What to do in Seville: 10 tips for backpackers from a Spanish woman.

If you’re thinking of visiting Spain but don’t know which city to start your trip in, Seville is an excellent choice! And why? Seville is a typical Spanish city with an explosion of flamenco music, wonderful food, beautiful monuments and above all, it is cheaper than bigger cities like Madrid or Barcelona. Every corner of this city is very photogenic and it is always full of people on the streets strolling or enjoying one of the many outdoor terraces. The people in this southern region are very lively and welcoming, and it’s easy to get carried away by this vibrant energy and have a few beers and coffees (and then a good siesta!). The food here is serious business, you sit down to eat with the locals and an hour turns into two, or three! And what’s more, the weather here is always sunny! In summer it can easily reach 40 degrees… and in winter, well, you can’t call it cold either. The sun usually shines and it’s not unusual to be wearing just a T-shirt in the middle of winter!

But without further ado, here are some tips on what to do if you want to visit this beautiful city.

1- The Alcazar Royal Palace in Seville

This palace has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and it’s not hard to see why: it’s one of the most important monumental complexes in the world, with palaces, gardens and fortresses from different civilisations and cultures that have passed through the city and left their mark. Visiting this place is like travelling back in time and learning more about the history of Seville: In the architecture, you can recognise the influence of the Arabs who ruled the south of Spain, in contrast to the influences and buildings of the Christian kings. Admission costs 11.50 euros and is worth every cent.

PS: The palace has been the setting for several film and series productions, most recently for the Game of Thrones series, in which the kingdom of Dorne is depicted! A little surprise for fans of the series.

2- Seville Cathedral and the Giralda Tower

Cathedral and Giralda Tower: a must-see. 📷@edison_alcaide

If you could only choose one cathedral in the world, Seville’s would be an excellent choice! This place, which used to be a mosque and is now simply the largest Gothic church in the world, features a magnificent contrast between Arabic and Christian styles in its structure. At the end of the 12th century, when Seville was colonised by the Arabs, the mosque was built together with the tower, which is now called the Giralda and is still completely intact today. After the conquest of Seville by the Christians, the mosque was converted into the city’s church and cathedral in 1248. Together with the Alcazar Palace, it has been declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco. The architecture is magnificent, as you would expect from all these mixtures and historical legacies. And the view from the Giralda Tower is unmissable. Admission costs around 9 euros.

3- Plaza España

We could relax and do yoga in Plaza España, but you’re not joining us 😀 📷@edison_alcaide

It’s impossible to come to Seville and not visit this marvellous square. Famous as one of the most beautiful squares in Spain, it was built in 1929 as the main building for the Ibero-American Exposition, with the difficult task of creating a space that faithfully represented Spain. And he succeeded: In each majestic corner, there are benches decorated with tiles representing a Spanish province, showing ceramic artwork from that place and its customs, as well as its location on a map, 48 provinces in total.
And the best thing about it? The visit is free, as the square is completely open to the public, so a visit to this place is practically obligatory. The architecture is so beautiful that the view is incredible from every angle!
PS: If you’re a Star Wars fan (like me), you’ll recognise the square as it was one of the main locations on the planet Naboo (no wonder it’s one of the most beautiful planets in the series).

4- María Luisa Park

Sunbathing in María Luisa Park with the Museum of Popular Art and Customs in the background 📷@edison_alcaide

This is simply the most important park in Seville! Opened in 1914, it used to be the private garden of a palace and is now open to the public every year. It’s worth taking a stroll through the park’s gardens, admiring its beauty and enjoying a coffee on the terraces. The park is right next to Plaza España, so you can easily visit both places together. It’s my favourite place in Seville to relax and take a walk after a siesta. There are also two museums in the park: the Archaeological Museum and the Museum of Popular Art and Customs of Seville. Both museums are worth a visit if you want to delve deeper into the history of the city and Andalusia in general (the southern region to which Seville belongs), and admission costs just 1.50 euros per museum.

5- Triana Market and CasaLa Theatre

The entire Triana neighbourhood is worth a visit, but this market stands out in particular: it is the perfect place to soak up the energy of the neighbourhood and the city, watch the locals buying vegetables, meat and fish and do some shopping yourself – why not? Since 2009, you can also visit the archaeological remains of San Jorge Castle from the time of the Spanish Inquisition, which is located inside the market and is open to the public. And as if all that wasn’t enough, there is also a small theatre, the CasaLa Teatro, where flamenco performances take place every day! With only 28 seats, it is probably the smallest theatre in the world, which makes it even more special. You can see the programme and buy tickets on the website https://casalateatro.com/

6- Santa Cruz neighbourhood

A walk through the Santa Cruz neighbourhood 📷@edison_alcaide

The Santa Cruz neighbourhood is one of the oldest parts of the city and still retains much of its medieval style. Many consider it to be one of the most beautiful neighbourhoods in Spain. Here you will find many of the city’s sights, including the cathedral and the Alcazar palace. However, all the fun of this neighbourhood is strolling through the small streets and admiring the houses and squares full of orange trees that are very characteristic of this region of Spain.

