2 Days in Seville: The Perfect Itinerary for First-Time Visitors (2026)
The view of Seville from the top of Setas de Sevilla.
The beautiful old city of Seville, affectionately known as “the sunniest city in Europe”, is less than three hours from Madrid via high-speed train.
This 2,200-year-old city has a rich history touched by many cultures, giving it a unique personality and a well-preserved historical center. It is a highly walkable city, despite being the largest of the Andalusia region and the fourth largest in all of Spain. The small village feel despite its size, the striking beauty of its colorful architecture and historical sights, plus the balmy weather it offers even in winter, make Seville a highlight of any trip to Spain.
On our first visit, we spent two days in Seville and got to see a lot of it in that time frame.
Here is what we did during our two-day visit and what we learned about lovely Seville.
🇪🇸 Seville Quick Facts
| Attraction | 2026 Entry Fee | Hours | Book Ahead? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏛️ Major Attractions | |||
| Real Alcazar | €15.50 general Upper Apartments: +€5.50 (timed entry) |
Oct–Mar: 9:30am–5pm Apr–Sep: 9:30am–7pm |
ESSENTIAL |
| Cathedral of Seville Includes Giralda Tower |
€20 online €21 at the door |
Mon–Sat: 10:45am–5pm Sun: 2:30pm–6pm Check catedraldesevilla.es for latest |
ESSENTIAL |
| Setas de Sevilla Metropol Parasol + Mirador |
~€15 daytime ~€18 sunset/evening Includes Feeling Sevilla show. Valid for 2 visits in 48hrs. |
Daily 9:30am–11pm Check setasdesevilla.com |
RECOMMENDED |
| 🌿 Free to Visit | |||
| Plaza de España | FREE | Open all day | No |
| María Luisa Park | FREE | Open all day | No |
| Barrio de Santa Cruz Historic Jewish Quarter |
FREE | Open all day | No |
| University of Seville Former Royal Tobacco Factory |
FREE (exterior) | Open all day (exterior) | No |
| 🎭 Experiences | |||
| Flamenco Show e.g. Triana Flamenco Theater |
~€18–€35 Varies by venue and show |
Evening performances | RECOMMENDED |
| Alcazar + Cathedral Guided Tour Via Viator (skip-the-line) |
~€55–€75 pp Includes entry tickets |
Morning departures | ESSENTIAL |
Prices correct as of early 2026. Always confirm at official sites before visiting.
Getting to and around Seville
We made use of Spain’s AVE high-speed train from Madrid to Seville and arrived at Seville’s Santa Justa station in under three hours. To get lots of great information about traveling by train in Spain, please check out our in-depth blog post How to travel by train in Spain.
Walking is a great way to experience Seville, as it is fun to explore its small, colorful streets and take in the unique atmosphere. Most of the main attractions are on the east side of the Rio Guadalquivir River in the Old Town neighborhood. You can cross the whole city center on foot in about 45 minutes.
Of course, not everyone wants to walk everywhere, and we all get tired sometimes! Fortunately, Seville has various transit options that include a metro line, an extensive tram system, and buses.
We took advantage of Seville’s tram system, the MetroCentro. It is very modern and a nice way to get around to the sights when one doesn’t feel like walking.
Good news on the tram since our last visit. The MetroCentro has expanded to eight stops as of late 2024 and now runs all the way from Plaza Nueva into the Nervión district. They've also added contactless card payment, so you can tap your debit or credit card on the validators inside the tram and pay the €1.40 fare that way.
The validators can occasionally be out of order, so having a small amount of cash as a backup is sensible. But you no longer need to worry about hunting down exact change.
If you plan to use the tram and buses more than a couple of times, the Tarjeta Turista (Tourist Travel Card) is worth picking up. It costs €5 for one day or €10 for three days and covers unlimited rides on the tram and all TUSSAM city buses. You can buy it at the Prado de San Sebastián, Plaza Ponce de León, or Avenida stations.
