There are artisan shops and tapas bars everywhere.
My Tip
This area comes alive in the evening. We decided to spend the remaining part of the day here since the next evening we were planning to watch a Flamenco show. So, this was, in a way, our last evening in Seville. And we were happy we did so. There were street singers, tourists and locals everywhere, eating and making merry.
Day Three
Triana Neighbourhood and the Guadalquivir River
After 2 days of intense sightseeing of monuments, we wanted to get a feel of the city on our last day.
We wandered around from the Old Town, walked through Santa Cruz and the Jewish Quarter with its narrow lanes and headed to the Puente de San Telmo bridge across the Guadalquivir River.
It's about 30 minutes of leisurely walking. One can get beautiful views of the Triana Neighbourhood from here. We walked back, seeing the beautiful sights of the Old Town again.
My Tip
Puente de San Telmo is a functional bridge; nothing very romantic about it. But the views from the bridge are nice! Besides, it's a good way to see the entire city.
Flamenco
In the evening, we went to see the stupendous Flamenco Show at the 'Casa de la Memoria'.
Read on to learn more about our Flamenco experience on the link below
While in Seville, you can catch the bullfight at Plaza de Toros, the largest bullfighting arena in Spain. We skipped it since we had already seen this gory spectacle in Madrid. And believe me, watching it once in a lifetime is enough!
You can read about our Bullfighting experience by clicking the link below
Our last day in Seville was also our last day in Spain. We missed watching the mystifying Alhambra Palace in Granada, although Granada is just about 3 hours by road from Seville.
I guess that calls for another trip to this beautiful country!
And there is more than one reason to go back to Spain. Read more about our Spain vacation by clicking on the link below -
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