Seville Travel Guide: 2-Day Seville Itinerary

In my opinion, Seville is the crown jewel of Andalusia. From the Giralda to the Plaza de España, the city is home to some of the best monuments to see all over Europe.

Seville was the first city break I ever went on in 2018 and my recent trip back to the city confirmed that it is indeed my favourite destination to visit.

So, in this Seville Travel Guide, I’ll be sharing all the information you need to plan your own weekend trip to Seville.

Getting to Seville

There are several direct flights you can take from the UK to Seville Airport (SVQ):

If you’re travelling from outside Europe and can’t take a direct flight, the best option is to fly to Madrid and then take a high-speed train to Seville.

The train from Madrid Puerta de Atocha to Seville Santa Justa takes just over 2 hours 30 minutes.

Getting to the City Centre

From the airport, you can take either a taxi or a bus to the city centre.

Taxis are the easiest and quickest option, usually taking just 20 minutes to reach the centre of Seville.

However, if you’re looking to save some money, you could take the EA bus. This bus makes several stops, including just outside the Torre del Oro which is just a 5-minute walk from the centre of Seville.

If you’re arriving by train at Sevilla Santa Justa, you can take a 10-minute taxi to the city centre.

Where to Stay in Seville

The best place to stay in Seville is the Barrio Santa Cruz.

This neighbourhood is located just a 10-minute walk from the Cathedral and the Alcazar, and just a 15-minute walk from the Plaza de España, meaning that you are within walking distance of all the major attractions in the city.

For my trip last year, I stayed at the Hotel Rey Alfonso X, a fantastic 4-star hotel with a pool and a rooftop bar offering views of the Giralda.

Seville 2-Day Itinerary

This itinerary is based on a Friday to Sunday night trip to Seville.

Day 1

08:30: Breakfast

09:00 – 09:45: Torre del Oro & Guadalquivir River

If you’re staying in the Barrio Santa Cruz, it’s a quick 10-15-minute walk down to the banks of the Guadalquivir River.

The Guadalquivir River runs right through the centre of Seville and played an important part in the discovery of the Americas since it used to be the set off point for ships travelling to the New World.

The highlight of a walk along its Eastern bank is visiting the Torre del Oro (The Golden Tower), a 13th-century military watchtower. Nowadays, the tower is home to a naval museum, but I would not recommend visiting the museum on a short trip to Seville.

Instead, admire the tower from the outside and walk about halfway onto the nearby Puente de San Telmo for the perfect shot of the tower and the river.

09:45 – 10:30: Avenida de la Constitución and Archivo de las Indias

After seeing the Torre del Oro, head gradually back toward the cathedral via the Avenida de la Constitución, the main street through Seville’s old town.

At the far end of the street, next to the Fuente de Hispalis (Hispalis Fountain) is the Hotel Alfonso XIII. This five-star hotel is out of most people’s budget, but it is still worth stopping outside to admire the hotel’s beautiful façade.

As you head back toward the cathedral, you’ll pass by the Archivo de Indias, a building that stores 43,000 colonial documents from the Spanish empire.

On this short trip, you won’t necessarily have time to go inside but, if you do, it is actually free to visit.

The Archivo de Indias is located in the Plaza de Triunfo, one of the most beautiful squares in Seville. From the square, you can see the outer wall of the Royal Alcazar, Seville Cathedral and the Giralda.

The cathedral does not open until 11am, but spend some time beforehand exploring the outside, particularly the Puerta de Príncipe.

11:00 – 12:30: Seville Cathedral and La Giralda

Seville Cathedral is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world and one of the most beautiful buildings in the city. The cathedral was built between 1401 and 1506 and houses the tomb of explorer Christopher Columbus.

Queues often build up to get inside, so I recommend booking your tickets in advance.

The entrance to the Cathedral is in Plaza Virgen de los Reyes, where you’ll also find a separate skip-the-line entrance for pre-booked tickets.

Once inside, highlights of the visit include the Retablo Mayor, the cathedral’s 66-foot-high golden altar, and the tomb of Christopher Columbus.

