TOP CHOICES!

Royal Alcázar of Seville

⏰ 9:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m (Summer) 5pm (Winter)
📍Casco Antiguo, 41004 Seville, Spain
💰  € 15.50
Monday: Free at 16:00 + 16:30. Tickets.
📝 Pre-purchase your tickets.
The ticket also includes admission to: Antiquarium, the Triana Ceramics Museum, the Bellver-Casa Fabiola Museum, and other museums managed by (ICAS)
♿ all monuments are wheelchair accessible. There is no separate entrance – staff will provide special assistance.
🎧 It can get really crowded during peak season.
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Originally a fortress in the 10th century, it has functioned consistently for the royal family and government. (When I think spanish royal family i think of that one painting and you know the one!) It was used as the filming location for Game of Thrones and Lawrence of Arabia. It has a cafe, incredible gardens, architecture and is a maze of a place. It’s considered “Mudéjar style”, which blends Islamic, Christian, and Jewish traditions in medieval Spain from the 12th to the 16th centuries. We probably spent around 3 hours here with a break in the cafe for coffee and cake.

Plaza De España

⏰ 8am – 12am
📍Av. Isabel la Católica, 41004
💰 Free
♿ Enter via Plaza América or the Avenida María Luisa gates for smooth, paved, and step-free paths. There are wide, flat, and paved surfaces.
🎧 flamenco dance music, can get very crowded during peak season.
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Built between 1914 and 1928, it’s constructed in a huge semi-wide circle. It’s architecture is considered to be ‘Mixes Renaissance Revival, Baroque Revival, and Moorish Revival (Neo-Mudéjar) architecture. Apart from not being able to find the entrance initially, this plaza will blow you away. From the flamenco dances, the architecture, the boat rides, the people watching – it truly is incredible. There are colorful ceramic tile murals representing the 48 Spanish provinces.

Catedral de Sevilla

⏰ 11 am – 6pm | Sun: 2:30 – 7pm
📝 Last admission to the Cathedral and the Giralda Tower: 5:00 p.m.
📍Av. de la Constitución, s/n, Casco Antiguo
💰 €18.00 | Free Sunday 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m – book online.
📝 No shorts/singlets.
Audioguides available in Spanish, English, French, German, Italian, Chinese and Korean.
♿ The accessible entrance is the Puerta del Principe on the south side, facing the Plaza del Triunfo. Giralda bell tower has 35 ramps but no lift to the top
🎧 overcrowded during peak season.
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In 1401, church leaders decided to build a massive Gothic structure, famously stating, “Let us build a church so beautiful and so grand that those who see it finished will think we are mad.” It is the largest example of a gothic church in the world – showcasing a range of diverse iconography (painting, sculpture, gold and silver work, fabrics, choral books, stained glass windows). In 1899, it became the resting place for Christopher Columbus.

Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo

⏰ 11 am–9 pm | Sun: 10am – 3:30pm | Closed Mon
📍 Calle Américo Vespucio, 2, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
💰€1.80 – €3.00 (cash only)
♿ Museum’s rooms and spaces, are fully accessible. Garden grounds are not fully accessible.
🎧 some exhibitions have sounds, bright lights etc.

Originally the Monastery of La Cartuja, then a ceramic factory, and now a modern art gallery in 1997. A combination of history, architecture & art. I’m not much a fan of modern art, but the exhibitions were curated well, and the gardens were wonderful. There’s not a lot of signage, so a lot of the time we were “did we go this way?” “have we seen this?” (We did; we had.)

Archivo de Indias

⏰ 9:30 am–4:30 pm| Closed Mon | Sun: 10am – 1:30
📍 Pl. del Museo, 9, Casco Antiguo
💰Free
♿ wheelchair access and step-free entry throughout its main visitor areas.
🎧 quiet, not crowded – a space to get out of the plaza for aircon.

An example of Spanish Renaissance architecture, this building is a perfect square! 70 by 70 by 70 by 70. It holds 10 kilometres of historic documents. The marble floor was a later addition, and not many documents are on show. I feel that something like this could and should be a curated museum.