A tram moves along a Seville street
MetroCentro is run by TUSSAM (Transportes Urbanos de Sevilla, Sociedad Anónima Municipal), the municipal agency that also operates the extensive bus network. These buses run throughout the city center, as well as to all the surrounding urban areas, making them useful if you are staying a little further out and are traveling into town daily.
For a more sporting experience, you can rent a bike via the Lime app or the city's Sevici app. Short-term or long-term plans are available.
Flat and sunny Seville is one of Spain’s most bike-friendly cities. It offers 111 miles (180km) of smooth, interconnected bike lanes and the pleasant weather is perfect for biking. And the car traffic is calmer compared to bigger cities like New York or Rome
Guided bike tours are also a great way to see a city; a knowledgeable guide can add a lot to the experience.
Cyclists ride past the Seville Cathedral
Touring the Real Alcazar of Seville
The Real Alcazar should be your first stop and, honestly, your first booking. This royal palace has been in continuous use for over a thousand years and still functions as an official royal residence today, making it the oldest working royal palace in Europe. From the North African Moors to the Spanish Christians who came after them, every culture that ruled Seville left its mark here. You can see it in the Mudéjar motifs, the carved archways, the tiled pathways, and the gardens that somehow still look immaculate after all these centuries. Plan to spend at least two hours. Book a guided tour and you'll want more.
General admission is €15.50. If you want to see the Upper Royal Apartments, where the Spanish royal family actually stays when visiting Seville, that's an extra €5.50 and requires a separate timed booking.
Tickets sell out weeks in advance in peak season, so buy yours as early as possible at the official site or through Viator.
One of the highlights for us was the Baths of Doña María de Padilla. It's a vaulted underground crypt with a long cistern, and the arches seem to go on forever as they reflect down into the still water below. The light filters in softly from above, and the whole space feels completely otherworldly. There's a good story attached to it, too, full of legend and royal intrigue, and any guided tour will walk you through it.
Baths of Doña María de Padilla, Seville.
You are sure not to miss the Baths on any guided tour of the palace. This is the exact kind of attraction that we usually like to book a tour for. You just get so much out of historical places like the Real Alcazar with an informed guide.
We opted for the Alcazar and Cathedral of Seville Tour with Skip the Line Tickets through Viator.
It was an excellent tour as it combined the Real Alcazar and the Cathedral of Seville in one ticket, and although it was quite long (almost 4 hours!) to be on one’s feet, it was very in-depth and we had an extremely well-informed guide who knew every story and drew us into every painting and artwork.
After the long day exploring the Real Alcazar, we totally appreciated a snack break at a small cafe in the gardens, where we sipped cappuccino and enjoyed the company of peacocks, which felt somehow like distinctly royal little beggars!
Book the tour that we enjoyed of the Real Alcazar and Cathedral of Seville here.
Visiting the Cathedral of Seville
The Cathedral of Seville (rear), at night.
The Cathedral of Seville is a one-minute walk from the Alcazar and every bit as impressive. It's the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, and unlike a lot of "world's largest" claims, you genuinely feel it the moment you walk in. The scale is just staggering. Its mix of Gothic, Renaissance, and Moorish architecture is distinctly Sevillian and unlike anything we'd seen elsewhere.
Tickets are €20 online or €21 at the door as of 2026.
Buy online and book your slot in advance. Morning times fill up fast, especially on weekends. The ticket includes the Giralda Tower, which is worth the climb on its own. We did a combined guided tour of the Alcazar and Cathedral together. It was a long day on your feet, but absolutely worth it. If a full tour isn't for you, audio guides are available at the entrance.
Go in with a plan rather than just wandering. The Cathedral is enormous, and it's easy to miss things.
Some highlights worth finding: the Tomb of Christopher Columbus, carried aloft by four royal figures. Whether it's actually his final resting place is still debated, which makes it all the more interesting. Look for the Goya painting Santas Justa y Rufina, depicting Seville's patron saints, and the oval Chapter House with its beautiful domed ceiling and paintings by Seville's own Bartolomé Esteban Murillo. Don't rush past the main chapel altarpiece either. It's gilded wood carved with scenes from the Life of Christ and the Life of the Virgin, made at a time when most people couldn't read. These carvings were how they told the story.
View of Seville from the Cathedral Tower.
The Giralda Tower is one of the architectural emblems of Seville, and the backstory alone makes it worth the climb. The Cathedral was built on the site of a mosque, and when Spanish Christians transformed the 12th-century mosque into a cathedral, they couldn't bring themselves to tear down the minaret. They incorporated it into the design instead, and the Moorish ancestry is still visible today.
The climb itself is unlike any tower we've done. Instead of stairs, the Giralda was built with 35 winding ramps. The reason is brilliant: someone had to climb the tower several times a day for the Call to Prayer, and it was decided that riding a donkey up was easier than walking. At the top, the Christians later installed 24 bells, one for each of Seville's parishes and one for each of the 24 knights who fought alongside Ferdinand in the reconquest. The bells are a sight on their own, and the 360-degree views over Seville are exactly as good as you'd hope.
The tower does get busy. Book your Cathedral tickets for early in the day if you're going independently, and try to get there when it opens.
Book the tour that we enjoyed of the Real Alcazar and Cathedral of Seville here.
Barrio de Santa Cruz
After the Cathedral, wander into the Barrio de Santa Cruz. This is Seville's old Jewish Quarter, a tangle of narrow white-washed lanes, iron-balconied houses, and little plazas that seem designed for getting pleasantly lost in.
It sits right behind the Cathedral and is walkable from both the Alcazar and the Cathedral. There's no admission, no tour required. Just get off the main street and explore.
University & Royal Tobacco Factory of Seville
Students walk through the Seville University campus
While exploring Seville, definitely take a walk through Seville University and take in its stunning architecture. Being New Jerseyans and familiar with the likes of Princeton University campus, we totally appreciate that a stately old academic institution might house architectural marvels, but what makes the University of Seville unique is that it was once the Royal Tobacco factory.
It’s pretty astounding to think the original builders of the Real Fábrica de Tabacos de Sevilla took the time and effort to create such a beautiful home for a factory, but I guess when built by royal decree in the 1700s, that’s what happened. This enormous neoclassical building provided room for more than 10,000 employees, most of which were female. Most famous of the employees was Carmen, known from the opera of the same name by the French composer Georges Bizet.
The tobacco factory complex housed 116 mills for tobacco production and stables for 400 mules that propelled the grinding system. It also contained its own prison, nursery, and courthouse. I guess they took their tobacco seriously!
The factory became part of the University of Seville in 1949. While the inside of the building has been updated to be part of a functioning university, the outside still provides an authentic atmosphere that you can enjoy for free. I imagine it’s an inspiring place to study as well!
The Real Fábrica de Tabacos de Sevilla is located at Calle San Fernando, 4 Seville.
It’s an easy walk from Real Alcazar or via Metro, Tram Puerta de Jerez or Prado de San Sebastián (T1).
Visiting Plaza de España and María Luisa Park, Seville
Plaza de España
The impressive and colorful Plaza de España is the most famous square in Seville. It was designed as part of the Ibero-American exhibition of 1929, which was created with the goal of making symbolic peace with former American colonies. Built in Spanish Renaissance style and with a diameter of 200 meters, it’s a spacious, comfortable, and romantic place to just hang out and enjoy the day.
Plaza de España is located next to Maria Luisa Park, (Parque de Maria Luisa de Sevilla) the most famous park in Seville. Originally the gardens of San Telmo palace, the space was donated to the city of Seville in 1893 and now is a large and verdant public park. We walked through Maria Luisa Park to get to Plaza de España. Even in January, it was lush and green, full of birds and shady spots.
You can’t help but be taken by the charm of the square. It feels uniquely Spanish - colorful, richly textured, lively, and fun. The square underwent a huge renovation in October 2010 and is enjoyed by locals as well as tourists.
The Empty Nest Explorers and Anakin Skywalker and Queen Padmé Amidala at Plaza de España.
