10 Things to Do in Barrio Santa Cruz in Seville

Famous for being one of the most emblematic and touristic neighborhoods of Seville, a tour through the narrow streets and beautiful squares of Barrio Santa Cruz is one of the best things to see and do in the city, as it will allow you to soak up the history, tradition, color and architectural beauty of Seville.

Like other travelers visiting Seville for the first time, you are probably wondering what to prioritize and what to pay more attention to. This article comes just to answer those questions. Take this list of activities as a point of inspiration and, depending on your itinerary, include as many as possible to enjoy Seville to the fullest!

Enjoying a flamenco show is one of those activities that is worth doing in Seville before anywhere else in the world, due to the strong historical link of this beautiful city with the flamenco culture.

Fortunately, the options to enjoy a show by first class artists abound in the city and even more so in the beautiful neighborhood of Santa Cruz.

In Spain, the spaces where traditional flamenco performances are held are known as tablaos, which is the name used to define the stage or platform on which the artists perform.

Where to see a Flamenco show in Barrio Santa Cruz

• Flamenco Los Gallos This tablao was founded in 1966, the schedule of the presentations is from 19:00h and they cost around 35€ the entrance ticket.
• La Casa del Flamenco Here they perform every day, although the schedule of the shows varies according to the season. Tickets available from 20€ per person.
• Casa de la guitarra Cultural center with excellent references and that travelers like very much, the adult entrance ticket is available from 18€.

If you are going to be several days in the city, say 3 days in Seville or more, and you can dedicate some time to explore the Hospital de los Venerables, you will find one of the most impressive baroque style buildings of Sevillian architecture.

Erected in 1675 as a home for the homeless, the elderly and retired priests, the decorative richness of its interiors is well worth a leisurely visit.

Walk through the two floors that make up the complex of the Hospital de lo Venerables and admire its interiors, stop for a moment to enjoy the beautiful central courtyard around which the complex is organized and distributed.

• Address: The hospital is located in the square of the same name, Plaza Venerables.
• Hours: Varies according to the season; all year round from 10 am but during the winter in Seville they work only until 6 pm.
• Cost: About 10 € the adult entrance ticket.

What would a visit to Spain be without tasting the delicious Spanish tapas? What would a visit to Seville be without tasting its fantastic gastronomy?

The best way to combine both elements into a unique and memorable tour is to take a tapas tour and Barrio Santa Cruz lends itself perfectly to this activity.

The best tapas bars in Santa Cruz

When it comes to tapas bars and typical restaurants the Barrio Santa Cruz is full of alternatives to choose from; although I leave below a small list of my favorites, I invite you to do your own research.

• Cervecería Giralda One of the oldest places in the city opened in 1923 in what was once an old hammam or Arab bath.
• Bar Catedral A house built in 1923 serves as a space for a fantastic piano bar specializing in tapas and where you can enjoy live jazz music.
• Casa Tomate A space that serves to evoke the culture of flamenco and bullfighting in southern Spain, the menu is characterized by its selection of local products.
• Taberna Belmonte Belmonte was an important Spanish bullfighter and this tavern honors the historical figure. The decoration of the ambience includes numerous bulls' heads hanging on the walls.

The Real Alcazar of Seville is considered one of the best examples of Moorish architecture in Spain and a must-see on any tour of the city.

My recommendation is that whenever possible you book a guided visit to the Alcázar of Se ville with the intention of learning and appreciating in detail its delicate interiors, the wonderful decorative work of the many arches that make up the structure and of course the quiet inner courtyards.

Visiting the Alcazar of Seville is the closest thing to a journey through time and the history of the city, as the architectural ensemble is among the oldest palaces still in use in the world.

It was declared a World Heritage Site, like other important architectural jewels of Seville.

• Address: It is located in the Plaza Patio de Banderas.
• Hours: From October to March from 09:30h to 18:00h and from April to September extended hours until 20:00h.
• Cost: Around 15€ the adult entrance ticket.