Seville Museum of Fine Arts

⏰ 9am – 3pm | Closed Sunday
📍 Pl. del Museo, 9, Casco Antiguo
💰€1.50
♿ ramp access, elevators, and ground-floor adapted restrooms
🎧 low lighting.
The Palacio building itself is beautiful, and although I’m not really a fan of religious art and the contrast of dark/light used within, I can appreciate that it’s a great collection from the Spanish Golden Age.

Plaza del Cabildo

📍 Pl. del Cabildo, Casco Antiguo, 41001 Sevilla, Spain
A semi-circular colonnade designed in 1967. Occasionally there are local markets here on a Sunday. We found this purely by accident.

Setas de Sevilla

⏰ 9:30 am–11:45 pm
📍 Pl. de la Encarnación, s/n, Casco Antiguo, 41003
💰€16
📝 During peak seasons – buy a ticket in advance.

Also known as the mushroom of Seville, it’s 150 meters long, 70 meters wide, and approximately 26 meters high. There is a traditional market, restaurants and even an archaeological museum on the bottom floor. It offers a panoramic view of the city’s historic centre, but I think the entrance fee is far too high for what it is.

Antiquarium: Archaeological museum

⏰ 10 am–7:30 pm | Sun: 10 am–1:30 pm | Closed Mon
📍 Pl. de la Encarnación, s/n, Casco Antiguo, 41003
💰Free with the Cathedral/Royal Alcazar.

This museum shows preserved Roman ruins from 200BC which was found while trying to dig for a parking lot. It takes no longer than 30 minutes however, I left earlier as the musty smell started to make me feel unwell.

MY RECOMMENDATIONS

🥘 La Malinche Taqueria

⏰ 1pm – 12am
📍 C. José Luis Luque, 8, Casco Antiguo, 41004
🌱 Vego Options.
ONE EURO TACOS!! Limited seating, but my cousin and I got lucky both times when we got a table and didn’t have to wait.

🥘 DODICI | Brunch

⏰ 8am – 3pm
📍 C. Alfonso XII, 36, Casco Antiguo, 41002
🌱 Vego Options.
With English menus, great coffee and incredible food – I came here twice.
2 coffees and a large breakfast was 15 euros.

🥘 Empanadas Malvón

⏰ 10 am–10 pm | Closed Sunday
📍 Pl. del Duque de la Victoria, 8, S1, Casco Antiguo (located bottom floor of El Corte Ingles)
🌱They have a vegan one called ‘Humita’: Sweet corn, onion, red pepper, cheese and vegan béchamel.

🍦 Heladería Engorilao Sevilla Centro

📍 C. Harinas, 34, Casco Antiguo, 41001
The pistachio ice-cream is to die for here. We wanted it again so badly we walked the 15 minutes out of the way from our hotel to find it closed.

🍪 Convento de Santa Inés de Sevilla

⏰ Turnstile schedule Monday to Saturday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM and from 4:00 PM to 6:30 PM) Sundays closed.
📍 C. Doña María Coronel, 5, Casco Antiguo, 41003 Sevilla, Spain

The Sisters of Saint Agnes are known for their great pastry tradition!!
You ask what you would like through the turnstile and then place your money before turning it around. They highlight almond cakes, Santa Clara cakes, Christmas pastries like mantecados, or Easter pastries such as pestiños, and of course the famous Santa Inés buns.z

View their Cookie Menu

🛍️ Mercado Artesania El Postigo

⏰ Showing as temporarily closed.
📍 Lonja de Artesania El Postigo, C. Arfe, s/n, Casco Antiguo, 41001
We found this by chance while walking through Seville and it had such curated artistry + beautiful ceramics.

READ

The Seville Communion by Arturo Pérez-Reverte

When a mysterious message appears on the Pope’s computer, Father Quart is dispatched to Seville to save a crumbling church. Instead, he finds himself navigating church politics, greedy developers, murder suspects, and romantic temptation.

note: i have not read this.