7- San Bartolomé neighbourhood

This is another old neighbourhood of the city, but much less touristy than Santa Cruz! There are many wonderful alleyways here too, especially Calle Verde, which is very charming with its natural plant cover falling from the walls. As you stroll along this street, you will come across one of the oldest houses in Seville: the Palacio de los Padilla, which is well worth a look. You can also visit the church of Santa María La Blanca, the neighbourhood’s most famous church, which dates back to 1391. And this neighbourhood is just a few minutes’ walk from Seville Cathedral! I recommend a visit at lunchtime, as there are many good restaurants in this neighbourhood, such as Peko Peko Tapas (Peruvian and Spanish fusion cuisine) or La Taraceina, which serves tapas and paella.

8- Las Setas building

Exploration of Las Setas 📷@edison_alcaide

This building stands out for its striking and unique architecture, somewhat reminiscent of a large mushroom (hence the name Las Setas in Spanish). It was built to enhance a rather neglected area of Seville and has now become a centre of attraction for many people and even a meeting point for Sevillians. You can climb up to the viewpoint and enjoy a beautiful view of the city, and there is also an archaeological museum on the ground floor. Even if you only have a short time, this place is worth a visit. Admission to the viewpoint costs just 3 euros, so how can you resist?

9- Tapas and delicious food

As I mentioned earlier, the food in Seville (and southern Spain in general) is outstanding. Here you can find the best potato tortillas, fried croquetas, fried green peppers, top quality salmorejos and gazpachos, very fresh fish and seafood due to its proximity to the sea, the famous jamón (a type of smoked Spanish ham) and stews such as potage (chickpeas, chicken and vegetables) or lentejas (made with lentils and vegetables). The local (and very popular throughout southern Spain) beer is CruzCampo, which is always served ice cold. Breakfast is a big event here and many people go out to enjoy their coffee and toast (molletes or pan de campo) with butter, olive oil, tomatoes, jamón etc. in almost every bar, restaurant or café.
A great place to explore the local cuisine is the Uno de Delicias restaurant on the Paseo de las Delicias, which offers refined tapas. You should definitely order the potato tortilla here!
The small and charming Bar Triana on Calle Castilla is also a nice surprise. It’s the perfect place to order a beer and try two hundred thousand different tapas.

La Cantina in Calle Feria Market is the perfect place if you’d rather eat fish, seafood and shellfish at very reasonable prices.

These are just a few recommendations from a city that has no shortage of good restaurants!

10 – Torre del Oro

This tower, which stands directly on the River Gualdaquivir, is worth a visit for its history alone. It first served as a lookout point to prevent possible attacks from the river, then as a prison and is now a small naval museum. It is one of the most recognisable monuments in the city, along with the beautiful views you get from here (and the riverside walk!), and that is the reason why this place has been included in this list!

11 – Impressive hostels!

La Banda Rooftop Hostel

Seville is a city with no shortage of hostels for all tastes and backpackers!

La Banda RooftopHostel, as the name suggests, is characterised by its wonderful rooftop terrace, from where you have an incredible view of the city and the cathedral. It’s a hostel full of art, music, parties and good humour!

The Oasis Backpacker’s Palace is a little quieter but still sociable and offers a swimming pool and free city tours!

And then there’s Toc Hostel, which is a little more sophisticated and modern, perfect if you’re looking for something quieter but just as central as the other options!

There are hostels for all types of travellers! Check out HostelWorld’s website to find the best accommodation for your trip 😊

But that’s it folks, Seville is a city that has a lot of love to give and a great place to have an authentic Spanish experience! Wishing you lots of good beers, tapas, coffee and siestas. Have you been there before and do you have any recommendations? Don’t forget to comment below and let us know! See you next time!

📚 About the author 📚

Edison Alcaide is half Spanish and half Brazilian, but currently lives in London and enjoys all the twists and turns of the universe that have brought him to British soil. He works as an actor and model and writes and photographs in his spare time, which he considers therapeutic hobbies. He is a traveller and is passionate about planet earth, food, cafes, books, cinema, dogs and people with an open mind and heart. He is always up for new adventures. His Instagram name is @edison_alcaide, which he considers unoriginal but quite functional.