Things to Do in Seville: The 22 Best Attractions & Highlights

General Sightseeing Tips for Seville

Before we dive into the highlights, here are a few practical tips to help you get the most out of your trip to Seville.

Buy Tickets in Advance

Seville is one of the most popular destinations in Andalusia, so you should buy tickets for the most famous attractions online in advance. It saves a ton of time and lets you skip some seriously long lines.

We especially recommend doing this for the Cathedral and the Real Alcázar — otherwise you could easily end up waiting for several hours.

You can find out which attractions are worth booking ahead, where it’s possible, and where to buy tickets in the table below:

Book a Centrally Located Hotel

Seville’s old town is relatively compact, and there’s plenty of accommodation right next to the most important attractions. We’d recommend choosing a centrally located place to stay — there’s genuinely something for every budget.

We’ll show you the best areas and our hotel picks in a dedicated article:

Where to Stay in Seville — Our Hotel Recommendations

But here’s a little preview:

Embrace the Siesta in Summer

By late June at the latest, when temperatures climb to 104°F, the streets go quiet every day around midday for the siesta. This traditional, extended afternoon break exists for good reason — it’s simply too hot to be out and about at that time of day in high summer.

Our tip: go with the flow and join the siesta. Start your day early in the morning, and take a break somewhere shady during the hottest hours. You’ll save a lot of energy that way.

Get Yourself a Fan

A fan will seriously boost your cool factor in Seville. In the height of summer, it’s practically essential. Men carry black fans, while women can go for something colorful.

Those are our general tips for exploring the city. Now let’s get into the 22 things to do in Seville that you absolutely can’t miss.

The Most Important Seville Attractions on a Map

To give you a quick overview, we’ve marked the most important sights on the map below.

The Top 3 Sights in Seville

Seville Cathedral

The Cathedral with its famous Giralda tower is the landmark of Seville — and an absolute must-see.

Since there’s so much to say about the Cathedral and the various ticket options, we’ve written a dedicated article about it:

Seville Cathedral: Everything You Need to Know for Your Visit

Of course, you’ll find the most important information right here too.

The church, which houses the tomb of Christopher Columbus, is a stunning example of Andalusia’s remarkable blend of Gothic and Moorish architecture.

It’s absolutely worth seeing from the outside, but it’s only once you step inside that its enormous scale truly hits you.

You can also climb the Giralda — the Cathedral’s tower, once a minaret — and look out over the city center from the top.

Both the Cathedral and especially the Giralda are always extremely busy, so buy your tickets online in advance.

Tickets at the box office are cheaper, but you could wait up to three hours. With an online ticket, you enter through a separate entrance and walk straight in.

Skip-the-line ticket for the Cathedral

Guided tour ticket for the Cathedral

Combo tour ticket for the Cathedral, Alcázar, and Giralda

Real Alcázar

The former royal palace is every bit as beautiful as the Cathedral and is equally one of the absolute must-sees in Seville. This stunning palace with its patios (courtyards) and azulejos (glazed ceramic tiles) is surrounded by vast gardens with terraces, fountains, and pavilions.

Since there’s just as much to say about the palace as about the Cathedral, we’ve written a dedicated article:

Real Alcázar: Everything You Need to Know for Your Visit

Because the palace is considered one of the most beautiful buildings in all of Spain, it draws crowds accordingly. The rooms and patios can get genuinely packed.

If it gets too crowded inside, head into the gardens — the crowds spread out much better there.

At the ticket booth, you’ll wait at least an hour, often longer. When it’s especially busy and there have been many online bookings, you might not even get in without a pre-booked ticket.

We strongly recommend buying the slightly more expensive priority-entry ticket online in advance.

Priority entry ticket for the Real Alcázar

Guided tour of the palace

Combo tour of the Alcázar, Cathedral & Giralda
Our tip: If you want to visit both the Cathedral and the Alcázar as part of a guided tour, the combo tour is your best bet.

