Planning a trip to Spain and only have one day in Seville?
With a well-planned day, you can visit Seville’s must-see sights, including Plaza de España, the Royal Alcazar, and the Seville Cathedral. Stroll through the very picturesque city center, dine on tapas, see a flamenco show, and even enjoy the view of the city from a rooftop bar.
With its sunny skies, historic charm, long list of amazing tapas restaurants, and lively vibe, Seville just may be one of the highlights on your trip to Spain.
In this guide, we will share what we learned to help you plan the perfect trip to Seville. This one day itinerary includes our favorite experiences in Seville and how to plan your day, so you can have the best experience possible.
We have a lot to cover, so let’s get started.
Overview of Seville
Seville is the largest city in Andalusia and the fourth largest city in Spain. Fortunately for visitors to the city, the majority of Seville’s highlights are located in the city center, making it easy to walk to everything.
This is one of Spain’s most beautiful cities. It’s long, rich history has filled the city with buildings constructed with a blend of Mudejar, Gothic, and Baroque architectural styles. Sunny skies, lush gardens, and a sprinkling of orange trees add to the allure of the city.
Simply strolling through Seville and exploring its side streets is an unforgettable experience, but it’s also well worth it to visit the city’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites (the Royal Alcazar and the Cathedral) and the amazing Plaza de España.
Best Things to Do with One Day in Seville
Below is a list of the top places to visit if you have one day in Seville. You can see a more detailed list in our Seville Bucket List.
- Plaza de España
- The Royal Alcazar of Seville & the Gardens
- The Seville Cathedral
- Historic City Center
- Dine on Tapas
- See a Flamenco Show
- Visit a Rooftop Bar
The Seville Cathedral
One Day in Seville: On a Map
How to Use This Map: Click the tab in the top left hand corner of the map to view the layers (places to go, restaurants, hotels, and the walking route). You can click the check marks to hide or show layers. If you click the icons on the map, you can get more information about each point of interest.
If you click the star next to the title of the map, this map will be added to your Google Maps account. To view it on your phone or computer, open Google Maps, click the menu button, go to “Your Places,” click Maps, and you will see this map on your list.
One Day in Seville Itinerary
Overview of this itinerary:
9:00 am: Plaza de España
10:00 am: Walk to the Royal Alcazar of Seville
10:30 am: Royal Alcazar
12:30 pm: Lunch
2:00 pm: Seville Cathedral
3:30 pm: City Center of Seville
Evening: Dinner & Optional Flamenco Show
9:00 am: Plaza de España
There is no better place to start than at one of Seville’s most beautiful places to visit, Plaza de España.
This also works nicely as a starting point, as it reduces how much walking you will do. Plaza de España sits a bit outside of the city center. Once finished at Plaza de España, you will walk to the city center and spend the remainder of the day here.
Plaza de España is a semicircular complex of buildings that was built for the 1929 Ibero-American Exposition World’s Fair. It’s blend of architectural styles and colorfully tiled benches makes it one of the city’s most iconic sights and it is not to be missed on a visit to Seville.
52 benches line the square, each covered with a colorful mosaic of tiles that depicts a different Spanish province.
On a visit here, you can cross the bridges over the moat (these bridges are very popular photography spots), stroll along the square to see the benches and tilework, and climb the steps to the first level for slightly elevated views over the square. You can also rent rowboats and drift along the moat.
If you have a little free time before heading over to the Royal Alcazar (the next stop on this itinerary), Maria Luisa Park is a very nice place to go for a walk.
How to Get to Plaza de España
Seville has a relatively small, compact city center. Depending on your hotel location and how much walking you are comfortable doing, it is very easy for many people to walk to Plaza de España. However, if you are staying outside of the city center or want to limit your steps, you can take a taxi or ride share app (like Uber or Bolt) or take the metro to Prado de San Sebastián.
10:00 am: Walk to the Royal Alcazar of Seville
From Plaza de España, it takes about 20 minutes to walk the 1.3 km/0.8 miles to the entrance of the Royal Alcazar (Puerta del Leon aka the Lion’s Gate). If you leave Plaza de España at 10:00 am, you have plenty of time to do the walk and get in line.
Since timed entry tickets are needed to enter the Royal Alcazar and the Cathedral, there is little benefit to starting here first thing in the morning. Plus, if you are visiting Seville from late spring to early fall, when the weather is warm (or downright hot) it helps to get that longer walk to and from Plaza de España done early in the day, when temperatures are cooler.
Puerta del Leon, the entrance into the Alcaza (before opening hours)
10:30 am: Royal Alcazar of Seville
To visit the Royal Alcazar, you will need to purchase timed entry tickets in advance. On this itinerary, a 10:30 am entry time is perfect.
