One Day in Seville, Spain

Seville is by far the most underrated major city in Spain. The most common response from city residents when asked why they enjoy living in Sevilla was “its ambiance and people” – and I couldn’t agree more. Please, please, please – if Seville is not already on your bucket list, add it. Read below for all of the activities we recommend prioritizing if you’re only in Seville for one day.

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1. The Royal Alcázar of Seville

Once home to the royal family of Spain, you’ll want to put a visit to the Royal Alcázar of Seville at the top of your list. This compound is a marvel of intricately decorated architecture, sprawling gardens, and a royal estate. For a real look into history, be sure to include a guide of the Cuarto Alto during your visit, and see take a look at the royal family’s living quarters (including a banquet hall, audience hall, billiard’s room, and more!).

The royal palace is open daily from 9:30am – 5:00pm in the high season, and 9:30am – 7:00pm in the off season.

2. La Catedral de Santa María (also called La Catedral de Sevilla)

The symbol of the city, no trip to Sevilla would be complete without visiting La Giralda, the bell tower atop the Cathedral of Seville. This bell tower was once – by law – the tallest point in all of Seville, and remains the highest point in the city’s center (and your best lookout over the city). Though the current tower was built during a restoration, the original Giralda incorporated the minaret from the mosque that stood before the cathedral and today is located just outside of the building.

La Catedral de Santa María is also the largest Gothic temple in Europe, and inspired the architecture for many of the Spanish towers that were built after it. Additionally, the cathedral houses the tomb of explorer Christopher Columbus.

One adult combo-ticket for entrance to the Giralda, cathedral, and Salvador Church costs 10 euros. You can also get an audioguide for an extra 5 euros if you’re interested in an audio tour of the cathedral’s history.

3. Horse-Drawn Carriage Ride Through Seville

When you’re done at the cathedral, look around yourself for some horses! Outside on the street, you can hire a short horse-drawn carriage tour through the city. My recommendation is to ride from the cathedral through the Parque Maria Luisa and to La Plaza de España. You will never feel so much like a real life princess in your life. It’s an experience that you never even knew you needed until you’ve done it. Trust me.

You can request one carriage or even several if you’re travelling with a group, and the friendly drivers will let you interact with the horses if you’d like to as well. The standard fee is about 36 euros for up to four adults in a carriage – and bookings are available in advance.

If you’re interested in a longer, full hour horse-drawn sightseeing tour of Sevilla, we recommend booking in advance for the day you expect to be in town:

4. La Plaza de España

Now imagine this: you’re disembarking your carriage after a horse-drawn ride through the city into the famous Plaza de España, encircled by a long canal with small row boats wading through the water. Do you get now why I need you to add this to your bucket list??

Located within el Parque Maria Luisa, the plaza was built by Spanish architect Aníbal González Álvarez-Ossorio to symbolize the country’s peace and bonding towards its American colonies. The plaza houses unique tiles (azulejos) for each of Spain’s provinces, and opens towards the Guadalquivir River – through which colonists used to send back findings from the “New World.”

The plaza is located along Avenida de Isabel La Católica and is free to enter as it is part of the public park.

5. El Parque de Maria Luisa

When you’re done at the plaza, wander into the Maria Luisa Park. It’s beautifully green and full of flowers, with several pavilions to stumble upon. You’re going to want to pick some of the oranges down off of the trees – you’re not supposed to, I’ll warn you not to, but you probably will. And then you’ll spit them right back out as they’re incredibly bitter to the taste. When in Seville though, right?

Like the Plaza de España, the Parque de Maria Luisa is free for entry.

6. El Torre del Oro

El Torre del Oro (the Tower of Gold) was originally part of the city wall that divided the Alcazar Palace from the rest of Sevilla. It’s purpose was to control shipping across the Guadalquivir River. Most famously, this is where conquistadores would return to with “treasures” they had taken from the “New World,” sailing back with what they had acquired from the newly colonized Americas.

El Torre del Oro is now a piece of Spanish history and costs about 3 euros to enter.

7. Wander Around Sevilla

Lastly, please block out some time in your itinerary to just wander through the streets of Sevilla. The whole city is beautiful and welcoming. Sevilla is well known for its food – especially pescaíto frito – so be sure to give it a try during one of your meals!

8. Tapas & Flamenco Show

To end your day, find yourself tickets to a flamenco show! Flamenco is a traditional dance originating in southern Spain, and Seville happens to be the city most well-known for its performances. We personally booked a night show that included tapas in its package, and we were blown away.

They did not allow photos of the show due to copyright reasons, but it included five incredible sets and a three-course meal of tapas! It was a perfect introduction to flamenco and an incredible way to end a day in Seville.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is Sevilla a walkable city? Absolutely! Sevilla seems intentionally walkable. There are many pedestrian streets that cars cannot even access, and spacious sidewalks throughout the city. Everything in this itinerary is relatively close to the city’s center, and easily within a walking radius. Just remember to pack comfy shoes!
2. What is there to do in Seville in 24 hours? Plenty! If you are a fast traveller and don’t feel as though this itinerary would fill up your day, you can also purchase tickets for a flamenco show over tapas at night! Seville is one of Spain’s largest cities, you will have no trouble filling up a day’s worth of adventures.
3. Is one day in Seville enough? This one’s up to you! You can certainly see all of the major sites in one day, but it’s such an enjoyable city to be in that you may want to extend your stay just to extend the experience!
4. Is a day trip to Seville worth it? Personally, Seville was my favorite major city that I visited in all of Spain. It’s beautiful, peaceful, and a great place to introduce yourself to Spanish culture.
5. Is it Seville or Sevilla? You may have heard the city referred to as both Seville & Sevilla – and they’re both right! Sevilla is how the city is pronounced in Spanish, and Seville is how it is pronounced in English.

Where to Stay in Seville

Wondering where to stay during your visit to Seville? Check out our recommendations below based on your travel style!

• Budget Hostel (Our Choice): The Black Swan Hostel Sevilla
• Sustainable Hotel: The Eurostars Torre Sevilla
• Five Star Hotel: The Hotel Casa Palacio Don Ramón

What’s Nearby

Is Seville just one stop of many on your tour through Spain? Check out our travel guides for Barcelona, Granada, and the Cueva del Gato next!

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