Metropol Parasol

Parasol means sunshade — and that’s essentially exactly what the Metropol Parasol is: a gigantic sunshade. Given the temperatures in summer, this structure, completed in 2011, is a perfectly logical response.

Locals call their newest landmark Las Setas. Seta is the Spanish word for mushroom, and since the parasol does look a bit like an oversized mushroom landscape, the nickname stuck.

On the lower level you’ll find a market hall, but the real standout is the rooftop observation deck, which you absolutely shouldn’t skip.

Up top, you can take a short walk at a dizzying height with a fantastic view over the city. Note that the rooftop isn’t fully accessible, as the walkway is occasionally interrupted by a few steps.

The entrance to the observation deck is a little hidden. To get up there, you first need to head down to the basement. Standing in front of the building’s main facade, you’ll find a staircase going down on the left — that’s where you’ll find the elevator up and the ticket counter.

Honestly, the Metropol Parasol is a truly extraordinary structure. We were already impressed just standing beneath it, and the view from the top didn’t disappoint either.

The Most Magnificent Palaces in Seville

Casa de las Dueñas

Beyond the Real Alcázar, Seville has several smaller palaces well worth exploring. One of them is the Casa de las Dueñas, where alongside a beautiful courtyard you’ll find a surprisingly large and colorful garden.

What struck us most when we visited was how peaceful it was. Compared to the hectic Real Alcázar, we were able to stroll leisurely through the palace and gardens without feeling rushed.

Go in the morning if you can — it’s less busy then, and the light falls most beautifully into the garden in the late morning hours.

On Mondays, admission is free from 4:00 PM, but that naturally draws far more visitors than usual. For a more relaxed visit, we’d recommend just paying the entrance fee.

Food tip: Not far from the Casa de las Dueñas, tucked into a small alley, you’ll find the tapas restaurant El Rinconcillo (Address: Calle Gerona, 40). Rumor has it that tapas were invented here. Whether that’s true is up for debate, but El Rinconcillo is definitely a wonderfully old-school spot for a meal.

Ticket for the Casa de las Dueñas

Casa de Pilatos

In our opinion, the most beautiful of the smaller palaces is the Casa de Pilatos. In the arcaded courtyard, Gothic and Arabic styles are blended together and decorated with the typical colorful tiles. The combination simply looks stunning.

You’ll find photogenic mosaics throughout the entire palace — even the staircase becomes a highlight.

The Casa de Pilatos is no longer really an under-the-radar pick, so it draws more visitors than the Casa de las Dueñas. But don’t worry — it’s nowhere near as crowded as the Real Alcázar.

Only a set number of visitors are allowed in at a time, so there can be a short wait at the entrance.

On Mondays, admission is free from 3:00 PM, but that’s when the crowds really show up. There are no online tickets — you pay directly at the palace.

We visited right after breakfast and didn’t have to wait at all, so that seems like the smart move.

Palacio de la Condesa de Lebrija

Another palace in the historic center is the Palacio de Lebrija. The Countess of Lebrija, who lived here, collected mosaics, art, and cultural treasures from every era — and those pieces are displayed throughout the palace today.

The ground floor, with its beautiful courtyard, you can explore freely on your own. The upper floor is only accessible as part of a guided tour, where you’ll see the Countess’s living quarters — untouched for over 100 years — and her eclectic art collection.

Plan to set aside some time for this, as tours start at irregular intervals. If you’re into the elaborate azulejos, the guided tour is well worth it.

Tickets are available directly at the palace and on the palace’s website.

Palacio de los Marqueses de Salinas

Just a few steps from the grand Cathedral stands this palace, which is actually still inhabited today. That said, you can still visit it as part of a guided tour.

Time seems to have stood still inside the Casa de Salinas. In certain corners, surrounded by azulejos and Moorish arches, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back into the 16th century.

