4 Days in Sevilla: The Travel Guide

After waiting patiently for eighteen months, finally the time came to board a plane and head abroad. Our holiday of choice – four days in Sevilla. As a post-lockdown destination, Sevilla is a pretty good one. If you’re looking to make the big jump back into travel life this is a great start. If you’re still a little on edge about travel, keep an eye out for my next holiday destination. It’s a lot more on the quiet side. But back to Sevilla is perfect for getting back to normal.

The great thing about Sevilla as a destination for a short trip is that it’s pretty much all walkable. Or there’s at least enough to fill four days that’s all within walking distance. It’s a great city for catering to all your holiday itinerary needs. It’s jam-packed full of restaurants at all times of the day. From breakfast to late-night tapas options. Cafes for quick coffee stops in between activities, and – the ultimate holiday essential – ice-cream parlours. Then there’s beautiful gardens to explore, architecture to be awed by, and so much culture in one city. And to finish off the day, pretty much every other street is filled with bars and late-night cafes.

So, for a short stay in a city, my top recommendation is now Seville. Read on for my ultimate 4-day travel guide, with all my recommendations on how to fill your time.

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Breakdown of My Sevilla Itinerary

Day 1

• Explore the basics and get to know where you are in the city
• Climb to the top of Torro del Oro (the Gold Tower) and admire the birdseye views of the city.
• Bar hop through the bars of Triana

Day 2

• Browse a flea market, like the Mercadillo histórico del Jueves.
• Climb to the top of Las Setas for beautiful views
• Please your sweet tooth at La Campana
• Take in the hidden gem that is the Palacio de las Duenas

Day 3

• Get lost in the streets of Santa Cruz
• Learn the tragic but fascinating story of Susona Ben-Suson
• Explore the endless Royal Alcazar Gardens

Day 4

• Get to know La Plaza de Espana
• Take a break in the Maria Luisa Park

Where to Stay

The best way to squeeze the most out of your short time in the city is to stay as central as possible. A great area for this is the centre of the Old Town area of Sevilla. The hotel we chose was Las Cases de los Mercaderes, which is pretty much right in the middle. Staying somewhere like this means you can practically get anywhere in the city within 10-minutes of walking. Which is essential if you want to waste as little time as possible during your short stay.

The Itinerary

Explore the Basics and Get to Know the City

The great thing about Sevilla is that every street leads somewhere. If you’re staying in a city-centre based hotel, you can pretty much come out of it and go anywhere. If you head to the Old Seville Centre, or near where the La Adriatica building is, you’ve set yourself up in a good place to head in pretty much any direction. Even if you arrive in the evening, a sunset tour can give you an instant glimpse at how beautiful the city is.

If you like a little more organisation about your wandering, there are loads of tour options of the city. Something to try if you have a full day is the City Tour Hop-On Hop-Off tickets. The great thing about these types of tickets is that it’s done at your own pace. It starts from £18.88 per person, so you want to save this one for a full day.

Or, for a fitter way to see the sights, try out one of the city’s bike tours. They offer lots of options when it comes to how long you want to spend, including 2.5 hour tours and 3 hour tours. They also offer price options. If the idea of the bike tour sounds good, but not quite at your exercise level, they also offer electric bike tours. For even more options for a city tour, you can try Segway tours,

Climb to the top of Torro Del Oro (The Gold Tower)

This isn’t an attraction that’ll take too long, so it’s a handy thing to squeeze into a packed day. But it’s definitely worth it. The tower itself is a maritime museum, and shares the history of the river and itself. If it’s something that interests you, you’ll enjoy reading all about it and admiring the replicas as you climb up. Or, if not, you’ll be just as awed by the views from the top of the tower. Plus, Instagrammers, there’s a great photo opportunity with the flying Spanish flag once you get to the peak.

It’s great value too, at only €3 per adult, and €1.50 for children, students and 65+. If you want to see the tower from another view, you can book onto a more bespoke experience. There’s a few to find online, including this rooftop Paella experience, where you can dine and view the tower while you eat.

Bar hop through the bars of Triana

It’s likely that to head to Triana, you’ll need to cross the river. Doing so will show you another side of the city. Stories of Triana give an exciting, romantic atmosphere. The area was traditionally occupied by sailors, artisans, and potters, and had many bull-fighters and flamenco dancers living there.

One of the biggest appeals of Triana is its nightlife. You can practically pick a street and work your way along the bars. The tables pour out into the street, and lot’s of them offer tapas and cheeseboards to fuel your night. From traditional Spanish bars, to more modern venues. If you don’t fancy one, just walk onto the next one. It really won’t be far before you find another.

Browse a flea market

There’s loads to choose from in the city. Even if you’re not shopping, one of Seville’s flea markets is something you should experience. They’re noisy, they’re chaos, but they’re so interesting, and it gives you a completely different look at the city.

If you’re looking to visit a flea market, definitely have a little research before you head out. Check where you’re going and on what days, as these won’t happen everyday. And remember to stay safe with your belongings! In any city, flea markets can be a draw in for pick pockets. So remember to keep everything in your view.

Climb to the top of Las Setas for beautiful views

You can’t argue that walking around the architecture of Sevilla is stunning. But from above it’ll take your breath away in a whole new way. Las Setas gives you the chance to see it from birdseye. And for not a lot of money from your holiday budget either.

