11 Best Things To Do in Seville

The city of Seville never disappoints anyone. In fact, it surprises those visitors who think of the Giralda or the Torre del Oro before their visit and, once they arrive, realise that Seville is much more than that. Here are 11 experiences in Seville that you shouldn't miss.

In the historic centre of Seville stands the second largest cathedral in the world (surpassed only by St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican).

To make your visit even more special, I recommend booking tickets for the Cathedral and the Giralda in Seville or booking a guided tour, so that you can enjoy its impressive Gothic structure without having to wait in line, which is difficult to do without being distracted when you look up at the sky and see the famous minaret of the Giralda.

In the following post, you can read all the information on how to visit Seville Cathedral, the Giralda and the Alcázar. There are several options available:

• Tickets for Seville Cathedral and the Giralda, from £16
• Guided tour of Seville Cathedral, from £26
• Guided tour of the Alcázar and Seville Cathedral, from £48
• Guided tour of the Alcázar, the Cathedral and the Giralda, from £46
• Guided tour of Seville with tickets to the Alcázar and the Cathedral, from £72
• Guided tour of the Alcázar and Seville Cathedral, from £52

It is the jewel of the city: a palace complex with beautiful gardens rivalling the Alhambra in Granada in terms of beauty. The Royal Alcázar of Seville holds as much beauty as history within its walls, so my recommendation is to visit the Alcázar of Seville as part of a guided tour and, once it's over, set aside some extra time to enjoy the views and take all the photos this essential setting deserves, without rushing.

If you want to delve deeper into these three iconic monuments, here are some options available for visiting:

• Tickets for the Alcázar of Seville, from £18
• Guided tour of the Alcázar of Seville, from £32
• Skip-the-line guided tour of the Alcázar of Seville, from £30

Very close to the Alcázar, you can enjoy everything there is to see and do in the Santa Cruz neighbourhood. This iconic neighbourhood in the centre of Seville will captivate you, and you can lose yourself wandering through its narrow streets, a plan to keep in mind for exploring Seville at night and experiencing the city at its peak.

Seville's monuments make travellers and locals look up, interrupting their activities with hidden corners of authentic and traditional beauty.

To explore the former and discover the latter, there are guided walking tours of Seville. A perfect opportunity to learn more about the customs and legends of the Andalusian capital. Here is a post about mystery and legend tours of Seville and some suggestions:

• Tour of Seville's Jewish quarter, from £14
• Tour of María Luisa Park and Plaza España in Seville, from £11
• Guided tour of Seville with tickets to the Alcázar and the Cathedral, from 72
• Legends tour of Seville, from £14
• Tour of the legends of Triana in Seville, from £11

During your visit to Seville, you must experience the best flamenco shows in the city. Flamenco tradition is deeply rooted in Seville, as evidenced by the many tablaos where you can enjoy a high-quality singing and dancing show.

There are shows to suit all budgets, and to avoid disappointment, it is best to book your tickets in advance. Some of the options you can choose from are:

• Flamenco show at Casa de la Memoria in Seville, from £23
• Flamenco show at Tablao Pura Esencia, from £35
• Seville Flamenco Show in Lola de los Reyes, from £22
• Flamenco show at Los Gallos, from £36
• Flamenco show at Palacio Andaluz, from £48
• Flamenco show at Teatro Flamenco de Triana, from £22
• Tickets for the Flamenco Dance Museum, from £6
• Flamenco show at Casa de la Guitarra, from £20
• Flamenco show at Orillas de Triana, from £23
• Tickets for the Flamenco Dance Museum in Seville with show, from £26

What's more, if you love flamenco and are visiting Seville, be sure to check out the post on the Flamenco Dance Museum in Seville, pure art from southern Spain. Don't miss out on a visit.

It is well known 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 Museum of Fine Arts in Seville, where you'll get a glimpse of Sevillian art, both through the works it houses and the beautiful architecture of its building.