Since the palace doesn’t attract as many tourists, there’s a good chance you’ll get a private tour all to yourself. The 25-minute tours start on the hour and half-hour during opening hours.

Historic Buildings in Seville

Puente de Isabel II

The Puente Isabel II is the most beautiful bridge over the Guadalquivir and connects Seville’s old quarter with the working-class neighborhood of Triana. It was built around the same time as the Eiffel Tower in Paris — and if you look closely, you can spot the resemblance between this iron bridge and Gustave Eiffel’s masterpiece.

The bridge makes for a great photo subject, both up close and from a distance. The best shots are from the promenade.

In the evening it’s beautifully lit up, so make sure to stop by after sunset too.

You can easily walk to the bridge from the old town, or take the bus to the promenade.

Torre del Oro

Also right on the Guadalquivir stands the Torre del Oro — the Golden Tower.

In Columbus’s time, when the New World was being conquered, ships from the Americas arrived here. The tower was used to store gold taken from the Aztecs and served as a defensive fortification against enemy attackers.

If you’re strolling along the promenade, you simply can’t miss the Torre del Oro — you can already see it from the Puente Isabel II or from the Puente de San Telmo.

The tower isn’t very tall, but since it stands alone without other buildings around it, you still get a great view of the city and the Seville Cathedral from the top.

Admission can only be paid directly at the tower.

Hospital de La Santa Caridad

If you need a break from the tourist bustle, take a detour to the Hospital de la Santa Caridad. We actually had the pretty courtyard entirely to ourselves.

Here, Moorish architecture meets Baroque rather than Gothic elements for a change. In this retirement and care home, you’ll find not only a wonderfully peaceful courtyard but also an impressive chapel and an art gallery featuring works by Murillo.

Tickets are available directly at the entrance. On Mondays from 3:30 PM, admission is free. That does draw more people, but still not so many that it feels overwhelming.

Plaza de Toros: The Bullring

The bullring is without a doubt the most controversial attraction in Seville.

We personally don’t condone bullfighting and wouldn’t attend one ourselves. When you get down to it, it’s not really a fight — it’s more of a calculated slaughter.

That said, bullfighting does originate from Andalusia, and the bullring along with its museum is in some ways part of Seville’s story, which is why we didn’t want to leave it out.

Of course, you don’t have to watch a fight — you can simply tour the arena and its museum. The structure, with its arcaded galleries and Baroque facade, is genuinely impressive and ranks among the most beautiful and oldest arenas in all of Spain.

Alongside the arena itself, there’s the Bullfighting Museum, which takes you chronologically through the history of this tradition.

The entrance to the massive Plaza de Toros, which holds over 12,000 spectators, is right on the Paseo de Cristóbal Colón along the river.

You can also visit as part of a guided tour, available in Spanish or English.

Guided tour of the bullring

Remarkable Churches in Seville

Basilica de la Macarena

On the northern edge of the old town stands the Basilica de la Macarena. It looks fairly unassuming from the outside, but it houses Seville’s greatest treasure: a 17th-century statue of the Virgin Mary, venerated by locals as the “Virgen de la Macarena.”

On the night between Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, this statue is carried through the neighborhood in a procession. If you happen to be in Seville over Easter, you absolutely shouldn’t miss this spectacle.

The basilica itself is built in the Andalusian Baroque style and consists of a main nave with four side chapels. The centerpiece is the stunning, incredibly richly decorated altar.

One more thing: since the Basilica de la Macarena is on the edge of the old town, the tourist bustle is almost entirely absent in the surrounding area. Take the opportunity to explore the more authentic, local side of Seville.

Fascinating Museums in Seville

Archivo General de Indias

At the Archivo General de Indias, you travel back in time to the era of Spanish colonialism. 43,000 books and 8,000 maps document the age of explorers like Columbus and Magellan.

That alone would be impressive enough, but the building itself is also incredible. The enormous bookshelves look even more imposing inside the halls of the former stock exchange.

