If you’re planning a trip to Seville be sure to read this first! Make sure you don’t miss any of the BEST things to do in Seville Spain!
About Seville Spain
Seville is the capital of southern Spain’s Andalusia region. It’s famous for:
- The giant, colorful Plaza de España (a Star Wars filming location)
- The ornate Alcázar castle (Game of Thrones filming location)
- Christopher Columbus’s tomb inside the Seville Cathedral
Before sharing our full list of the best things to do in Seville, here are a few things to know before you go to Seville Spain:
How Many Days To Spend In Seville Spain?
2-3 days is enough to see all the most popular things to do in Seville Spain. We were there for 2 nights. It was just enough time to see all the main attractions, but we could’ve stayed for one more day without running out of things to do.
What Is The Best Time Of Year To Visit Seville Spain?
We were there the first week of December 2018. Spring and Fall are also great times to visit Seville. The weather is still nice and warm, the days are still long, and there are not as many tourists as in summer.
What Is The Weather In Seville Spain?
When we were there in December 2018, the weather was in the high 60s. It was nice during the day and in the sun, but I wanted a jacket if we were in the shade or in the Cathedral (they always seem to be chilly!) and definitely needed a jacket at night. The good news is that we had full sun all day every single day for the entire 2 weeks we were in Andalusia! If you love the sun, Andalusia is the perfect vacation spot for you.
Best Things to Do in Seville Spain #1 — Plaza de España
Plaza de España is a large square with fountains, ponds, bridges, and colorful mosaic tiled alcoves representing different regions of Spain. It was built in 1928 for the Ibero-American World’s Fair.
You may also recognize the Plaza de España as a Star Wars filming location from Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones.
Best Things to Do in Seville Spain #2 — Royal Alcázar of Seville
The Alcázar of Seville is a royal palace and UNESCO World Heritage site in Seville Spain. It was built in the 1300s and is the oldest royal palace in Europe that is still in use. The royal family uses the upper floors of the Alcázar as their official residence in Seville.
The Alcázar is considered to be one of the most beautiful and best preserved examples of Moorish (Islamic) architecture.
Alcazar of Seville Tickets — Buy In Advance!
Tickets to the Alcazar are limited and are sold for a certain time slot. If you want to visit the Royal Palace Upper Floors (Cuarto Real Alto) you must buy your tickets in advance. Buy them as soon as you know when you’ll be in Seville! We were there in SUPER low season (December) and we tried to buy our tickets one full week in advance and they were already sold out!!! If you’re visiting in a busier time of year (Spring, Fall, and especially summer) you’ll definitely need to buy your tickets as early in advance as possible.
But even if you can’t get tickets to the upper floors (Cuarto Real Alto) the Alcazar is still definitely worth visiting. You can still see many beautiful examples of the intricate Moorish architecture. There are also several massive gardens with fountains, ponds, flowers, and orange groves to explore.
How much time do you need to see the Royal Alcazar?
Plan to spend at least 2-3 hours in the palace and you can walk around the gardens as long as you want!
Game Of Thrones Filming Location
The Alcazar of Seville was used as a filming location for the “Water Gardens of Dorne” in seasons 5 and 6 of the HBO series Game of Thrones.
Best Things to Do in Seville Spain #3 — Seville Cathedral
Seville Cathedral is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world. It’s nearly 253,000 square feet (6 acres) in size.
The cathedral was built on the site of a former Muslim mosque. For over 150 years, Christians used the mosque as their cathedral. In the early 1400s, city leaders decided to replace the mosque with a huge cathedral “so beautiful and so grand that those who see it finished will think we are crazy”. Construction of the cathedral took over 100 years to complete.
The Tomb of Christopher Colombus
In addition to being the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and third-largest church in the world, the tomb of Christopher Columbus is located inside the Seville Cathedral.
Seville Cathedral Tickets
It’s best to purchase your tickets online and in advance. A basic ticket to the cathedral (listed on the site as “Cathedral, Giralda and Salvador“) includes entrance to the Cathedral, La Giralda Tower, and a separate church located about a 5 minute walk from the cathedral (Church of the Divine Savior).
Like the Alcazar, tickets are sold for a certain time slot.