To enter the Royal Alcazar, get in line at Puerta del Leon (the Lion’s Gate). There are signs indicating the lines for the various time slots, plus staff to ask if you aren’t sure where to go. Even with the line, with your 10:30 am time slot, you will enter the palace at 10:30 am (in our experience, they ran right on time, even a little bit early).
The Royal Alcazar (aka the Real Alcázar) is one of the oldest royal palaces in use in Europe. The first buildings of this complex date back to the Middle Ages. It was later enlarged, and Mudejar, Gothic, Islamic, and Baroque architectural elements were added to the palace. In 1987, UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site.
On a visit here, you will see the Hall of Ambassadors (its dome ceiling, intricate tilework, and arches make this one of the most awe-inspiring rooms of the palace; it is located inside the Pedro I Palace), Patio de Banderas, and Patio de Doncellas.
Another highlight is the gardens. We loved the view from the long outdoor corridor with views over the gardens.
A visit here lasts anywhere from 45 minutes to two hours, depending on how fast you move and how much of the gardens you choose to explore.
How to Visit the Royal Alcazar
To visit the Royal Alcazar, you will need to purchase a timed entry ticket in advance, best done as soon as you know your dates of travel, so you can get the 10:30 am time slot. Tickets can be purchased on the official website and for a few more euros you can add on a guided tour of the Royal High Room. If tickets are sold out, they can also be purchased on GetYourGuide.
Get hours and pricing on the official website.
12:30 pm: Lunch
There are a lot of great restaurants in Seville, many of them clustered in the city center. Here are a few we recommend (make a reservation in advance if possible…you might get a table if you show up early during the lunch period but it’s a bit risky).
Vuela Tapas & Cocktails. Located on a small, quiet street near the Seville Cathedral, this is one of our favorite tapas restaurants in the city. Everything we tried was delicious and we loved the location…this is a quiet restaurant and a very nice place to take a break from the crowds.
Abaceria del Postigo. This tapas bar is located on the same street as Vuela Tapas. We did not dine here but it came highly recommended to us by a local in Seville before our trip to Spain. It is also conveniently located a short walk from the cathedral and much busier than Vuela Tapas & Cocktails.
SedeMéxico. We had our best meal in Seville here. Dine on haute Mexican cuisine, with different flavors of guacamole, soups, ceviche, tacos, mole, and more. I recommend the Nopal Salad (avocado, cheese, and nopal) and the trio of salbutes. The margaritas are pretty good too, but go easy on these as you still have a lot of sightseeing to do (or save this restaurant for dinner). SedeMéxico is conveniently located near the Royal Palace and Cathedral.
Salbutes at SedeMéxico
2:00 pm: Seville Cathedral
The Seville Cathedral is the largest cathedral in the world. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
This cathedral started off as a mosque, which was completed in 1198. It was later converted into a Christian cathedral and then enlarged to show off Seville’s wealth. The cathedral was completed in the very early 16th century although repairs and additions were added in subsequent centuries.
Within the cathedral are 80 chapels as well as a bronze tomb that contains the remains of Christopher Columbus. For us, one of the highlights was the courtyard, a shady oasis of orange trees and great views of the intricately carved bell tower.
Seville Cathedral
The tomb of Christopher Columbus
La Giralda
One of the best experiences at the Seville Cathedral is walking up the series of ramps to the top of La Giralda, the bell tower. There are approximately 40 ramps which spiral up the inside of the tower.
From the top of La Giralda, you get the highest view over Seville. However, a mesh covering makes photography difficult, even with a smartphone. For the best photos, stop at the windows along the ramps as you walk up and down the tower.
The view from La Giralda
How to Visit the Seville Cathedral
Tickets: Purchase your tickets online in advance from the official website. When you purchase your ticket online, you will select a time slot for entry.
As for ticket types, the cheapest option is an unguided visit €12 (this includes Giralda Tower). An audioguide costs €5. There are also several guided tours, including a guided tour of the rooftops or a guided tour to see the stained-glass windows.
Hours: Hours vary by season but in general, the cathedral is open Monday to Saturday 11 am to 7 pm and Sunday 12:00 pm to 7 pm with reduced hours fall through spring. Get updated hours for your visit here. I have also noticed that in the summer, opening hours are earlier, around 10:35 am.
Dress Code: There are signs stating that shoulders and knees need to be covered but this was not being enforced during our visit.
3:30 pm: Explore the City Center
There are several different ways to spend your afternoon, depending on your interests. You can walk out to the Guadalquivir River to see Torre del Oro, visit one of Seville’s historic palaces, view the city from Setas de Sevilla, or relax and enjoy the view from one of the city’s rooftop bars.
Here are a few things to do this afternoon (pick one or two):
Guadalquivir River & Torre del Oro
From the Cathedral, it is a 10-mintue walk to Torre del Oro. This ancient tower is one of Seville’s iconic sights. For a small fee, you can climb to the top of the tower for a decent view of the city. This experience will take about an hour, so you still have plenty of time in the afternoon to do something else listed in this section.
