Andalusia’s charming capital city is everything that is quintessentially Spain. And with so many different things to do in Seville, you can have a wonderful experience combining all different aspects of the city; cultural performances, delicious tapas and local wines, architecturally impressive moments, and day-long escapes to nearby destinations around the city.
With Seville’s city centre being pretty much entirely accessible, and amazing little towns and villages around the province that can be easily visited, it makes visiting Seville a wonderful experience! Here are my personal favourite things to do in the Seville, things that you should absolutely try to experience even if you just have a couple of days in the city.
Photo Credit: Federica Chioni
1. Be amazed by the architecture at Plaza de España
Seeing one of Seville’s wonderful monuments absolutely has to be at the top of the list, though it may surprise you that I haven’t suggested the often talked about Cathedral or Alcazar Palace. No. My favourite monument in Seville is, hands down, Plaza de España.
This pavilion was built especially for the Ibero-American Expo that Seville hosted in 1929 and today is one of the most impressive buildings in the entire city. Walk around and appreciate the grandeur of the building, check out the mosaic tilework with each alcove representing one of Spain’s 47 provinces, or hop in a rowboat and go around the small canal.
Photo Credit: Malcolm Browne
2. Get wonderfully lost in the streets of the Santa Cruz neighbourhood
Seville is full of hidden corners, cobbled alleyways, and beautiful historic buildings in all of its central neighbourhoods, but perhaps the most known for this is the Santa Cruz neighbourhood. It’s the most famous for its charming streets (and yes, also the most touristic) but for a reason – it’s just so damm pretty!
While I do believe Seville’s other neighbourhoods are also worth exploring, you absolutely have to dedicate some time to getting lost in this beautiful part of the city. Put the map away, explore the streets, and see where they take you.
3. Sip on a glass of crisp, cool manzanilla sherry
Nothing says Andalusian summer like a cold glass of crisp manzanilla sherry. This light, dry and delicate flavoured sherry comes from the nearby Jerez winemaking region and is one of the most typical drinks you can find in Seville. The yeasty taste can be surprising at first, but once you get used to it, you are hooked! Trust me. Manzanilla is now even my drink of choice in places that I know don’t have the best white wine by the glass.
While most places in Seville will be happily serving manzanilla, the best is to pop into one of Seville’s historic bars and soak in the old-school vibe while you do so. A classic is El Rinconcillo, which just also happens to be the oldest bar in Seville.
Photo Credit: Wolfgang Manousek
4. Take a trip back in time at the Royal Alcázar Palace
The Alcázar is often mistaken for a Moorish monument, but that’s actually not quite the case. Yes, it began as a fort in the 10th century, during the Moorish reign of Seville, but was consistently renovated nad expanded over the centuries, until as recently as the 19th century. Only one patio was originally constructed by the Moors, so what stands today really is an evolution of Seville’s architecture over time. Much of the palace is Mudejar style (Moorish influence architecture built during the reign of the Christians) which explains the confusion about the history of this building.
Today it’s the oldest Royal residence still in use in Europe, and for an extra cost, you can even visit the Upper Royal Quarters; the reception rooms where the Royal family meets visitors today. Thanks to the Game of Thrones TV series using the Alcázar as a set its now more popular than ever, so book your tickets in advance if you don’t want to queue or if you want to get your hands on one of the limited tickets to visit the Upper Royal Quarters.
Hot Tip: Booking in advance is essential, so make sure you book your tickets in advance. Or for the best experience possible, join a tour and have your local guide bring the Alcázar to life for you! Book your tour here.
Photo Credit: Jose Alemañ Asensi
5. Get above the city at the top of Las Setas
Las Setas is the most modern monument we have in the city, and perhaps also the most unique. You can’t miss this interesting wooden structure looming over the top of Plaza de la Encarnación. Aside from being the newest building of note in the city, it’s also the largest wooden structure in the entire world– yep, you heard right. Made entirely of birch wood!
