Things to do in Seville: Attractions

1. Must see: Alcazar of Seville

'Alcázar Real de Sevilla' is the Royal Palace of Seville. This Moorish palace complex is by far the most famous Seville attraction and should not be missed on your list of 'What to do in Seville'. The Alcazar palace should not be missed during your city trip. The palace is still in use today by the Spanish King. Please note: Due to the limited number of visitors per hour, it is crucial that you book your Alcazar tickets in advance. More info for visiting 'Real Alcazar'.

2. Seville Cathedral & La Giralda

The 'Catedral de Santa María de la Sede' is one of the largest cathedrals in the world. The cathedral was built over the remnants of a Moorish mosque. The Giralda tower was once part of this mosque. Once in the cathedral, you can admire a treasure trove, the tomb of Columbus and the royal chapel. You can also climb the Giralda tower for a beautiful panorama of the city. More info about the 'Seville Cathedral'.

📌 Note: We recommend that you always book the tickets for the Real Alcazar and the Cathedral of Seville in advance. A good deal is the Seville City Pass.

3. Plaza de España - Spain square of Seville

The most famous square in Seville Spain is located in the Maria Luisa park. The 'Plaza de España' was created for the Ibero-American exhibition of 1929 to symbolise peace with the former colonies. A highlight of this 'Spanish square' are the 52 benches with Andalusian tiles that represent all Spanish provinces. More info about this Seville must see landmark 'Plaza de España'.

4. Santa Cruz district & Historical center

The district of 'Santa Cruz' is the old Jewish quarter. This historic city centre includes important sights such as the Alcazar Palace and the Catedral de Sevilla. Here, you can wander through a maze of narrow streets, terraces and numerous restaurants. Despite the many tourists, the historic center is a must see during your city trip to Seville Spain. More info 'Santa Cruz district'.

5. Park 'Maria Luisa'

This green oasis of peace is the most famous public park in Seville. The park was originally part of the grounds of the San Telmo palac. It was donated to the city in 1893 with the aim of being converted into a city park. It is adjacent to the well-known 'Plaza de España' of the Ibero-American exhibition of 1929. You can still find several pavilions of the exhibition in the park. More info 'Maria Luisa Park'.

6. Metropol Parasol - Setas de Sevilla

The striking Setas de Sevilla or the 'Mushrooms of Seville' is a special wooden construction dated from 2011 with a panorama terrace, a walking path and an archaeological museum. The tourist attraction and terrace of Metropol Parasol is the ideal place to get a drink in the city. More info 'Metropol Parasol'.

7. Casa de Pilatos

The 'Casa de Pilatos' is a 16th century palace in the historic district of Santa Cruz. After the Real Alcazar de Sevilla, this is the most beautiful palace in the Andalusian city, and one of the most well-preserved buildings from this period. It's interesting to get an idea of how the aristocrats used to live. More info 'Casa Pilatos'.

8. Things to do: Bike tour in Seville

One of the most fun things to do in Seville: my personal favorite activity for sightseeing in this Spanish city is by this bike tour. The city has excellent cycle paths and because sights and landmarks are a reasonable distance apart, you can visit many Seville attractions by bike in one day. Rent a bike yourself or even better, be inspired by a guide with wonderful stories about Seville (More info about bike tours in Seville).

9. Triana district

What to do in Seville's Triana district? Triana is the district on the other bank of the Guadalquivir. Originally the main district of Seville where the bullfighters and flamenco dancers originated. Now Triana it is mainly an authentic neighborhood to stroll through and taste the atmosphere (especially in the evening). Visit the neighborhood with the colourful boulevard, the Mercado de Triana or enjoy this authentic flamencoshow to experience the real Triana.

10. Plaza de Toros

'Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza' is the largest bullfighting arena in Spain. Located in the impressive 18th-century bullfighting arena Plaza de Toros de Sevilla is the 'Museo Taurino', a museum on the history of bullfighting in Seville. More info 'Plaza de Toros de Sevilla'.

11. Things to do: Visit a Flamenco Show

Flamenco, dance and music typical of Spain (especially Andalusia), is an old tradition in Seville. Many flamenco shows are given today in authentic tablaos, perfect places to visit during you Seville holiday. The district of Triana is the centre of flamenco in Seville (more info and bookings flamenco shows). The Museo del Baile Flamenco (MBF) in the city center of Seville is a museum dedicated to the typical Andalusian flamenco dance. A selection of the best flamenco shows:

• Most popular: Casa de la Memoria (always book your tickets on time)
• Most authentic: Orillas de Triana and Teatro Flamenco Triana (both in the district of Triana, the heart of Flamenco)
• Personal favorite: Museo del Baile Flamenco (in combination with the flamenco museum)
• Best choice with dinner: El Palacio Andaluz

12. Landmarks: Torre del Oro

The Torre del Oro, or 'Tower of the Gold' is a tower from the 12th century located on the Guadalquivir river. At the time, it was part of the Moorish city wall of Seville and once served as a storage place for gold and as a prison. It now houses a small maritime museum. More info for the Seville attraction 'Golden Tower Seville'.