Torre del Oro
Setas de Sevilla & Palacio de las Dueñas
This requires a little more walking but again, you get to see another iconic Seville sight plus tour a historic home.
Setas de Sevilla, aka the Metropol Parasol, is the largest wooden structure in the world. For a small fee, you can walk on the series of walkways on top of this structure for a unique view of Seville.
Setas de Sevilla
From Setas de Sevilla, it’s just a 4-minute walk to Palacio de las Dueñas.
This palace was constructed in the 15th century, with a blend of Gothic, Moorish, and Renaissance influences. We really enjoyed visiting this palace, even more than the Royal Alcazar, since Palacio de las Dueñas gets far fewer visitors. Visit the official website for hours of operation, ticket prices, and to purchase your tickets in advance.
Palacio de las Dueñas
Explore the City Center & Even a Few Rooftop Bars
If you are done checking off places to visit, this option is for you. Head north from the cathedral and you will be in the main shopping area (in particular, Calle Sierpes and Calle Tetuan). If you go east from the cathedral, back towards the Royal Alcazar, you can explore the maze of narrow streets in the Jewish Quarter.
As it gets later in the day, unwinding with a cocktail, mocktail, or glass of wine at a rooftop bar is also one of our favorite things to do in Seville.
Our favorite is La Terrazza del Hotel Inglaterra, with panoramic views of Seville.
Irish coffees at La Terrazza del Hotel Inglaterra
The Pura Vida at Hotel Los Seises is also very nice. The terrace opens at 4 pm and starting at 7 pm tapas are served. Check hours on the official website.
The view from Pura Vida
Finally, La Terrazza del EME is just a few steps from the Seville Cathedral and you get a great view of La Giralda. The overall setting and drinks aren’t as good as the two already mentioned, but this makes for a great spot to get a drink in the evening and gaze out at the cathedral.
The view from La Terrazza del EME
Take a Food Tour
If you want to sample tapas at more than one restaurant and learn more about Seville’s vibrant flavors, one of the best ways to do it is on food tour.
This tapas crawl is one of the highest rated food tours in Seville.
More options include a Sangria tasting with rooftop views of Seville, a paella cooking experience, and a sherry wine tasting with views of Seville.
Evening: Dinner & Optional Flamenco Show
In the evening, end your visit to Seville with dinner and the option to see a flamenco show. If your trip to Spain includes visits to other cities in Andalusia, such as Córdoba or Granada, you also have the option to see a flamenco show in these cities, so keep that in mind when choosing what to do tonight (we chose to see a flamenco show in Córdoba).
For dinner, you can dine at Vuela Tapas & Cocktails or SedeMéxico, mentioned earlier for lunch.
We also recommend La Brunilda (we had a wonderful lunch here, dining on creative tapas), El Rinconcillo (the oldest tapas restaurant in Seville), and Fatouch (a Lebanese restaurant…the hummus is amazing).
If you would like to watch a flamenco show, this performance at Casa de la Memoria gets very good reviews, as do the live performances at the Flamenco Museum.
Make Your Reservations in Advance
It is best to make your Royal Alcazar and Cathedral ticket reservations far in advance of your trip, to get the ideal time slots. Below are the links to the official websites, plus the links for a few of our favorite restaurants.
Edificio de La Adriática
How to Get Around Seville
Even though Seville is one of the largest cities in Spain, for visitors, the must-see landmarks, museums, and historical buildings are all located in the relatively small, compact city center. This makes it easy to walk to almost everything in Seville.
To connect places that are farther apart, use the metro, use the tram, or use a ride share app like Uber or Bolt. Plaza de España, which is definitely a must-see in Seville, is one of these outliers. It’s about a 20-minute walk from the city center, so for those who don’t want to do that much walking, the metro is a great option.
Best Time to Visit Seville
In the summer, Seville is one of the hottest cities in Europe. Sunshine is abundant, as it is one of the sunniest cities in Europe, and the city gets most of its rainfall in the winter months. Here is a breakdown of what you can expect in Seville:
WINTER: Compared with other cities in Europe, the weather in Seville is relatively mild. The average high temperature is 17°C (62°F) with the average low getting down to 6°C (43°F). Winter is the wettest time to visit Seville.
SPRING: Seville rapidly warms up in the spring. In April, expect high temperatures at about 24°C (75°F) and these climb to 33°C (91°F) by June. As summer approaches, rainfall chances diminish.
SUMMER: In the summer, Seville is HOT! The average daily high is 36°C (97°F) but it isn’t at all uncommon for the high temperature to spike up to 40° to 45°C (104 to 115°F). Rainfall is almost nonexistent.
