Seville, Spain is a city with the perfect blend of history, culture, and charm. From its iconic landmarks to its beautiful gardens and captivating nightlife, Seville offers an unforgettable experience for every traveler. Seville is a city that you truly need to visit if you’re traveling to Spain. In this post, I will be covering a complete travel guide to Seville, Spain including how to get around, things to do, where to stay, and other tips for a memorable trip!

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Travel Guide to Seville, Spain

How to Get to Seville

Seville is easily accessible, whether you’re arriving from across the globe or exploring other parts of Spain. If you’re traveling internationally, Seville Airport (SVQ) is the closest option, offering direct flights from major European cities and beyond. If you’re planning a multi-city Spanish adventure, Seville is well-connected by train and bus. From Madrid, a high-speed train will get you to Seville in just 2 hours and 45 minutes If you’re making the journey from Barcelona, it takes around 5 hours and 45 minutes.

How to Get Around Seville

If you are staying in the city center of Seville, there are many things to do within a walkable distance. For things to do that are further from the city center, such as Plaza de España, if you’re not able to make the longer walk you can always bike, take public transportation (bus or metro), or use a ride-sharing app.

From my experience, a rental car is not needed to explore most of Seville since there are great options for public transport and there is not always ample parking in the historic center. However, if you’re planning on taking day trips to nearby towns, a rental car may be useful to have for a day or two.

Where to Stay in Seville

Choosing where to stay in Seville depends on your priorities. For a truly immersive experience, the heart of the historic center, known as the Barrio Santa Cruz, is ideal. This labyrinthine neighborhood with its whitewashed houses, charming plazas, and vibrant atmosphere is a perfect base for exploring Seville’s iconic landmarks.

When I visited Seville, I took a solo trip and was on more of a budget. I went the hostel route and stayed at La Banda Hostel which is located in Barrio Santa Cruz. The location was ideal for my visit. The area felt very safe, even while walking alone at night as a female. La Banda was very much a social atmosphere and there were family dinners and pub crawls every night. it was very easy to meet people up by the rooftop bar (plus the free drink ticket on arrival helped!). If you’re planning a solo trip and want to go the hostel route, I would recommend La Banda Hostel.

Things to Do in Seville

Real Alcázar of Seville

The Real Alcázar of Seville was the highlight of my visit to Seville (and I almost didn’t go!). This palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a look at Moorish architecture. This palace is known for its lush gardens and intricate tilework.

If you’re interested in visiting, you can explore the grounds on your own or join a guided tour. I opted to explore on my own so that I could go at my own pace. However, I wish I would have taken a guided tour because I would have learned a lot more about the history! Most tours also boast about having a “skip-the-line” entrance.

Seville Cathedral

The Seville Cathedral is the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world and is a notable landmark in the heart of the historic center. Inside the cathedral, you can climb the Giralda, the bell tour that offers panoramic views of Seville. The cathedral is worth going into to view the ornate altarpiece, artwork, stained glass windows, and even the tomb of Christopher Columbus.

Plaza de España

Plaza de España is a grand square that was designed for the 1929 Ibero-American Exposition. Benches surrounding the plaza are adorned with tiles that depict scenes from various provinces around Spain. This iconic landmark has also been a popular filming location and has been featured in Game of Thrones, Star Wars, and several other movies.

Sample the Tapas

Spain is well known for tapas and Seville is no exception. Tapas are small, bite-sized dishes, typically served on small plates or skewers. If you’re visiting Spain, you must sample the tapas, especially if you’re in Seville. You can find tapas at nearly every restaurant, and there are also many different tours that you can choose from to take the guesswork out of where to go and what to order.

Catch a Flamenco Show

Seville is the birthplace of Flamenco! Falmenco is a form of song, dance, and instrumental music. If you’re visiting and want to go to a performance that is unique to Seville, you have to book a Flamenco show. There are many throughout the city nearly every night of the week.

Other Tips for Seville

Visit During the Shoulder Season

Summers can be hot in Seville and it’s the high season which means more crowds and higher prices. I recommend traveling during the shoulder seasons either in fall (September- November) or Spring (March- May). During the shoulder season, there are often smaller crowds, milder weather, and cheaper prices. If the shoulder season isn’t an option, I still had a very enjoyable time while visiting in the high season during late July. There weren’t too many people, especially when compared to other cities around Europe that attract tourists.

Book Activities Ahead of Time

When I visited Seville, many of the time slots for the Real Alcazar and Cathedral would be booked out due to the demand. If you’re traveling during the high season, I recommend booking tickets before your trip, especially if you want to go earlier in the morning to beat the heat. While I visited, there were options to book during the day of your visit, but most of the time slots were in the afternoon leaving you with less time to explore.

Bring Comfortable Shoes

Most of the activities and attractions around Seville involve a lot of walking. I was easily passing 20,000 steps each day that I visited. I highly recommend bringing comfortable shoes or sandals for walking in so that you’re comfortable!

Don’t Forget your Sunblock and Water!

While walking around the city, there is not much shade. If you’re visiting during the summer, I highly recommend bringing sunscreen and carrying water with you. Many of the things to do involve a lot of walking. The Real Alcazar has a large area that is outside and not all of the gardens are shaded.