Best Things to Do in Seville Spain #4 — Giralda Tower
The Giralda is the bell tower of the Seville Cathedral. It was originally built as the “call to prayer” tower for the Great Mosque of Seville which once stood on the site of the cathedral. The Catholic church added the Renaissance-style top to the tower when they built the cathedral on the site of the former mosque in the 1400s.
The tower is 342 feet tall and has been one of the most important symbols of the city since the Middle Ages.
After entering the Cathedral at your arranged time, you can visit the Giralda tower anytime, and re-enter the Cathedral after visiting the tower.
Best Things to Do in Seville Spain #5 — Church of the Divine Savior
With your ticket to the Seville Cathedral, you can also enter the Church of the Divine Savior. It’s located about a 5 minute walk from the cathedral.
The Church of the Divine Savior was also once a former mosque. It is now a Roman Catholic church with opulent Baroque architecture and an elaborate altar.
Loved the colorful stained glass reflecting onto the columns of the altar.
Best Things to Do in Seville Spain #6 — Flamenco Museum
Flamenco originated in Andalusia, and Seville Spain is famous for flamenco dancing. If you want to experience an authentic Flamenco show in Spain, I highly recommend a visit to the Flamenco Museum. It is the ONLY Flamenco museum in the entire world, and it’s located right in the heart of Seville. You can learn a little bit of the history of Flamenco in the fun, interactive museum, and see an authentic Flamenco show. You can even take Flamenco dancing lessons!
The flamenco show in Seville is very small and intimate. You get to see the dancers very close. You can see that the dancers are very professional and passionate about their art!
Visit the Museo del Baile Flamenco website for tickets and information.
Hotels in Seville Spain
If you’re looking for the best hotels in Seville Spain, I highly recommend the Meliá Sevilla. It’s extremely well located right across the street from the Plaza de España. The rooms have amazing views of the Plaza de España! Our room was the best place to watch the sunset over the Plaza de España!
We stayed at the hotel on my birthday. I was so surprised the hotel noticed and left cava (Spanish champagne) and chocolates in our room!
Quimera Restaurant
For my birthday we had a special dinner at Quimera Restaurant located inside the Meliá Sevilla. I loved trying authentic, local delicacies such as Iberico ham and melon and a braised Iberico pork cheek with sweet potatoes!
For my birthday, they came to the table and built a giant tray of desserts with macarons, gourmet chocolate and more right in front of us! Such an incredible experience!
The Level
If you’re staying at the Meliá Sevilla, I highly recommend booking a “The Level” room. The Level offers exclusive services including a private lounge with breakfast, snacks, and drinks all day. In the evenings you can even have free wine and cocktails. With The Level you also get a private check-in and flexible check-out.
More Things To Do in Seville Spain
If you have extra time, here are some more popular things to do in Seville!
- Torre del Oro — A defensive tower built in the early 1200s.
- Las Setas De Sevilla — A large wooden sculpture with a rooftop walkway and panoramic views of Seville.
- Plaza de Toros — A large, royal bullfighting ring from the 1700s, still used for bullfighting today, with a museum of bullfighting art.
- Santa Cruz — Wander through the narrow streets of the Santa Cruz neighborhood lined with shops and tapas bars.
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Your Thoughts on Seville Spain?
If you’ve been to Seville: Did I miss your favorite thing to do in Seville? Do you have any other tips to share?
If you haven’t been to Seville: Do you have any questions about Seville or visiting Spain?
Let me know in the comments! I am happy to help in any way!
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Your post definitely makes me want to visit Seville. The photographs are gorgeous.
Thank you so much!! I wish we’d stayed one more day!! :)
Seville is such a beautiful city. We went when my daughter was finishing her study abroad for a semester. The timing was perfect as in addition to all the sites you’ve mentioned, we were able to also enjoy La Feria. Absolutely amazing to see all the woman dressed in flamenco dresses and the men in their suits and all the horses and festivities.
I have a walking disability and cannot do stairs. Would you be willing to give some details on handicapped accessibility in your articles. I have plans to take my 12 year old grandson on a trip soon and you give lovely descriptions of your travels. Thank you so much.
How nice to take your grandson on a trip! Where do you plan to go?