Day 1: The Monumental Centre
Start at the Real Alcázar — arrive at 9:30am (it opens at 9:30, buy tickets online for €14.50 to skip the ticket queue). This Mudéjar palace is more intimate and arguably more beautiful than the Alhambra. The gardens alone are worth the visit. Allow 2 hours.
Walk to Seville Cathedral & La Giralda (€10, combined ticket available with Alcázar). It's the world's largest Gothic cathedral and the climb up La Giralda's ramp (no stairs — it was designed so the muezzin could ride a horse up) gives you the best panorama in the city.
Lunch: Walk to Bodeguita Casablanca (Calle Adolfo Rodríguez Jurado 12) — a tiny tapas bar that locals love. The salmorejo (cold tomato soup, thicker and creamier than gazpacho, €3.50) is the best in Seville. The solomillo al whisky (pork in whisky sauce, €4) is a Seville classic.
Afternoon: Walk through Barrio Santa Cruz, the old Jewish quarter — a maze of narrow streets, flower-filled courtyards and hidden plazas. Find Plaza de los Venerables and Callejón del Agua. Get lost. That's the point.
Evening: Aperitivo at Casa Morales (Calle García de Vinuesa 11, since 1850) — fino sherry from the barrel (€1.80) with olives. Then dinner at Eslava (Calle Eslava 3, Alameda) — their slow-cooked egg with truffle and mushroom (€4.20) wins every tapas award. Book ahead or queue from 8:30pm.
Day 2: Triana & Flamenco
Cross the river to Triana — Seville's most authentic neighbourhood, historically the home of flamenco artists, bullfighters and ceramicists.
Start at Mercado de Triana (built over the ruins of the Inquisition castle) for a late breakfast. Bar Las Golondrinas inside the market does perfect tortillitas de camarones (shrimp fritters, €4).
Walk along Calle Betis for views back across the river to the city. Browse the ceramic shops on Calle Alfarería — Triana's tiles have decorated buildings across Spain for centuries.
Lunch: Casa Cuesta (Calle de Castilla 1, since 1880) — one of the oldest bars in Seville. Sit on the terrace overlooking the bridge. The cazón en adobo (marinated dogfish, €4.50) is quintessential Triana.
Afternoon: Plaza de España — the most outrageously beautiful square in Spain. Built for the 1929 Expo, it's free to enter and you can rent a rowing boat on the canal (€6 for 30 minutes). Each alcove represents a Spanish province with hand-painted tiles.
Flamenco (evening): Skip the big tourist tablaos. Instead: La Casa del Flamenco (Barrio Santa Cruz, €22) in a courtyard — intimate, authentic, 90 minutes, no microphones. Or Casa de la Memoria (€20) for a similar experience. Book online 2-3 days ahead. The emotion in a small room is incomparable to a 200-seat show.
Day 3: Hidden Seville & the Alameda
Morning at the Hospital de los Venerables (€10, includes Velázquez room) — a tiny, overlooked museum with an incredible Baroque courtyard and key works by Seville's greatest painter.
Walk to Metropol Parasol ("Las Setas" — the mushrooms) — a wild wooden structure in Plaza de la Encarnación. The rooftop walkway (€5) gives you 360° views. Love it or hate it, it's unique.
Lunch: Alameda de Hércules area — Seville's trendy neighbourhood. Duo Tapas does creative modern Andalusian food (tasting menu €18). Or keep it traditional at Taberna Coloniales (two locations — the one on Plaza Cristo de Burgos) for enormous, cheap tapas.
Afternoon: Parque de María Luisa — Seville's gorgeous main park. Shaded paths, fountains, peacocks. Take a horse-drawn carriage ride (€50 for 45 minutes, or just walk for free). End at the Plaza de América with its stunning pavilions.
Final dinner: El Rinconcillo (Calle Gerona 40) — the oldest bar in Seville, since 1670. They chalk your bill on the wooden bar top. The espinacas con garbanzos (spinach with chickpeas, €4) is a Seville institution.
Budget Breakdown
- Flights: £30-70 return (Ryanair direct from Stansted)
- Accommodation: €50-80/night (central B&B or boutique hostel)
- Food: €20-30/day (tapas bars, 3-4 tapas per meal)
- Attractions: ~€55 (Alcázar + Cathedral + Flamenco + Metropol)
- Total 3 days: £250-380 per person
Best time: March-May or October-November. Summer (June-August) hits 40°C+ and is brutal for walking.