To all my traveler friends interested in architecture and history I recommend taking a moment to get to know a religious building listed among the most beautiful temples in Seville mainly due to the remarkable cultural mix it represents.

Known among the locals as the Church of Las Nieves, after its construction the temple functioned as a mosque, but in 1391 it was transformed into a Christian church. For that reason, the vestiges and influence of both cultures are evident in both the art and architecture of the place.

Perhaps the most outstanding feature of Santa María la Blanca is the contrast between its main architectural elements, with a façade that stands out for its simplicity and plainness but with interiors richly decorated in white and gold and in the purest baroque style.

• Address: It is located at No.5 Sta. María la Blanca Street.
• Hours: Monday to Saturday from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. In the evenings from 18h to 20:30h.
• Cost: Approximately 3€.

Located in the heart of Seville is one of its most important monuments and also a building of incalculable historical importance. Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the structure was erected in 1875 to keep in a safe place the documentation concerning the administration of the Spanish colonies mainly in the New World.

When you visit the Archivo de Indias in Seville, you will find not only a beautiful building, but also an impressive collection of archives, maps, documents, and all kinds of historical resources organized in some 43 thousand folders. impressive!

• Address: Located on Avenida Constitución.
• Hours: Closed on Mondays; Tuesday to Saturday hours are from 09:30h to 16:45h, Sundays and holidays from 10:00h to 13:45h.
• Cost: It is a free attraction for all public.

If you want to enjoy nature in the heart of Seville, I recommend a quick visit to the Murillo Gardens in Seville, named after the famous Sevillian painter Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, one of the most important historical figures of the Spanish Baroque style.

The beautiful garden is located just behind the Alcazar of Seville in a rectangular and elongated surface that occupies an area of approximately 8500 m2.

The garden was designed by the architect Juan Talavera Heredia, with numerous walkways and many beautiful arbors.

As you will see in your exploration of Santa Cruz, walking the paths of the gardens becomes a really pleasant experience especially if you visit during the springtime in Seville.

Being one of the architectural and historical landmarks of the city, walking through the Callejón del agua in Seville is one of the most romantic walks to do in the city.

The stone wall, the colorful facades and the balconies with lush flower boxes give the walk a very nostalgic atmosphere, especially if you decide to walk through the historic center of Seville at night.

The street runs along the old city wall for about 140 meters in length and at the end of the route are the Murillo gardens. The alley and the area around it is also the fruit of numerous legends and myths, which is why many ghost and mystery tours in Seville include this walk among their itinerary of activities.

The parish that gives its name to the neighborhood is also, as it could not be otherwise, one of the oldest religious temples in Seville. Built in 1391 is a small facade was updated to a conservative baroque style between 1665 and 1728 to leave us the temple that we can enjoy today.

Due to its conservative dimensions, a tour of the Santa Cruz church is a short visit that you can integrate without major problems in a short trip to the city as two days in Seville.

During your visit you can visit the tomb of the famous painter Bartolomé Murillo.

• Address: Located in Mateos Gago street.
• Hours: From 09:30 am to 12:30 pm and from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
• Cost: Free admission

When talking about the neighborhood of Santa Cruz you will find in your tour specific elements that define the identity and character of this location.

These elements can be grouped into three: its narrow and cozy streets, its houses with colorful facades and its beautiful squares where children, the elderly and Sevillian citizens in general go about their daily lives.

I invite you to soak up all this atmosphere by taking a tour of the most beautiful squares that Santa Cruz has to offer. Here is a list of my favorites and what is worth admiring in each one of them.

• La Plaza del Alfaro, if you know the Italian opera The Barber of Seville you should know that in this square is the famous balcony where the Figaro declaimed waiting for the answer of his beloved.
• La Plaza de Doña Elviraenchantingsquare full of small tiles made from ceramics of Triana. It is worth sitting down to enjoy its fountain with flowers and the shade of its orange trees.
• Plaza de los Refinadores Here you will find the statue of the famous lady conqueror Don Juan Tenorio.