This guide will cover the best 10 things to do in the southern Spanish city of Seville. We took a 4 day trip the city which was the perfect amount of time to explore Seville.
The city is the capital of Spains southern Andalusian region and is famous for being the birth place of flamenco, its stunning architecture, and its oranges!
The city is also one of Europes warmest cities and becomes extremely hot during the summer months, visiting in July and August is probably unwise. The best months to visits are March to June, then September to October. We visited in June and although hot, it was bearable. The narrow streets and many tapas bars with air conditioning made it easy to escape if it did get too hot.
Seville is easy to get to with Seville International Airport just on the outskirts and from their a short taxi drive or a bus ride will take you to your accommodation. The city is quite a small with only about 700,000 residents and its small size makes it perfect to explore on foot.
These following list is full of all what we did during our time in Seville and would highly recommend to try as many as you can! We stayed in the Centro area of the city which is a great base from where to explore the city.
Seville Quick Tips
- Tinto de Verano (Wine and lemonade): if you want a refreshing and very cheap alcoholic drink this local custom is it!
- Sunglasses and suncream: We’re not at the beach but you’ll still need them!
- Learn some basic phrases: its always nice to learn your basic please (por favor) and thank you’s (gracias) when visiting another country.
- Walk everywhere: the city is a small one with many gems, just wander and get lost
- Start early: even in the early summer months it can get really hot in the middle of the day so start early to avoid the peak temperatures
- Cathedral clothing: dress respectfully in the cathedral covering your shoulders.
11 Best Things To Do In Seville
Boat Tour
Seville can get really hot, and theres no better way to escape the heat than a relaxing boat tour on the stretch of water running through the city called the Canal De Alfonso XIII. The waterway is very calm as its not actually a river as many people think, its more of a canal because its blocked off on one end.
We booked a 60 minute tour through Navega en Sevilla and with a cold drink included, comfy seats, and a roof for shade the boat tour was a interesting and relaxing break to see Seville from a different angle.
The tour guide will tell you about the history of the canal, how it was built to prevent flooding, and explain the interesting features of the city along your journey. You will see the worlds smallest cathedral on one of the bridges that only two people can go in at once.
You will also be told about the cities historic buildings including the cities golden tower (Torrre Del Oro) that was built in the 12 century and had a massive chain connected to it running across the river to prevent enemy ships entering.
Your captain and guide will also point out the smaller features and their significance in the history of Seville that may be missed if you were just walking by them.
The Tapas
The Tapas is absolutely everywhere in Seville and probably top of all foodies lists when thinking of things to do in Seville. We took a quick look on Google Maps for Tapas restaurants around our accommodation and the map was covered with them. Within a 5 minute walk we had about 20 options to choose from.
The Tapas is great in Seville – fast service, delicious food, and reasonably priced (unlike London). In the Centro area of the city there are a few places we tried that we would highly recommend:
- Bar Alfalfa is a tiny tapas bar with real traditional feel. Meats hanging off the wall and dusty wine bottles covering the walls. You may have to wait to be seated as its very popular.
- Situated right near the main cathedral Ovejas Negras Tapas bar is a more modern take on tapas and absolutely delicious, would recommend the beef cheek and the potato croquettes.
- Donaire House Bar is a slightly more basic tapas bar but the Oxtail and the cheese with berries are absolutely delicious, i’d go back to Seville just to eat these again!
Cathedral of Sevilla
The buildings are not that high in Seville, as you will see from the viewpoint of Setas de Sevilla. However, there are two exceptions to this. One is a large modern skyscraper based on the outskirts of the city that is nicknamed the ‘lipstick’ by locals, and really is quite ugly. The second is the glorious Cathederal that sits right in the middle of the city.
Entrance to the cathedral is reasonably priced and upon entering you will really start to see the vastness of the interior. The towering decorated roofs and stain glass windows are gorgeous and all the crypts around the side of the building offer a glimpse into history.
Climbing up the connected Giralda Tower is a long journey but well worth it for some good views and to say you have done it. The tower is not stepped and is a series of ramps on the way up to the top. There are some rest stops on the way if you need it!
The Coffee Scene
Seville has a growing coffee scene with lots cool cafes to visit to get your coffee and caffeine fix. Plasér is a unique experience where you order through one hole in the wall and get your coffee through the other hole in the wall. Its fun and edgy but also the coffee is good!