An engaging exhibition tells you more about Spain’s voyages of discovery during its golden age.

Our tip: If you’ve visited the Cathedral or the Real Alcázar, stop by the archive too — it’s right next door, really shouldn’t be missed, and admission is free.

Flamenco Museum

Of course there’s a Flamenco Museum in Seville! The traditional Spanish dance is deeply rooted in the city, and you’ll still find it today in many bars and on the streets.

If you want to understand flamenco better, take a walk through the museum housed in this 18th-century building. You’ll be guided through the history of flamenco and discover what it’s really all about.

Flamenco shows take place daily in the museum’s courtyard — classically featuring dance, singing, and guitar. Shows start at different times, which you can see right away when you book your ticket online.

Ticket for the Flamenco Museum

Ticket for the museum and the Flamenco Show
Our tip: If you want to see an authentic flamenco show live, head to the Bar Carbonería in Santa Cruz. Admission is free — you only pay for food and drinks.

The Carbonería is no longer a well-kept secret and is usually very busy. Go right at 8:00 PM when the bar opens — that way you can grab the best seats and enjoy a few tapas and some wine (a glass of sangría costs €2.50) before the show starts around 9:30 PM.

If you arrive later and all the tables are full, head to the courtyard for now. The shows last 30 minutes each, followed by a 30-minute break. During these breaks, some guests usually leave, freeing up tables. (Address: Calle Céspedes, 21)

And one more tip: If you like hitting the dance floor at bars in the evening, take a flamenco class first. The basics you learn there can be put to surprisingly good use in Seville’s nightlife.

Flamenco dance class

Museo de Bellas Artes de Sevilla

For art lovers: housed in a surprisingly large former convent with three courtyards, you’ll find the Museum of Fine Arts.

It ranks among the most important museums in all of Spain and houses primarily Christian artworks spanning the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and into the modern era. Spanish artists such as Zurbarán, Murillo, and El Greco are prominently featured, along with a number of foreign painters.

If you’re into art, the Museo de Bellas Artes is a definite must for your Seville itinerary.

Bags are not allowed inside. If you have one with you, you’ll need to check it at the entrance and pick it up on your way out. Photography inside the museum is also prohibited.

Admission is free for EU citizens; non-EU visitors pay €1.50.

Neighborhoods and Special Places in Seville

La Alameda (Alameda de Hércules)

If you want to experience the local nightlife, head to the Alameda de Hércules in the evening.

During the day, this square looks pretty quiet and empty. After sunset, though, that changes completely. The plaza, lined with restaurants and bars, is one of the most popular spots for locals to go out.

You can get tapas, wine, and beer at genuinely reasonable prices, and sometimes you can even put your newly acquired flamenco skills to the test right out on the street.

Seriously though — do wait until the evening to visit the Alameda. During the day the square is very dull, and in summer unbearably hot on top of that.

Our tip: Tucked away on a side street off the Alameda is Bar Ricardo’s. Pull up a barstool with some tapas and a Cruzcampo beer and have a chat with the bartenders. (Address: Calle Hernán Cortés, 2)

Parque de María Luisa

Seville’s largest park is perfect for a stroll past fountains, ponds, pavilions, and a small waterfall — or simply for a break in the shade of the many trees.

With its incredibly diverse flora and fauna, the park is almost like a botanical garden.

There are plenty of places to sit, ideal for a picnic. Especially in summer, the park is a great place to spend the siesta. Pack some snacks, something to drink, and a book, and find yourself a shady spot.

You’ll find the entrance at Avenida Isabel la Católica, 2.

At the southern end of the park you’ll also find two museums, including the archaeological museum. EU citizens get in free. If you’re interested in history, it’s worth a look.

Plaza de España

Some say the Plaza de España is the most beautiful place in all of Spain. That’s actually quite plausible — the square is simply breathtaking.

With the small canal running in front of the building, you can get stunning reflection photos, both during the day and after dark when the plaza is lit up. Azulejos — the colorful tiles — are found throughout the building and on the small bridges crossing the canal.