The row of stylized government buildings that make up Plaza de España forms a semicircle, flanked by two tall towers. Immediately you’ll notice the 52 benches tiled with brilliant mosaics located at the foot of the building on the Spanish square. These 52 frescoes depict all 52 provinces of Spain and are made up of azulejos, traditional Andalusian tiles. Spanish tourists visiting Seville often pose with their own province.
As we arrived in the late afternoon on a brilliantly sunny midwinter day, the entire scene seemed to glisten, bathed in rich blue and golden tones. A large fountain in the middle of the plaza sparkled and splashed as families strolled, horse carriages clopped along and music played. A prominent canal, accented with charming little bridges, created a picturesque atmosphere. Boats are available for rent for paddling along the canal.
Star Wars fans may recognize the distinct architecture with its many archways as the setting for the fictitious Theed Palace on the planet Naboo, where the romance between Anakin Skywalker and Queen Padmé Amidala blossomed in Attack of the Clones. (Ok, we just might have had a little fun recreating the scene of them walking through the colonnade!)
We also watched a lively flamenco performance on the shaded steps, accompanied by traditional guitar music. This is a regular sight at the Plaza. Flamenco dancing is closely associated with the country as a whole, but its birthplace is Seville, so it's the perfect city to take in a show.
There are public bathrooms available at Plaza de España; they cost €.60 but don’t give change.
Plaza de España is open all day and free to enter. Metro stop - Prado de San Sebastian (line 1)
If flamenco dancing caught your attention, you can check out Flamenco Show Tickets to the Triana Flamenco Theater here.
A flamenco dancer performs at Plaza de España
Setas de Sevilla (Metropol Parasol), ‘The Mushrooms of Seville’
Located in the Plaza de la Encarnación, Metropol Parasol, also known as the 'mushrooms of Seville' ('Las Setas de Sevilla') was opened in 2011 and designed by German architect Jürgen Mayer, who won a competition that was part of revitalizing the square. Mayer’s design integrates the remains of a Roman colony into his structure. Originally, a parking lot was to be built here, but that idea was quickly abandoned when the Roman remains were discovered. It is said to be the largest wooden structure in the world.
The six giant “mushrooms” of Metropol Parasol shade the square, and on top of the structure, there is a special walkway and a terrace (the Mirador de las Setas, or “Mushrooms Viewpoint”) with impressive views of the city from the 29-meter-high vantage point. Inside Metropol Parasol there is an archaeological museum, Antiquarium, located 5 meters below street level that houses the remnants of the Roman colony. There is also a market, and several bars and restaurants. We have a soft spot for aerial vistas so going up top seemed to be the thing to do.
Setas de Sevilla at night
It costs more to go up in the evening (~€15 during the day and ~€18 at sunset/evening). There is an elevator up and a choice between stairs and the elevator down. We didn’t have any trouble with queues in January; we purchased tickets at the door, but it's probably better to book ahead for a summer evening.
The ticket now includes two experiences beyond the views. The first is Feeling Sevilla, a 15-minute multisensory film about the city. They pipe in scents and air movement to match what you see on screen. It sounds gimmicky, but a lot of visitors really love it. It runs every 15 minutes, so you won't wait long. The second is Aurora, an LED light and sound show that only happens after dark.
Your ticket is valid for two visits within 48 hours, and the best way to use it is to go once during the day for the views and again after dark. When you return, you do need to swap your original ticket for a new one at the desk, so factor in a few minutes. The Aurora show is worth the return trip. It is AI-powered and uses real-time data like temperature and crowd size, so it plays out a little differently every night. Both experiences are included in the standard ticket price, which starts at around €16.
It feels a bit touristy, but it is a nice experience and gives you the excuse to mosey into the Plaza de la Encarnación, which is a bustling neighborhood somewhat recently revitalized with some nice restaurants and fun activities in the streets.
To reach Plaza de la Encarnación and Metropol Parasol via Metro, take Line 1 (walk 800 meters from this square to the metro station) or bus line 27 or 32
To book tickets online, visit https://setasdesevilla.com/en/buy-tickets#scrollEntradas
The orange trees of Seville
One of the first things you notice in Seville is the proliferation of orange trees. They line every street, shade every square and add a pop of color and charm everywhere you look. Of course, orange trees are pretty common all over Spain, but in Seville, they are particularly prolific and are almost a local character all on their own.