WHERE TO STAY

Hotel America Sevilla

📍 Pl. del Duque de la Victoria, 9, Casco Antiguo, 41002
⏰: Check in: 2pm Check Out: 12pm
📝 – Taxi rank on the corner, Aldi nearby. Great location
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There was a faint smell of smoke in our room at the start but then was fine. The location was fantastic. There’s a taxi rank and Aldi on the corner.

🍽Breakfast	Optional breakfast buffet
🛁Bathrooms	Large. toilet, shower & sink.
🛏Rooms	comfortable beds, fridge, kettle & tv.
🎲Facilities	24hr Reception, Gym, Library, Restaurant
🍺Bar	Restaurant

WHAT I DID

I practised my Spanish Dodici cafe while I waited for my cousin to update me on her ETA. I explored Museo De Bellas Artes De Sevilla, which I called “Jesus gallery” in my diary – apt description. I got some ice-cream, walked around the centre, and checked out the Archivo General De Indias. I had a nap and then G (my cousin) arrived. We decided to walk to CAAC – Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo, which upon reflection, in 35* heat??? maybe (definitely) a silly idea. I called this “modern in a monastery – weird but good” also apt description.

When in Spain, you have to find empanadas, so we got lost in the shopping centre looking for Empanadas Malvón before a walk to the central area to look around. Lunch was 1 euro tacos La Malinche Taqueria. We planned what the next few days were going to look like.

We had breakfast at Cafeteria la panocha and yes the coffee was good but then they gave me a takeaway (hot) coffee in a plastic cup which then i proceeded to spill it on myself ????

The Royal Alcazar was incredible. We had pre-booked tickets where my cousin managed to find cats (always) and then went to the Catedral de Sevilla to flip off the tomb of Christopher Columbus. When in Spain, do as the Spanish do and have a siesta (nap).

Walked to the Antiguo Rincón Del Beso aka Kiss Wall (did not kiss.) Checked out the Plaza De Espana which was a 10/10 experience. We watched some flamenco dancing, took way too many photos and then got some chips and drinks at 29 restaurant while playing cards. We walked back along the river past Palacio de San Telmo and Torre del Oro.

I took G to Dodici cafe because it really is 10/10 for breakfast and if you find a good spot, I think you should go again. We found some flea markets but was a bit overwhelming.

Heading to Convento de Santa Inés de Sevilla for cookies (cookies from nuns, yes please) a man tried to scam us because he ‘helped’ and I was like sir, i can read and speak [basic] Spanish that was on you if you wanted to give us recommendations!! Then he called us ‘bad girls’ so I called him a ‘bad man’!! Unbelievable!

We checked out Plaza del Cabildo, found some beautiful, hand-crafted gifts at El Postigo and got a pistachio & walnut & honey ice-cream. You guessed it, another siesta before heading out to Casa Fabiola and we walked the mushroom aka Setas de Sevilla which for €16 you can find something better, like a rooftop bar and have a nick mock/cocktail. Also, we took the stairs down thinking it would connect to the other floors and it did not – the building is 26 meters high!!! it was a lot of steps!!!!!

The final day for me in Seville was a bit tough and so it felt a lot more bothersome than it probably actually was. We had breakfast at Milk Away Brunch & Breakfast and you had to order on your phone, but there was terrible reception. We checked out the Antiquarium: Archaeological museum but it smelt so heavily of mildew, I had to leave. G went to check out Jesus gallery while I stayed in the hotel and just read before we headed off to the airport.

OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS

• Conjunto Arqueológico de Itálica – Santiponce Italica Ruins & Monastery Are Fantastic
• Our visit to the city of Italica and the Monastery of San Isidoro del Campo – City Guide Séville
• Miraflores Park: Seville’s Secret Oasis – Spanish Sabores
  

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Have you been?
What did you see / eat / do?
Let me know below.
As always, stay cool.
– Sarah.