If Seville has one drawback, it is undoubtedly the high temperatures. The Seville summer lasts from May to September, inclusive, and temperatures in July and August can easily exceed 45 degrees (yes, I wrote that correctly). What does this mean? Apart from the need to stay hydrated, it means extra fatigue when touring the city. And even more so if you are travelling with children. The solution? Book a ticket for the Seville tourist bus.

To beat the heat, I also suggest you check out the best night tours in Seville, or perhaps the best boat trips in Seville will help you cool off.

Another very pleasant way to get around Seville is by bike. There are several types of tours to discover Seville by bike, or you can rent public bikes to explore the city at your own pace.

Another advantage of the Andalusian capital is its location. In Andalusia, in general, the distances are quite manageable and you can take the opportunity to visit other cities and towns. The best tours and excursions from Seville are a unique opportunity to visit nearby cities. Although you can also make these kinds of visits if you hire a car and go on your own, you won't make the most of your time as you won't know the roads or the destinations.

Among the most recommended tours in Andalusia, you cannot miss the tour to Granada, Cordoba, the excursion to the White Villages or the one that takes you to Gibraltar, Doñana... or why not opt for excursions to Morocco?

If you are only here for a few days and do not want to stray too far, I recommend visiting the best villages in Seville. Be sure to read the posts on what to see and do in Carmona or how to get to Italica from Seville and get some ideas. Below is a list of the available excursions:

• Excursion to Gibraltar, from £104
• Excursion to Tangier, from £174
• Excursion to Córdoba and Carmona, from £87
• Excursion to the white villages and Ronda, from £70
• Excursion to Granada from Seville with tickets to the Alhambra, from £139
• Excursion to the Roman city of Italica, from £84
• Excursion to Cadiz and Jerez, from £87
• Excursion to Doñana National Park, from £78
• Hiking excursion to Caminito del Rey, from £87

After the Giralda, the Torre del Oro is possibly the most recognisable image of Seville internationally. This building, located on the banks of the Guadalquivir, served a defensive purpose in its day. Today it houses the city's Naval Museum and you can climb to the top to enjoy the views. You can also admire it in all its splendour by booking a boat trip on the Guadalquivir.

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 a site of cultural interest, it is located in the city centre next to the San Telmo Palace.

Admission is free, and inside you will find fountains, sculptures, ponds, vegetation, wooden bridges, waterfalls, tiled benches and many other details that will fascinate you. What's more, if you want to learn all the details and anecdotes about its history, you can book a tour of María Luisa Park and Plaza España.

It would have been daring to leave off the list the square that has served as the setting for cinema legends such as Star Wars and Game of Thrones. Plaza de España is another important spot in Seville whose charm is difficult to describe in words, undoubtedly one of the best views in Seville.

On your trip to Seville, be sure to book a tour of Plaza España. Next to Prado de San Sebastián, a nerve centre located a short distance from the historic centre, is this huge semi-elliptical square surrounded by an architectural construction whose style is a mixture of Renaissance and Baroque.

During your visit to Seville, don't miss a stroll through one of the capital's most emblematic neighbourhoods, Triana (without underestimating the La Macarena neighbourhood). You will have heard about it many times because of its charm, its flamenco tradition, its terraces by the river, its brotherhoods during Holy Week, its fair... None of these references are 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 cannot miss if you want to taste their tapas and meet their friendly residents. Read the post on the best tapas tours in Seville and delve deeper into the subject.

Once you land at Seville airport, I recommend that you plan your transfers to the city centre, as it is quite far away.

Likewise, to ensure your trip goes smoothly, it is a good idea to make a plan of the things you want to see so that you don't leave this wonderful city without experiencing at least most of its charms. To help you with this, here are some posts on 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 is the best time to visit Seville?

This city is alive all year round and offers endless activities at any time of year. Although summer in Seville can be tough due to the high temperatures, the city has all kinds of events to keep you entertained. With mild winters and especially mild autumns in the Andalusian capital, the most beautiful time to visit Seville is undoubtedly in spring. Not surprisingly, its popular April Fair will fill you with colour and life at this time of year.

Even so, here are some short guides by month so that whatever time you go, you won't miss a thing.

• 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 perhaps you would also like to know the best things to do in Seville at Christmas.