View it from the outside and appreciate the breath of fresh air that it has given to this part of town, with new bars, shops and cafes popping up by the minute, then catch the elevator to the top (3 euros) and get views out across the city that out-do the views from the top of the famous Giralda tower.
Photo Credit: Franek N
6. Appreciate a slice of local life in the Macarena neighbourhood
The great thing about Seville is that despite the fact the city’s economy relies heavily on tourism, it really is a local city. We share our city with visitors, and the Macarena neighbourhood to the north of the city is the best place to go to experience it.
Visit the neo-baroque Basilica de la Macarena which is home to the famous Virgin of Macarena (she’s practically the international symbol for Seville’s impressive Holy Week celebrations), take a walk down Calle Feria and pop into local shops, bars or the market or if it’s Thursday see the eccentric El Jueves flea market which takes place on the street, then wander over to the neighbouring Alameda de Hercules to find delicious tapas and a late night party atmosphere.
7. Learn about Triana and Seville’s history of ceramics
I’m not normally one for museums, but when the museum is well designed, informative, and teaches you about the life and culture of the local area, I’m all in! The Centro Ceramica de Triana is ceramic museum located in an old ceramic factory in the Triana neighbourhood.
Seville has been producing ceramics since the Roman times and this craft has been very important for the city, and above all, the people of Triana. The first floor is dedicated to the history of ceramic production and the old Santa Ana Ceramic factory (I especially love all the videos with talks from former employees of the factory), and the second level is dedicated to life in the Triana neighbourhood.
Even if you are not into art it’s really interesting, and afterwards, you can even buy authentic sevillano ceramics in the store downstairs or at Ceramica Ruiz across the road!
8. Join in the local way of life at one of Seville’s wonderful food markets
Yes, supermarkets have arrived decades ago and well and truly settled in Spain, but the wonderful truth is we have some fabulous, fully functioning fresh produce markets which are bustling with action from Monday to Saturdays (8am-2/3pm) with vendors selling their catch of the day, locals getting in there to get the freshest produce possible and locals and visitors alike often stopping by simply to be part of the buzz.
Visit the Mercado de Feria, a simple market and very authentic in Calle Feria which dates back to the 13th century, making it the oldest market in Seville, and don’t miss the wonderful Mercado de Triana which is much bigger with much more elaborate displays with more going on outside the typical market spectrum.
Read more about the different food markets in Seville here.
Photo Credit: Veyis Polat
9. Soak in the splendour of a fiery flamenco show
Flamenco is synonymous with Spain, and with Andalusia being the birthplace of flamenco, what better place to catch a show than right here in Seville? There are several options for shows, ranging from flashy tablaos to spontaneous songs burst out in a bar, though the best option for someone visiting for a few days is to go and see a show at a place that especially puts on authentic shows.
Here you will get the best of the best– high-quality performers mixed with an authentic experience. You can read more about the best flamenco shows in Seville here, although my all-time personal favourite for an unforgettable experience is Casa de la Memoria – book your tickets here!
10. Go out for tapas!
Spain’s tapas culture has become famous worldwide and given that Seville is the tapas mecca of Spain it would be rude not to partake in eating your fair share of tapas while in the city. Whether you want to try hole in the wall taverns, simple traditional bars or modern culinary experiences, tapas come in all ways, shapes and forms in the city, so make sure you try a few different places while you are here!
For the best experience don’t go out for lunch before 1.30pm and dinner before 9pm (as some places won’t be open earlier) and take it slow. Just order a drink and a tapa or two at a time as food comes quickly and as it’s ready!
Of course, there are so many top things to do in Seville, but for a first time or fleeting visit to the city these are some experiences that I would put straight to the top of your to-do list! Have you visited Seville? Do you have any other great recommendations? Let me know all about it in the comments below!
Disclosure: Some of the links on my website are affiliate links which means that if you purchase anything I recommend through these links, I may get a small commission, however at no extra cost to you! Please know that everything I recommend I have personally tried and tested and are experiences that I really believe are great.