Top 10 Things to do in Seville

Seville (or Sevilla if you’re Spanish – pronounced ‘Se-bee-ya’) is one of the biggest and most famous cities in the southern part of Spain, Andalusia. It’s also one of the hottest, so be careful in the summer because going outside is almost impossible unless it’s night-time or for some reason you have air con built into your clothes. Apart from the warm weather, Seville is one of the most beautiful cities in Spain with incredible architecture, parks and never ending tapas!
If you’re visiting Seville for a weekend you can probably fit in most of the main attractions around the city as most things are close by and within walking distance. So, let’s take a look at the best things to do in Seville…

1. Alcázar of Seville

The Alzacar of Seville is the royal palace and gardens where the king goes with his family from time to time, but the all gardens and some rooms are open to the public. The palace was originally made by the kings of the Moors and like many parts of Andalusia you can still see many Moorish structures and styles all over the city.

2. Plaza de España, Seville Maria Luisa Park

Plaza España was the first thing I saw in Seville after I got off the train and I was truly astonished. It is absolutely beautiful and completely different during the day and the night – so if you can, try to see it twice. Plaza España Seville is situated in the centre of Maria Luisa Park, a large green open space where you can shade from the sun under the trees or see the wild exotic plants.

3. Las Setas de Sevilla

Las setas de Sevilla or ‘The Seville mushrooms’ are a large mushroom shaped wooden structure which is located in the old town. Las Setas are not only an area to provide shade for the shopping centre but also made up of 5 levels each, containing a museum, bar, walkway, viewing point and restaurant. You can climb to the top and appreciate these interesting architectural shapes from above whilst enjoying views of the city below.

4. Torro de Oro

Right on the riverbank you’ll find the Torre del Oro aka The golden tower; given its name due to its golden tiles. The tower was built back in the Moorish times and was once a part of the old city wall. Climb up to the top to see the incredible views over the city and the river and feel like you’re guarding the city in a watch tower.

5. Watch a flamenco show in Seville

Seville is the birthplace of flamenco and you can’t visit the city without visiting a flamenco bar or better, watching a real show. Whether you want to go to a big performance with food and drink or you prefer a small venue where you can get an intimate feel of the dancing and music, there are many options to choose from. If you want a unique place, visit Casa de flamenco in Barrio de Santa Cruz which is an authentic experience in a small building.

6. Seville Cathedral

Did you know that all roads in the city lead to Seville cathedral? It’s an incredible striking structure which jolts up into the sky and can be seem from most parts of Seville. The detail in the exterior walls is really incredible and inside is just as rewarding.

7. La Giralda Tower

Right next to the cathedral you’ll see the Giralda Tower of Seville which the bell tower of the main cathedral. It was built back in the 12th century by (you’ll never guess) the Moors. The tower is different to the rest of the cathedral and was previously a part of a Mosque which was destroyed in the 1300’s and years later replaced by the Christian gothic building.

8. Eat tapas in Seville

Eating should be exactly what you plan your day around on your trip, as Seville is a city which offers free tapas with every drink you order and there are so many local delicacies to try. For breakfast you can head out and order a toastada con tomate with a café con leche. For lunch why not order a Menu del dia where you can try some local dishes for a bargain price and for the evening enjoy some beer or wine with whatever tapas comes with it. One popular tapas bar in the city is Bodega Santa Cruz in the santa cruz neighbourhood, usually ‘bodegas’ are local meeting points which means you’ll get the real Andalusian experience.

9. Wander the streets of Triana

Triana is a neighbourhood of Seville located over the river from the main tourist attractions. It’s unique because it has much fewer tourists than the main parts of the city and some people never even cross over the river on their visit. Triana has much more of an authentic feel and rather than maintaining a pretty and clean look it’s more dark and lively. This is an ideal place to watch a flamenco show or buy some local mosaic tiles which are made with the mud from the river.

10. Get on your bike in Seville

Maybe you didn’t know that Seville is the capital cycling city in the south of Europe after going ahead with a huge project to make the city cycle-friendly back in 2014. There are now bike lanes over most parts of Seville with some running alongside the river which is a beautiful route to take. You can rent a bike for an hour or the whole day at the many shops around the city. Seville is rather flat so you shouldn’t have a problem even if you’re not trained, but you might have an issue with the heat during summer as it can get up to 40 degrees most days and cycling isn’t the best way to deal with that…xD