But by far my favourite part of the visit is heading outside to the Patio de los Naranjos, a beautiful courtyard full of fragrant orange trees offering great views of the Giralda.

Once you’ve explored the Cathedral, it’s time to head up its bell tower, La Giralda.

You might notice that La Giralda’s architecture looks a little different to the rest of the cathedral, and that’s because it was originally built in 1195 as part of the Aljama Mosque.

The climb up La Giralda is unique because, rather than stairs, you reach the top via 35 ramps. The tower was built this way so that horses could also climb to the top!

From the top, you’ll have a fantastic 360-degree view over the whole of Seville.

12:30 – 13:30: Lunch

13:30 – 15:30 Parque María Luisa and the Plaza de España

Spending an afternoon exploring María Luisa Park and the Plaza de España is a must on any trip to Seville. This 34-hectare public park is home to many fountains and buildings left behind from the 1929 Ibero-American Exposition.

You probably won’t have enough time to explore all the areas of the park, so you’ll definitely want to prioritise:

• Plaza de America – a square with a large pond and buildings from the exposition
• Fuente de los Leones – the lion fountain
• Fuente de las Ranas – an ornate tiled fountain with 8 ceramic frogs
• Isla de los Pájaros – a peaceful island with gazebos and bridges around a large pond.

But, the highlight of a visit to Parque María Luisa is the Plaza de España, a stunning square which was built as the Spanish pavilion for the 1929 Ibero-American Exposition.

This is one of my favourite places to spend time in the world. Even when the square is busy, there is still space to wander at a leisurely pace. If you’re interested in the geography of Spain, it’s also interesting to admire the benches along the back of the square, which each represent all the provinces of Spain.

And don’t forget to head to the second floor of the square for a great bird’s eye view.

15:30 – 17:00: Take a Break

17:00 – 18:00: Las Setas/Metropol Parasol

After a day exploring some of the older sights across the city, head to one of Seville’s modern tourist attractions.

Metropol Parasol (nicknamed Las Setas or The Mushrooms) is the largest wooden structure in the world. Its rooftop walking path offers views over the rest of the city. It’s not just the view that makes this place worth visiting: the wooden structure and its walkways are architecturally interesting in their own right.

During my last visit to Seville, I visited Las Setas at sunset which, although it is the busiest time to go, is something I definitely recommend for some of the best views of the city from above.

18:00 – 21:00: Flamenco Show + Dinner

Flamenco is from Andalusia, so seeing a flamenco show is one of the best ways to spend your evening in Seville.

The Triana District, which is just across the river from the city centre, is known for its many bars offering flamenco shows in the evening. However if, like me, you want more of a pre-planned show experience, I recommend booking a show at the Museo del Baile Flamenco, the Flamenco Dancing Museum.

Established by famous flamenco dancer Cristina Hoyos, the museum hosts 3 shows every night at 5pm, 7pm, and 8:45pm.

I recommend booking the 7pm show and getting to the museum at about 6:15pm to explore the museum before the show.

Day 2

08:30: Breakfast

09:30 – 12:30: Alcazar of Seville

The Alcazar of Seville is yet another highlight of any visit to the city.

The Alcazar is the oldest royal palace in Europe that is still in use, dating all the way back to the 900s. The palace was significantly expanded in the 14th century after the Christian reconquest, and much of the architecture that we see today is from this time period.

Like many buildings across Andalusia, many of the Alcazar’s rooms are designed using Mudejar architecture – an architectural style that combines elements of Christian, Islamic and Jewish design.

Game of Thrones fans may also recognise many of the rooms and garden areas of the Alcazar from the series.

Highlights inside the palace include:

• Patio de la Montería: the entranceway to the palace.
• Patio de las Doncellas: a courtyard lined on all four sides by intricate Mudejar archways
• The rooms directly surrounding Patio de las Doncellas

I recommend exploring the palace areas first, when it is quieter, as some of the rooms will get quite crowded later on in the day.