13. Palacio de las Dueñas

The Palacio de las Dueñas is a palace that was built in the late 15th century in Renaissance style with Gothic and Moorish influences and once belonged to the famous Duchess of Alba. The palace with beautiful gardens is tucked away in the old center of the city and the well-preserved interior gives a nice insight into how the wealthy aristocrats used to live in the city. It is possible to discover this hidden gem with this tour of Palacio de las Dueñas (more info and tickets).

14. Iglesia Colegial del Divino Salvador

The Iglesia del Salvador, or 'Savior Church', is the most important church in the city after the great cathedral of Seville. It has a beautiful main altar and numerous wall and ceiling paintings. This landmark is definitely worth a look inside. A visit to this church is included in this ticket you probably already bought for the Cathedral of Seville.

15. Museo de Bellas Artes

The Museo de Bellas Artes is the Museum of Fine Arts of Seville. After the Prado in Madrid, this is Spain's most important art museum with numerous masterpieces from the Middle Ages to the 20th century, mainly made by Spanish artists such as Francisco de Zurbarán, Velázquez and Bartolomé Murillo. The Seville Museum of Fine Arts is housed in a beautiful old convent with several patios and offers except paintings also a lot of sculptures.

16. Basilica de la Macarena

In the interesting, but less touristy district of Macarena, you will find the striking Basílica de la Macarena. The Madonna statue in this beautiful church is one of the most famous procession figures in the city. The authentic Macarena district is also a nice neighborhood to stroll through.

17. Sightseeing on a Guadalquivir cruise

Relaxed things to do in Seville: the Guadalquivir is one of the largest rivers in Spain, which flows right through Seville Spain. A fun activity is to view the Seville monuments from the water, for example with this boat trip. Some nice tours on the Guadalquivir:

18. Jardines de Murillo

The Jardines de Murillo are the public gardens located just outside the walls of the Alcazar complex. The park is named after the painter Murillo whose birthplace was close to the park. Originally these gardens were part of the Alcazar palace, but in 1860 Queen Isabella II gave the gardens to the city. It's a beautiful park with, among other things, a monument to Columbus and to relax on the mosaic benches under shady trees.

19. Hospital de los Venerables

The Hospital Los Venerables is a baroque 17th-century complex in the middle of the Santa Cruz district that originally served to care for the elderly and the poor and later as a residence for priests. The accompanying church has beautiful frescoes made by the Valdés family and the central patio is also worth a visit. The hospital also houses the Velázquez Center, a museum dedicated to famous Sevillian painters such as Diego Velázquez and Bartolomé Esteban Murillo. To visit the Hospital de los Venerables you can book this tour with audio guide.

Tip for food lovers: Tapas Tour

Andalusia is of course known for its tapas. During my last visit to Seville I participated in this tapas tour, where a local guide takes you to non-touristy and authentic tapas bars. During this entertaining tour you will taste different tapas and local drinks with interesting background stories. Recommended for a fun evening out (book this tapas tour).

20. Itálica (Santiponce)

Ten kilometers north of Seville, in the town of Santiponce, is Itálica Archaeological Park, an area with excavations from Roman times. The park with excavations of the city that was founded in 206 BC includes an amphitheater and several mosaic floors. This city was the birthplace of Emperors Hadrian and Trajan. From Seville this is a nice half day tour, for example with this excursion or even better, with this guided bike tour where a guide will tell you more about this historic place.

21. Plaza Nueva

Plaza Nueva is the central square with the Ayuntamiento, or Seville's town hall, which you should give a walk around. The exterior of the town hall with many details was partly built in Renaissance style in the 16th century and was later expanded in neo-classical style. The square, which is regularly used for events, also features a statue of King Ferdinand III of Castile.

22. Palacio de la Condesa de Lebrija

This city palace and former residence of a noble family now houses a museum. Countess de Lebrija collected an entire palace full of art, archaeological objects, beautiful rooms with many decorative elements such as Arab arches and extremely many beautiful mosaics.

23. What to see in Seville: Semana Santa

Semana Santa is the Holy Week celebrated between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, with Seville being one of the cities in Spain where it is celebrated most fanatically. During this week, the city is completely turned upside down with impressive processions of the brotherhoods, dressed in striking robes with pointed hats, carrying their sacred statues and richly decorated altars with Jesus or Mary through the city towards the cathedral. During the entire Semana Santa, dozens of these processions take place in the center.

24. Archivo General de Indias

At the Plaza del Triunfo, the beautiful square with the cathedral and the Real Alcázar is adjacent to another important building of the UNESCO World Heritage List: the General Archive of the Indies. This building from the 16th century served as a trade fair for the New World and today serves as an archive about this New World. There are changing exhibitions in the building and you can usually visit this special building for free.

25. Day tours from Seville

What to do around Seville? In two or three days you can visit most of Seville's sights. If you stay longer in the city, you can also use the city as a good base to visit other highlights of Andalusia. In this article you can read about the 11 best day trips from Seville. Being loved places to visit near Seville Spain are these day trips to the Pueblos Blancos, or the typical white villages such as Zahara de la Sierra and Ronda. But you can also take day trips to Córdoba with the Mezquita, to Granada with the Alhambra, the English colony Gibraltar, the sherry capital Jerez de la Frontera or for the special hiking trail of El Caminito del Rey. Click on a day trip for more information:

More Day Trips from Seville