If you’re heading to Seville soon – well, I kind of hope you’re not. It’s HOT. But, I had the pleasure to go in late April, back when the temperature was a lovely 23°C degrees.
Being the second stop on my trip to Europe, I opted to stay 4 nights to get my bearings and get over any remaining jetlag. This allowed a lot of sightseeing, as well as many aimless wanders that supported my “chill in Seville” travel aspirations. Here are a few recommendations of where to visit, eat, and wander.
Royal Alcázar of Seville
Heeding the advice of a few friends, I booked the Royal Alcázar well before my trip. It’s pretty locked down to timed entrances, so plan ahead. Despite the snaking line-up when I arrived, I found that the operation runs like a Swiss train once your entry time approaches, don’t be put off.
Once inside, the Royal Alcázar was absolutely gorgeous, with a welcoming courtyard from which you can get your bearings, and peruse the map, before beginning your tour. The architecture and styles show the evolution of the peoples and cultures that crafted the city, ranging from Mudéjar style to Gothic and Renaissance elements. Today, it remains one of the official residences of the Spanish royal family, although I didn’t pay extra to go up to that particular section.
But, for me, the grounds themselves were the main attraction. I loved wandering through the gorgeous, manicured gardens that were filled with bird song (and the occasional, jarring peacock screech from its perch atop the stone wall). Beautiful roses and flowers are strewn en masse beside the garden path, as you wander past peaceful fountains and trickling waterways that cascade down steps into calm pools. On my stroll, I watched a woman from Rome painting the peaceful scene, and I felt confident it would sell in the thousands for its calibre.
Underneath the main building, I recognized the picturesque Baths of Doña María de Padilla as a filming location from Warrior Nun. Warm light gently caresses the arches of the chamber, which reflect in the pool below, creating a captivating circular visual. I’m sure it provides much needed cool sanctuary in the hot summer months.
Seville Cathedral
Before arriving, I hadn’t realized that Seville Cathedral is the largest Gothic church in the world. Upon hearing that, I thought I’d best check it out, but tickets were allegedly sold out. HOWEVER, a quick Google search led me to a hack that worked out wonderfully. You simply go to the little, original church (Iglesia Colegial del Divino Salvador) nearby where you can get a ticket both for that church and the Cathedral. There was no line, and I had a ticket for 1 hour later. I almost felt badly for the droves of people waiting to get tickets outside the cathedral itself, which seemed to go back a 2+ hour wait.
When I arrived at the cathedral, it was around 4-5pm, so the early evening light was flooding beautifully through the stained glass. I walked up the top of the Giralda, which has a gentle incline instead of stairs to take you up the 34 floors (apparently so some more poor donkey could carry some religious figure up in olden times). I personally didn’t think it was worth the time and effort to go up, as the viewpoint at the top gives major “chicken coop” vibes with all the “don’t jump!” fencing, and the view is quite obstructed.
The cathedral itself had a variety of interesting rooms and spaces, with The Chapter House being my favourite for its oval design. Christopher Columbus’ remains are also in an elevated tiny tomb in the cathedral (I guess so no one can spit on his grave?) should that float your boat (pun inteded). It definitely had a fair bit more going on than your average church, which I guess I should have expected for something the size of two soccer fields. And, upon exiting, you are treated to a nice view gazing upwards from the Courtyard of the Orange Trees, which I found to be one of my favourite views.
Royal Tobacco Factory, Plaza de España, and Maria Luisa Park
All of these three sights are in the same vicinity, and I found them to make for a nice walking route. I have to admit, I barely spent any time in the University of Seville, which was formerly the Royal Tobacco Factory, and spent more of my time trying to find a bathroom since I knew a university would surely have one (to twelve). But, I saw many people taking in the displays of how tobacco was brought here from “the Americas” and manufactured, leading to the economic prosperity of the region. I mainly checked out the main courtyard.
Then, on to the Plaza de España, whose sprawling courtyard space boasts a canal waterway, beautifully tiled alcoves for every province in Spain, and a surprisingly large number of lazy tourists getting towed some 200 feet by horse-drawn carriage. I mainly recognized it from a scene in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones; it was definitely serving Coruscant. My favourite view was taken from a balcony up a flight of stairs, where you can enjoy the sweeping view away in some solitude.
Finally, I checked out the gorgeous Maria Luisa Park, which was filled with bird song, fountains, and flowers. Compared to the hustle and bustle of Plaza de España, the gardens were quiet and restorative, and made for a perfect chill wander under vines and treed canopies.
Mercado de Triana
I opted to stay outside the crush of the city and alongside the river bank in Triana. For my first visit into the city, I walked along the path beside the Guadalquivir River and stumbled upon the Mercado de Triana. Even at 11am, it was teeming with paella and pinxtos-eating people, and I quickly decided to make myself one of them. Limited seating meant making new friends at a table, which was a nice social experience after a string of solo dining experiences. Definitely a lively experience, if you can handle being in a line for a few minutes to make your order.
The Bullring & Torre del Oro
I figured visiting a bullfighting ring was a bit of a “when in Spain” experience, since I’d never stepped foot in one. However, in hindsight it wasn’t particularly interesting without an actual event going on. There was a small museum, which showed some history of the place, but it was a bit “meh.” You do get a free souvenir though – all the clay on the bottom of your shoe from the bullring! You could have followed me all around the city for 2 hours afterwards, with all the clay I traipsed around on my shoes.
Right outside the ring is also the Torre del Oro (Gold Tower), which makes for a nice picture beside the river.
Setas de Sevilla
I’m sure the large shade of the wooden “mushrooms” of Seville provides much needed shade in the height of summer. For my visit, they made a nice place to eat a gelato I got at a nearby store. More an interesting structure to observe, but nothing particularly “wow”-ing about them – at least during the day. I’m told you can walk on the top for some sum of money, but, I opted for a gelato instead.
Macarena & Alameda de Hércules
On my final day, I took the bus to the Northern part of town to see the Arco de la Macarena and the last remaining piece of the wall that used to surround Seville, before wandering down to the Alameda de Hércules. But, the main sight that stole my heart was a small dog in the front courtyard of a house who was itching for pets. I’d put this last on your list – it’s more a place to go if you run out of things to do.
Overall, Seville provided a beautiful first stop on my trip to Spain. The people were incredibly friendly, the vibes were chill, and it was a lovely place to walk around and soak in the setting. A wonderful welcome to España!