The gardens of the Alcazar are expansive, and they are just as impressive as the palace section. But the clear highlight is the Galería del Grotesco (The Grotesque Gallery), a raised gallery that provides a beautiful bird’s eye view of the gardens.

Other highlights of the gardens include:

• Estanque del Mercurio
• Cenador del León
• Pabellón de Carlos V
• Gruta de las Sultanas
• Jardín Marqués de la Vega Inclán

The Alcazar also has a great café and I enjoyed a lovely lunch of empanadas there on my last visit.

12:30 – 14:00: Explore Barrio Santa Cruz

The Barrio Santa Cruz is Seville’s old Jewish quarter and is a maze of narrow streets lined with cafés and restaurants.

The last stop of this itinerary is also located within the Santa Cruz district but, before heading there, I recommend exploring the neighbourhood and enjoying a coffee at one of the cafés.

During my trip, I found a great route from my hotel in the Barrio Santa Cruz to the Casa de Pilatos, walking past:

• Calle Virgen de la Alegría
• Façade of Monasterio de la Visitación de Maria de Salesas
• Red building at the end of Calle Lirio

14:00 – 15:00 Casa de Pilatos

I visited the Casa de Pilatos for the first time in December, and I can’t believe I missed this hidden gem on my previous trip to Seville.

The Casa de Pilatos was built between the 15th and 16th centuries and is another stunning building filled with Mudejar architecture.

You can choose to visit just the ground floor or pay slightly more to visit both floors. I only visited the ground floor, but it was definitely worth it.

You first enter the Patio Principal, which is lined on all four sides by archways and incredibly intricate Mudejar decorations on the walls. Then, as you explore further, you’ll discover the Jardín Grande, the main garden with several stunning façades to admire.

Other Things to Do in Seville If You Have More Time

• Maestranza Bullring: take a tour to visit the bullfighting museum and walk out onto the sand.
• Plaza Nueva: another lovely central square just a 5-minute walk from the Avenida de la Constitución.
• Triana District: known for its colourful buildings.
• Basilica de la Macarena + City Walls: the remaining section of Seville’s Roman wall.
• Palacio de las Dueñas: a small 16th-century palace.
• 1929 Exposition Pavilions: located in and around María Luisa Park, highlights include the Colombian and Mexican Pavilions.

Day Trips from Seville

If you’re planning to spend longer than 3 nights in Seville, consider taking a day trip to visit some of Andalusia’s other beautiful cities.

Seville Santa Justa Train Station connects the city to many other destinations. These are some of my top day-trip recommendations:

Córdoba

Just a 50-minute train ride away from Seville, Córdoba is my number one day-trip recommendation. Córdoba is most famous for its Mezquita but, while there, it’s also worth visiting the Alcazar, the Roman Bridge, the Puerta de Almódovar and some of the city’s famous patios.

Cádiz

This coastal city is just a 90-minute train ride from Seville and offers sandy beaches and stunning architecture. While there, don’t miss the cathedral, Genovés park and the city’s two castles.

Jérez de la Frontera

Jérez is a lesser-known Andalusian city, but it has long been on my list to visit thanks to its beautiful cathedral. Plus, it would make a great half-day trip from Seville as it is just a 1-hour train ride away.

Getting Around Seville

Seville is a walkable city, so you won’t need to use much transport while you are there.

However, if you are heading slightly out of the centre, the best way to do this is to take a taxi. There are many taxi ranks throughout the city centre, and taxis are fairly cheap.

Should You Visit Seville?

YES!

As I said at the start of this post, Seville is the best city I have ever visited in Europe.

Seville Cathedral (and La Giralda), the Alcazar, and the Plaza de España are all top-tier tourist attractions and to find all of these in just one city is amazing.

The only thing I would say is that it is worth avoiding Seville in the summer. Temperatures can reach an insane 50°C and it is often dangerous to be out on the street in the middle of the day.

The best time to visit is February to April or October and November.

That’s it for today’s post.

If you have any questions about visiting Seville, leave them in the comments section below and I will get back to you.

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Thanks for reading, and see you next time!