Built for the 1929 World’s Fair, the Plaza borders directly on the Parque de María Luisa. Along the base of the semicircular building, tile panels represent each of Spain’s regions — which is why you’ll see plenty of selfie-snapping Spaniards posing in front of “their” region.

The building itself is mostly occupied by government offices and unfortunately can’t be visited. Only the military museum in the northern part is open to the public.

For Star Wars fans: in Attack of the Clones, this is where Anakin, Padmé, and R2-D2 arrived on Naboo.

Our tip: Go to the Plaza de España at sunset — the light is most beautiful then. If you have time, just stay until it gets dark.

Plaza de San Francisco

The Plaza de San Francisco, a small, quiet, and pleasant square, is home to Seville’s City Hall.

In the 16th century, heretics were condemned and burned here. Today things are far less harsh — there are occasional open-air exhibitions, light installations, and in winter even an ice-skating rink.

During Easter, the square hosts the major celebrations of Semana Santa, Holy Week.

Right in the heart of Seville’s historic center, you can take a leisurely stroll along the characteristic Andalusian building facades.

Take a break on one of the café terraces and watch the activity in front of City Hall.

Our tip: On the other side of City Hall stands the Hotel Inglaterra. Even without staying there, you can enjoy a cocktail on the rooftop terrace. It’ll set you back ten euros, but you get a view of Seville’s rooftops and the Cathedral thrown in.

Paseo del Río Guadalquivir

When the sun slowly begins to set, the riverside promenade is the perfect spot for a Tinto de Verano. Grab one at a supermarket and sit down on the quay wall.

Or join the crowd at one of the two kiosks between the Torre del Oro and the Puente Isabel II. In summer, these kiosks get quite lively at sunset — tourists snapping photos and locals treating themselves to a Tinto after work.

From the promenade you have a great view of the colorful houses of the Triana neighborhood on the opposite bank and the iron Puente Isabel II.

Our tip: Next to the bullring, at Calle Antonia Díaz, 31, there’s a Carrefour Express supermarket where you can stock up on snacks and Tinto de Verano. It’s even open on Sundays until 10:30 PM. From there it’s less than a two-minute walk to the promenade.

Triana

A visit to the working-class neighborhood of Triana on the other side of the Guadalquivir is especially worthwhile in the evening. That’s when you can wander the alleys near the Puente Isabel II, hopping from tapas bars to flamenco bars.

Also check out the market hall right on the other side of the bridge — it’s really cool! The vendors are only open until around 3:00 PM, but for tapas or a glass of wine, the hall stays open until midnight. Only on Sundays and public holidays does the Mercado de Triana close earlier, at 5:00 PM.

In the evenings, the neighborhood gathers at the bars inside the market hall, and sometimes there’s live music too.

Our tip: There’s a great cooking class held in the market hall where you’ll learn how to prepare local specialties in traditional Andalusian style.

Cooking class in the market hall
And one more tip: There’s a walking tour of Triana that includes a boat ride, giving you a deeper look at this fascinating neighborhood and its history.

Tour of Triana

Barrio Santa Cruz

The former Jewish quarter of Santa Cruz is the most winding part of Seville’s old town — and a sight in itself. Colorful alleyways lead you from one small plaza to the next.

There are no cars here. Some of the lanes are barely wide enough for a stroller.

Just head from the Cathedral or the Real Alcázar into Calle Joaquín Romero Murube and let yourself get happily lost in the alleys. It doesn’t really matter where you end up — everywhere is wonderful. You’ll naturally stumble upon plenty of cafés, tapas bars, small shops, and picturesque orange trees.

As tempting as it may be: don’t touch the oranges! These aren’t the delicious oranges you know — they’re a terribly bitter variety.

Santa Cruz also comes alive in the evenings, with busy restaurants and bars. Here, though, you’ll encounter more tourists than locals.