Some other great place to visit for coffee:
- Virgen Coffee – no seating but perfect to grab a coffee for exploring. Right next to Setas de Sevilla.
- Delatribu – Situated just east of the cathedral providing speciality coffee in a rustic setting.
- El Viajero Sedentario – More seating than the other two and plenty of books to choose to read with the great coffee.
Setas de Sevilla
Setas De Sevilla is ones of Seville’s most famous landmarks and offers panoramic views across the city. Its modern and flowing structure is made mostly out of wood and is steep contrast to the old historical buildings around it.
Once you take your lift up to the start of the viewpoint you have instant panoramic views of the city. Follow the winding path that takes you around the structure and you’ll have many vantage points to look all over the city. Each vantage point has a helpful image showing you what buildings are in your view and a little bit of information about them.
Most of Sevilles buildings really don’t go above 5 or 6 stories and Setas de Sevilla provides you the perfect vantage point to see over these in all directions.
Explore The Streets
Sevilles narrow and non uniform streets make it the perfect city to get lost in and explore. The narrow streets provide shade which help protect from the heat. Even when it was 36 Celcius the temperature was surprisingly more manageable than I thought it would be.
Each street is unique and will have something different for you to see. Take your time and look all around. Many streets have courtyards visible through gates that are really beautiful. Many are covered in plants and have water features that people clearly put a lot of time and effort into.
Walk Around At Night
The city of Seville takes on a completely different look and feel during the night. Walking around at night exploring is one of the best things to do in Seville. In the centre of the city all the landmarks are lit up beautifully providing dramatic backdrops.
At night time the city is full with people eating an drinking outdoors, musicians in the squares, and people catching up in the park while the temperatures are cooler which provides a really nice buzz to the area.
Plaza de España
Plaza de España is a public square where locals and tourists alike come to relax and socialise in the cooler evening hours. The plaza is located in the Maria Luisa Park which is huge and is worth a visit on its own. You should explore the murals that cover the exterior walls of the plaza walls and then walk in the plaza and explore the upper levels.
On the staircases leading to the upper levels there are often musicians that you can sit down and listen to in the ornate surroundings.
Drink With The Locals
Seville has fantastic bars ranging from the very basic with plastic stools and a tv for football, to small cosy local bars, all the way through to fancy bars serving select wines.
The local go-to drinks include Tinto de Verano made of wine and lemonade which is very refreshing in the Andalusian heat, and cheap! Cruzcampo is the local beer which is very light and also very refreshing in the local heat.
While we were in the city the 2026 world cup was on and there were plenty of small sports bars to watch the matches with the local Spanish crowd interested in all the games, not just the ones with Spain in.
Eat Michelin style
Seville was my first experience of a Michelin Star Restaurant. Seville has two of them and we visited Abantal for the 12 course menu. I was always worried that I wouldn’t be full after forking out a lot of money for a Michelin Experience. However, I was very full at the end and the food was out of this world.
The 12 course meal was €125 and the courses varied from prawns, tuna, eggs, veal and then the deserts to finish off. For a special treat during your time in Seville I would highly recommend it.
Churros anytime of the day
I didn’t know until visiting Seville, but Churros originate from Spain and Portugal. That meant going to one of the Churro bars in Seville was indulging in the local culture and not just a random tourist thing to do, great success!
Bar El Comercio is the most traditional one of these bars and is in the centre of the city. Its a great place to go for the churros and the chocolate sauce that you dip them in. The Bar is also well known for its coffee and orange juice made from the local oranges. The staff are extremely friendly and you will probably visit more than once during your time in Seville at breakfast, luch, or dinner.
Seville FAQ’s
No seville does not have a beach. The city is landlocked and is very much a city break. The nearest beach is about 1.5 hours drive away.
I would say 4 nights is a perfect amount of time to spend in Seville. This gives you time to see one big attraction a day, indulge in the local food, and wander around for a day.
Seville international Airport is just on the outskirts of the city and has flights from all major European destinations.
There is no train from Seville airport to the city. Your two options are either the airport express bus to the city or a taxi. I’d recommend a taxi as it will take you direct to your accommodation saving you carrying all your luggage in the heat.