It was mid-January when we visited and the trees were laden with fruit. It seemed odd to me that no one seemed to be pilfering them - no human or animal seemed much interested. As I can’t keep raspberries for a day in my own garden as the squirrels move right in for the kill the minute they are ripe, this was curious to me.
An orange tree in from of the Seville Cathedral Tower.
But with a bit of research, I learned that the oranges of Seville are so bitter and sour, they are inedible as raw fruit and unsuitable for juice (as opposed to the sweet oranges of Valencia) They are mostly used for perfume, soapmaking, wine, and marmalade. In fact, Seville Orange Marmalade is the most popular brand in England and is the royal jam served at Buckingham Palace. I just love when cultures collide!
The Seville orange’s story is all about cultures colliding - as is much of today’s Spanish culture. The naranja amarga, or bitter orange, was introduced to Europe by Genovese sailors, who brought it over from Asia. Believed to bring happiness and good luck to whoever possessed this fruit, the dynastic Moors who ruled during that period decided to plant the trees all over Spain, with a particularly high concentration in Andalusia. Today, there are over 25,000 bitter orange trees in Seville!
Patio de los Naranjos (Courtyard of Oranges), is part of the Seville Cathedral and dates back to the 1100s. It’s one of the oldest garden spaces in Spain.
From a local, I learned a bit of botany - apparently, you can identify that a citrus fruit is sour when it has a “double leaf” - or winged stalk at the base of the leaf. Lemon trees bear this leaf configuration as well. Now I feel like a citrus fruit expert! Well, perhaps not quite an expert, but this is the stuff I love about traveling: the little particulars you pick up along the way.
The same local also told me that the best time to appreciate the trees is right after the harvest, in early spring of March or April when the orange blossoms are in bloom and the fresh scent permeates the city. But really, any season is a fine time to appreciate these lovely trees, whether they are popping with bright orange fruit, fragrant with blossoms, or just providing much-needed shade for strolling in the summer heat of the sunniest city in Europe.
Where to Stay in Seville
GoToSeville Molviedro Suites
This is where we stayed during a recent trip to Seville and we loved it. Two bedrooms, a nice kitchen, and a bright living room. It’s located just a short walk from the Cathedral and the price was very reasonable.
You can check available dates and rates here.
Soho Boutique Cathedral
If you are looking for more of a hotel-style experience the Soho Boutique Cathedral is a bit more expensive but the location, is just steps from the Cathedral and is fantastic.
You can check available dates and rates here.
Vincci Molviedro
If you are looking to treat yourself, the Vincci Molviedro is a wonderful choice. It’s in a quieter area but a very short walk to everything. Plus a stunning rooftop pool area.
You can check available dates and rates here.
Spain is one of the top countries in the world for food. Here is a link to our post - Foods you must try while visiting Spain
FAQs about visiting Seville:
What is the weather like in Seville?
Seville has a Mediterranean climate, so winters are mild, and summers are genuinely hot. We visited in January, and the weather was lovely, much warmer than Madrid. Temperatures range from around 59°F (15°C) in winter to 95°F (35°C) or higher in summer. The heat in July and August is intense and can make sightseeing uncomfortable.
What currency is used in Seville?
Spain uses the Euro. Cards are accepted almost everywhere, though having a few coins handy for things like public bathrooms is useful.
When is the best time to visit Seville?
Spring (March to May) and fall (September to November) are the sweet spots. The weather is comfortable, and the city is lively without the summer crowds or heat. If you visit in April, you might catch the famous Feria de Abril, Seville's week-long spring festival.
Seville Photo Gallery
This post was researched and written by Debbie O'Boyle of The Empty Nest Explorers.
Debbie is a professional photographer with over 30 years of experience and a former staff member at the Star-Ledger/NJ.com, where she managed the digital photography technical team. She and her husband John, travel extensively and write from firsthand experience at every destination they cover. You can learn more about Debbie and the Empty Nest Explorers here.
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