Things to do in Seville: top sights, neighbourhoods and practical tips

More Seville guides

• Seville in one dayA one-day walking route through Seville: Royal Alcázar, cathedral and Giralda, Santa Cruz, Plaza de España and Triana, with times, tickets and tips.
• Seville in 2 daysA 2-day Seville itinerary: day 1 Alcázar, cathedral and Santa Cruz; day 2 Plaza de España, museums and Triana. With times, tickets and tips.

Seville's must-sees

Seville is best seen on foot and by neighbourhood: the monumental old town, the lanes of Santa Cruz, María Luisa Park, and Triana across the Guadalquivir.

1. 1

   Plaza del Triunfo

   Royal Alcázar

   A royal palace in use since the Middle Ages, with Mudéjar and Gothic rooms, gardens and the Palace of Pedro I. General entry is €15.50; buy online to skip the ticket-office queue, which takes cards only.

2. 2

   Avenida de la Constitución

   Cathedral and Giralda

   One of the largest Gothic cathedrals in the world, with Columbus's tomb. The ticket includes the climb up the Giralda, the former Almohad minaret.

3. 3

   Historic centre

   Santa Cruz quarter

   The old Jewish quarter of narrow lanes, courtyards and orange-scented squares. Best without a fixed route.

4. 4

   South of the centre

   Plaza de España and María Luisa Park

   A semicircular square built for the 1929 Ibero-American Exposition, with tiled alcoves for each province. Free to enter.

5. 5

   Across the Guadalquivir

   Triana

   A sailors' and potters' district, with its market and tapas. Cross the Isabel II bridge.

6. 6

   Plaza de la Encarnación

   Metropol Parasol (the Mushrooms)

   A modern wooden structure with a viewing platform over the rooftops. Check the current fee and hours before you go.

Neighbourhoods to explore

• Santa Cruz: courtyards, orange blossom and tapas alleys.
• El Arenal: the bullfighting quarter by the river, with the Maestranza and historic bars.
• Triana: potters and flamenco across the bridge.
• La Alameda: alternative scene, terraces and nightlife.
• Macarena: Almohad walls and the Basilica of the Macarena.

Art and museums

The Fine Arts Museum, in a former convent, gathers Murillo, Zurbarán and Valdés Leal. Check current prices and hours on its official site. To identify a tile, a chapel or an altarpiece, point the AnyArt camera at it and hear its story with no label, as an alternative to a rented audio guide.

Tickets, transport and when to go

• Buy Alcázar and cathedral tickets online on their official sites; they are the longest queues.
• The Alcázar opens 9:30 to 17:00 from October to March and until 19:00 from April to September.
• The cathedral offers limited free access on Sunday afternoons; conditions change, so check before you go.
• In summer, do outdoor sights first thing or after sunset.
• Cover shoulders and knees in the cathedral.
• The centre is walkable; the river path to Plaza de España is pleasant.