FALL: Fall brings a return to cooler temperatures but also an increase in rainfall. September is still rather warm (32°C/89°F) but by November, the temperatures are much cooler (20°C/69°F).
FESTIVALS IN SEVILLE: There are two major festivals to be aware of as you plan your trip to Seville. Semana Santa is the holy week before Easter and it is one of the busiest times of the year to visit Seville. The April Fair spans one week, takes place two weeks after Semana Santa, and marks the start of the bullfighting season. If you prefer to visit Seville with lower crowds, avoid these weeks. If you like the idea of experiencing more of Seville’s culture, then these could be very interesting times to plan your trip.
VERDICT: Our visit was in late April (not during a festival week), a gorgeous time to visit Seville. During our three days in Seville, we had sunny skies and very pleasant temperatures, about 24°C/75°F to 26°C/80°F during the day. This is a wonderful time to visit Seville. If you want warm weather, late March into early May and mid-October into November are very nice times to visit Seville, but be aware that you could have a little bit of rain during this time.
Where to Stay in Seville
We stayed at the Radisson Collection Hotel in Magdalena Plaza. It is a 5-star hotel with an outdoor pool and two onsite restaurants (that we never dined in). We picked this hotel because it is located just outside of the city center and located near a parking garage (Tim and I traveled by car through Andalusia). Rooms are modern, spacious, and we had an excellent experience here. It was a long walk to Plaza de España (about a 30-minute walk), so that’s a downside of staying here, but in the evening at the end of this itinerary, you won’t have to walk far to get back to your hotel.
The Radisson Hotel
For mid-range travelers, we recommend Puerta Catedral Suites (check out the view of the Seville Cathedral…it’s amazing!), Joya del Casco Boutique Hotel (great location with rooftop views of Seville), and Casa Alhaja (excellent location plus a pool with rooftop views of Seville).
If you are traveling on a budget, we recommend La Banda Rooftop Hostel and Toc Hostel. Both get fantastic review scores and are located in the city center.
A few more notable properties include Hotel Casa Palacio Don Ramón (a 5-star hotel located inside a historic house), Apartamento Living By Cathedral (a great pick for families who want a central location in Seville), and Torre Homenaje Historical Suites (beautifully decorated rooms located next to the Royal Alcazar and Cathedral).
Tours of Seville
For foodies and those who want to sample tapas at more than one restaurant in Seville, this 3-hour tapas crawl fits perfectly into this one day Seville itinerary.
For those who prefer to visit the Cathedral and Royal Alcazar with an experienced guide, this 2.5 hour tour is perfect and includes your tickets to both locations. This is a similar tour to consider as well.
Take a small group walking tour through the Jewish Quarter or a walking tour of the Santa Cruz district. This walking tour focuses on influential women in Seville’s history and offers a different spin than your typical historical walking tour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you do Seville in a day?
With one day in Seville, visit the Seville Cathedral, enjoy the view from the top of Giralda Tower, tour the amazing Royal Alcazar and gardens, photograph the colorful tiled benches and bridges at Plaza de España, explore Seville’s historic city center, dine in one or two tapas restaurants, and end the day at a flamenco show.
What is Seville famous for?
Seville is famous for the Royal Alcazar and gardens and the Seville Cathedral, both of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Plaza de España is one of Seville’s most popular places to visit and it has been used as a filming location for several well-known movies, including Star Wars Epsiode 2: Attack of Clones and Lawrence of Arabia.
What are the must-see sights in Seville?
The best things to do in Seville include the Royal Alcazar, Plaza de España, the Seville Cathedral, Giralda Tower, and exploring the city center (the Santa Cruz neighborhood and Jewish Quarter). Dining on tapas and seeing a flamenco show are two more essential experiences to have in Seville.
How much time should you spend in Seville?
Ideally, plan on spending at least two days in Seville. This gives you enough time to see its must-see sights, explore its vibrant food scene, and visit a few historic homes, churches, and neighborhoods. However, if you only have one day in Seville, you have just enough time to see the highlights and explore the city center.
If you have any questions about how to spend one day in Seville or how to plan a trip to Seville, Spain, let us know in the comment section below.
More Information for Your Trip to Spain
SEVILLE: Seville Bucket List: 20 Amazing Things to Do in Seville
SEVILLE: Two Days in Seville: Best Itinerary for First Time Visitors
GRANADA: How to Visit Granada, Spain: Things to Do, Where to Eat & Stay
CÓRDOBA: Top 10 Things to Do in Córdoba, Spain
SPAIN & PORTUGAL ITINERARY: 14 Day Southern Spain & Portugal Itinerary: Andalusia & the Algarve
TOLEDO: Best of Toledo: 17 Unique Things to Do in Spain’s Historic Capital
We have TONS more information about Spain in our Spain Travel Guide, including Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, Andalusia, and the Rioja Wine Region.
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