GoTourist
Plaza de España, Seville

No. 51 Top 100 City Destinations 2025

Seville

Spain

Andalusia's sunny capital: a vast Gothic cathedral, Moorish palaces, orange trees and flamenco.

Open in Maps Apple Maps

Photo: Dmitry Dzhus from London, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Overview

Seville is No. 51 in Euromonitor International's Top 100 City Destinations Index 2025. The capital of Andalusia lies on the Guadalquivir River, and its Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias together form a UNESCO World Heritage Site, listed in 1987.

The city is known for its orange-scented squares and patios, tapas bars and flamenco, and for two great spring festivals, Semana Santa (Holy Week) and the Feria de Abril.

Seville Cathedral and the Giralda tower
Seville Cathedral and the Giralda tower. Photo: Jebulon, CC0, source

Best time to go

March to May is the best time, with warm weather, orange blossom and the spring festivals; book early for Semana Santa and the Feria. October and November are also pleasant.

July and August are extremely hot, often above 40°C, so plan sightseeing for the morning and evening.

Top sights

  • 1

    Seville Cathedral and the Giralda

    The largest Gothic cathedral in the world, whose bell tower, the Giralda, began as the minaret of the city's mosque. Climb the ramps to the top.

  • 2

    Real Alcázar

    A royal palace with dazzling Mudéjar courtyards, tiles and gardens. Book a timed ticket.

  • 3

    Plaza de España

    A huge semicircular plaza with tiled alcoves and a canal, built for the 1929 Ibero-American Exposition in María Luisa Park.

  • 4

    Barrio de Santa Cruz

    The old quarter of narrow, whitewashed lanes and small squares beside the Alcázar.

  • 5

    Metropol Parasol

    The giant wooden 'Setas' (mushrooms) canopy, opened in 2011, with a rooftop walkway.

  • 6

    Triana

    The neighbourhood across the river is known for its ceramics, its market and flamenco.

  • 7

    Flamenco

    Catch a show in a tablao or at the Flamenco Dance Museum.

Getting there

Seville Airport (SVQ) is about 10 km north-east of the centre; the EA airport bus runs to the city.

High-speed AVE trains run from Madrid to Sevilla Santa Justa station in about 2.5 hours.

Getting around

The historic centre is compact and best seen on foot. A tram line, a metro line and buses serve the wider city.

Sevici, the public bike-share scheme, and the city's flat cycle lanes make cycling easy.

Practical tips

Currency
Euro (EUR). Cards, including contactless, are accepted almost everywhere.
Language
Spanish. English is spoken in hotels and tourist areas.
Safety
Seville is generally safe; watch for pickpockets in crowded areas. Drink plenty of water in summer. The emergency number is 112.
Visa & entry
Spain is in the Schengen Area. Many visitors, including citizens of the US, Canada, the UK and Australia, can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. The EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) now records non-EU travellers' entries and exits at the border, and the ETIAS travel authorisation is due to follow. Check the official EU site travel-europe.europa.eu and your own government's travel advice before you go.
Power
230 V, 50 Hz; plug types C and F.

Official information: Visita Sevilla (official tourism website). Check opening hours, prices and entry rules there before you go.

Map

Open in Maps View larger map Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors