If Spain is on your future travel plans and you haven’t yet decided which cities to see, plan a day in Seville. There are many places to choose from, but this is one destination you can’t miss!
Seville has a mixture of modern and traditional cultures, giving you a truly authentic experience in Spain:
- Colorful Architectures
- Rich in History
- Flamenco Shows
- Outstanding Tapas
Initially, we only planned a few days in Barcelona and a week in Rota to visit friends, but before we headed back home to the states, our friends planned a day for us to meet their family in Seville and take us around the city. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to end our first trip to Spain.
What to See
Plaza de Espana
Spain surely takes your breath away in more ways than one & Plaza de Espana is a “must-see” place to add to your travel plans!
Located inside of Maria Luisa Park, this spectacular plaza displays the entirety of Spain’s country in one location. Surrounding the buildings are beautiful & colorful tiled pavilions dedicated to the 48 provinces of Spain. When we entered, we stood right in the middle of this picturesque square, just mind blown by the perfect blend of architecture, bridges, and towers.
Fun fact: The building is the location in the Star Wars movie series: Episode II- Attack of the Clones (2002)
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Seville Cathedral
One of the highlights during our day in Seville was exploring the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world, Catedral de Sevilla. At a distance, you’re impressed and wowed by how massive it is, and being close-up is merely magnificent!
As we walked closer, our eyes opened wider; jaws dropped in amazement, and *necks are sore ;), from looking up so much. The intricate details & beautiful sculptures just took our breath away.
*Wherever you are in Spain, you will find yourself looking up frequently because of how massive a lot of the buildings are.
How long it will take to get around the cathedral will all vary with everyone’s interests and picture taking, but here’s a floor plan to give you a visual idea of what to expect.
There are two main parts to the cathedral- The cathedral itself and Giralda Bell Tower, and the tickets are inclusive to both along with Patio de Los Naranjos (Orange Tree Courtyard) & the Church of El Salvador.
Tomb of Christopher Columbus
The cathedral is also the resting place of Christopher Columbus. I (LJ) was that “tourist” scrambling here & there snapping pictures without taking anything in until I came across a sign saying “Christopher Columbus’ tomb”. Well, that got my attention, and there we stood seeing history before our very own eyes; Christopher Columbus’ tomb carried by figures representing the kings of the four regions of Spain: Castilla, Leon, Navarra, and Aragon. Now that is a pretty cool experience you don’t want to miss.
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Iglesia del Salvador
After the cathedral, we took a 10-minute walk to this church, & what you see on the inside one wouldn’t expect when you see the simple exterior of the church.
As you walk in, it seems much smaller than the Seville Cathedral, but at the same time, offered a more interment glimpse through history. The feeling was different compared to the cathedral, a brighter peaceful atmosphere. As you’re looking around with gregorian music playing, the energy throughout was powerful.
Tip: Skip the lines and purchase a combined ticket that covers admission to the cathedral and Giraldi Tower.
strolling through the streets of Seville
It’s hard to find a place more elegant to wander and get lost than in the narrow cobblestone streets of Seville. While it may not be as big as Barcelona, this old Jewish quarter, undoubtedly captivates visitors with its character.
These quaint narrow streets invite you to stroll throughout this beautiful city that is so full of life. Wherever you go, there are plenty of coffee shops, tapas bars, boutiques, and restaurants to see during a day in Seville.
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Tapas
If you’re open to trying out new foods on your first visit, you won’t have to do much research on “where to eat” especially a day in Seville, Spain. At first, we pulled up Yelp on our phones to get suggestions only to realize right away that there were restaurants all around us.
With so much walking we did on our visit, we loved having the many options of tapas bars along the way to keep us fueled. Since this was our first time in Spain, tapas was an opportunity for us to be adventurous with food, and we did just that.
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Since we only spent a day in Seville, more than likely, we didn’t cover a few must-see places, so we would love to know what your recommendations are for our future visit. Please leave us a comment below . =)
Dreamy! We’ve only been to Madrid and Valencia, but I’m always drooling over the Andalusia region of Spain!! I’m excited to book a trip there one day. What month did you visit? Was the weather good?
Hi, Jessica! We went in September and the weather was good. I (LJ) got a pretty good tan 😉 We really enjoyed southern Spain and the more chill pace and beaches along the coast. Madrid is one place we didn’t go but is on our list when we plan on visiting our friends again in the future. Do you have Madrid on your website? I will check it out.
Seville is one of the top places that I want to visit. It looks absolutely beautiful! Your pictures make me wish I were there now!!
Seville was such a great treat that our friends planned for us before we left. You will really enjoy it and all the steps you’ll be putting in! 😉
Great pictures! I went to Barcelona recently and fell in love with Spain. I definitely need to go back and visit other cities. Thanks for providing information about Seville. I’ll add this to my trip next time!
Hi, Myrka! Thank you so much! This was our first time in Spain, and Barcelona was our first stop for a few days. We loved it and definitely got plenty of steps in during the 2-3 days we were there.
This is a great overview, thanks! We’re planning a trip to Spain late this summer (fingers crossed we still get to go) and plan to spend a say in Sevilla. These are great options.
Thank you for stopping by, Kirsten! We planned to go back in June for our friend’s wedding, but now we’re all re-adjusting our plans and waiting for the time to travel safely again. We’re excited for you and your family’s future trip to Spain. Stay safe.