Seville it is a magnificent city that lends itself perfectly to a weekend or at least three days of leisure and relaxation, based on cultural visits by day and entertainment in the evening, seasoned with excellent typical food and washed down with local spirits. An explosive mix of vitality not to be missed!
So here's a 3 days itinerary in Seville, to explore all the tourist areas of the city and also some hidden gems.
First day: Seville historic center and Cathedral
As soon as you disembark atSan Pablo airport, the first thing to do is to head to the city to start the holiday right away.
Three days in Seville go by quickly and there are so many things to do and see, so without wasting time, after leaving your luggage at the hotel, you should head towards the center.
The first thing to see in Seville is the splendid Barrio de Santa Cruz, the historic district of the city: a maze of cobbled streets overlooked by the typical Andalusian houses, low and white, with a central patio that acts as a garden.
The Andalusian patio
The patio is a typical North African architectural element, imported to Andalusia during the period of Moorish domination. It's a courtyard square, often embellished with a fountain, a swimming pool or some plants, which take light from above. A typical feature is that all the rooms overlook the patio, which thus becomes the central element of the house.
Wandering aimlessly around the Santa Cruz district you will have the opportunity to take countless photos of enchanted corners, gardens, splendid churches and squares with lush flower beds. Here it is ideal to stop for a lunch, or for one beer in the middle of the day, to relax and get distracted from all thoughts.
The barrio de Santa Cruz borders the rest of the historic center of Seville, whose beating heart is the splendid Cathedral square. Built on an ancient mosque, this huge Gothic church is among the largest in the world, and is certainly worth a thorough visit. Do not miss the Courtyard of the Orange trees, that is the orange courtyard, once an integral part of the old mosque and today one of the most beautiful views of the city.
It deserves a separate mention Giralda, that is the bell tower of the Cathedral. At the time of Moorish rule it was the minaret of the old mosque, and when it was built in 1156 it was the tallest building in the world. Today, of course, it has been converted, and is one of the symbols of the city. From the top you can admire a truly unique view of the city, it is really worth the climb.
We now leave classical Seville to relax a little along the shopping streets: from the Cathedral the Avenue of the Costitucion, which along the city hall overlooking Plaza Nueva becomes Tetuan Street, which together with the neighbor Sierpes Street is the shopping street of the city. Wandering from one shop to another, one remembers being in Europe, leaving the dreamy atmospheres and returning to the present.
This area is very suitable for dinner, there are numerous restaurants, typical bars and tapas bars serving local cuisine, the ideal way to end the first of three days in Seville.
Second day: El Arenal neighborhood and Parque de Maria Luisa
Today the first thing to do is to explore the area of Seville that runs along the river Guadalquivir. Here there are in fact two of the most interesting monuments of the city, among other things not far from each other. I'm there tower of Gold and Maestranza Bullring.
La tower of Gold is a 36 meter high dodecagonal military tower, built by the Moors to control access to Seville via the river. Inside is the Naval Museum of Seville, where instruments and documents testifying the Spanish power during the years of the Great Discoveries are exhibited. Among other things, the fundamental role that the Guadalquivir river played in the prosperity of the Sevillian economy is amply documented.
La Maestranza Bullring it is the oldest bullring in Spain. It has a total capacity of 12.000 spectators, and during the Feria de Abril it ignites with fights to the death between bulls and matadors. It dates back to 1760, and was renovated in the early 900s.
Today inside it houses the Bullfighting Museum, which showcases memorabilia, documents and posters of the most controversial Spanish art in the world. The visit to the museum also includes a short tour inside the arena: it will be possible to admire it up close in all its elegance, and imagine the stands full of cheering crowds.
It is time for lunch: there is nothing better than returning to the center to taste some of the most popular Andalusian tapas: from gazpacho, a sort of cold soup made with tomatoes and peppers, up to oxtail, a bull's tail stew, Andalusian cuisine is a triumph of strong flavors and tastes: it is worth trying them all, given the negligible costs of a tapas round!
In the afternoon, the best thing to do is to rest in the magnificent Maria Luisa Park, the green lung of the city. Located a stone's throw from the center and easily reachable on foot, it dates back to the end of the 800th century, but its history is closely linked to the Ibero-American exhibition which was held in Seville in 1929: in fact, to celebrate this important event, edge of the park the imposing was built Plaza of Spain, which immediately became one of the symbolic places of Seville. The semi-circular square is truly immense and is bordered by a small canal where tourists can rent rowboats and circumnavigate it.
The buildings that overlook the square now house some museums, but one of the most interesting attractions are the mosaics and tiles found on the walls, each representing a province of Spain. It is not uncommon to find visitors from other parts of the country to stop at “their” tile and take souvenir photos.
In the evening, after a good dinner in one of the historic bars of the Barrio de Santa Cruz, it will be possible to live an evening like the locals by attending one flamenco show, the typical Andalusian dance that has become an icon of Spain in the world.
- flamenco shows in Seville they are among the most beautiful and evocative in the world: some, the most touristic ones, are held outdoors, while others take place in much more reserved circles and clubs, for which it is necessary to pay an entrance ticket.
Third day: Alcazar and Isla de la Cartuja
After a good restful sleep, it's time to hit the road again for the last of the gods three days in Seville, certainly to review the most important monuments, but also to round off the visit of the city with a tour of theAlcazar, a splendid royal palace originally built by the Moors during their domination.
It is a monumental complex that consists of buildings built in different historical periods and a beautiful garden. The Alcazar, together with the Cathedral, the Giralda and the Archive of the Indies, is part of the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
THEArchive of the Indies it is the last of the unmissable monuments and places of interest in Seville: it is also located in the center, and it is a museum that contains many documents dating back to the period of the Great Discoveries, when Spain was the absolute ruler of the route to the Americas. There are maps, original documents and letters dating back to 1400-1500.
With some time available, or to replace some of these monuments, you can opt for a few hours of leisure and relaxation at one of the Arab baths of the city, or head towards theCartuja Island, where the playground is located Magic Island, inspired by the 16th century: ideal for entertaining children between museums, before returning to the airport to resume the flight home.
Guided tours in Seville
Don't want to do the itinerary by yourself? Discover Seville and its monuments with an official guide.
Where to stay in Seville?
We have dedicated an entire article on recommended accommodation in the different neighborhoods of Seville, visit the section Where to sleep in Seville