Designed by German architect, Jurgen Mayer, and finished in 2011 – making it a relatively new part of the city – Las Setas is a wooden structure built in mushroom shapes, with a walkway above. Originally the plan was to build an underground car park for the market on land. But, while they were constructing it they discovered Roman Ruins, so they had to scrap those plans.

In its place, the plans for Las Setas were put into action. And you can still see the ruins that they found as well. It really is worth a stop. A virtual tour costs around £10.20 (at the time of writing), and gives you entry, queue jump, smart glasses, earphones, and a smart pad.

Please your sweet tooth in Confiteria La Campana

While you’re tasting the best of Seville, don’t forget to add in the sweet treats. Confiteria La Campana has been serving its sweet-toothed fans since 1885, and has become a must-see. Even if you don’t go in, just take a minute in your day to admire the incredible desserts displayed in the window. They’ll look both delicious and artistic. Local favourites include Yema (a soft biscuit wrapped like a toffee, that’s crumbly) and Torta de Aceite (a flat biscuit made using olive oil). Both best enjoyed with a coffee.

Take in the hidden gem that is Palacio de las Duenas

My absolute favourite part of Sevilla, and a hidden gem. In comparison to the other attractions of Sevilla, when you arrive at this one the chances are you won’t have to queue. And you probably won’t have to wait at all to go in. It’s a little bit of a walk away from the city centre, but if you can afford to put time in your itinerary aside for something, make it this.

You’ll be in a great company throughout history, with previous visitors including Grace Kelly, Jackie Kennedy, and Queen Victoria. Most tours also include use of an audio guide. These will tell you all about the history of the palace, the people who lived here, and all the secrets of the courtyards, gardens, and majestic rooms.

Get lost in the streets of Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz is known as being the old Jewish Quarter, and is as mystical as it is beautiful. It’s full of stories and legends that you can be amazed by. And if that’s not your thing, you can just be amazed by the beautiful homes, and the gardens you can peer into. Look into the history of this too, it’s very interesting.

The streets are a real labyrinth. If you’re confident enough to just head into it, you can just navigate freely through the maze. Every now and then you’ll come across a small and interesting shop. Or a tiny plaza with restaurants and coffee shops. There’s even streets that are only one-person wide.

If you’d rather be led by someone who knows the streets well, it’s a good idea to sign up for a tour. It’s well worth it – not only will they help guide you around the streets without getting lost, but there’s also so many tales to hear and history of the streets. Sign up to one of the online tours, like this 1.5 hour tour, and get to learn about another side of Seville.

Learn the tragic, but fascinating story of Susona Ben-Suson

While exploring the streets of Santa Cruz, make sure you take a minute to learn the story of Susona Ben-Suson, and see her tribute. In 1480 the Jewish community of the city was in it’s final years, as Spain was aiming to stregnthen its Christianity. Those who had not already converted were leaving the city. Susona’s father was a prominent Jewish merchant, and arranged a secret meeting to discuss the possibility of armed insurrection.

However, Susona was in love with a Christian, and revealed the plot to him in worry that he would be indangered if she didn’t. In the ultimate betrayal, he reported the plans to the authorities. Those who had been making the plans were captured, tried, and executed. Knowing that she was to blame, Susona never left her home again. When she died, her head was displayed outside her house as a memorial of her grief and anger.

It remained until the 18th century, but you’ll be pleased to know it was replaced with a mosaic tile to honour Susona’s story. It’s a tragic, but beautiful story, and worth a stop while you’re on your adventures.

Explore the endless Real Alcozar Gardens

My second favourite part of Sevilla – if you stopped by the Palacio de las Duenas, this is another spot for you to check out. Alcozar is the oldest palace in Europe, and is stunning. You may recognise some scenes if you watched Game of Thrones. The palace is still the official royal residence of the city.

If you look online there are countless tours you can take of the palace and gardens. You can join as part of a small group tour, take one of the 1.5 hour tours, or take a tour that gives you priority access.

Or, if you just want to explore the palace at your own pace you can. If you’re planning to head to the palace and gardens be prepared to queue for a while, being one of the most visited places in the city. You can get yourself a skip-the-line entry ticket, which I really recommend doing. But just make sure you book well in advance – it books up pretty quickly.

Get to know La Plaza de Espana

This is another amazing spot that’s completely free to visit. It one of the most famous and beautiful squares in Seville, which were designed by Anibal Gonzalez with the aim of making peace with former American colonies. You can take a walk around the square, which has 52 mosaic murals, each one to represent one of the 52 Spanish provinces, and a bench under each. Keep an eye out for Spanish tourists looking out their own province.

You can also pose by the large fountain in the middle of the square, and row on the canal that circles under cute bridges (additional charge). If you’re lucky, you might also visit on a day when locals are offering performances to watch, like flamenco and guitar.

Most local tours will stop by La Plaza de Espana, so keep an out out for these in the descriptions, and you can also take your trip to another level on a Sevilla Photo Tour, which will not only take you round the square, but also show you how to take great photos to show off when you get home.

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Take a break in the Maria Luisa Park

While you’re in this area of Seville, be sure to take a walk around the Maria Luisa Park. If you’ve already had a day packed with sight-seeing, a break here will add relaxing to the day. The Maria Luisa Park was the first urban park to be created in the city, among the now many. In it’s history it was the private gardens of Infanta Maria Luisa Fernanda, but in 1914 she donated it as a gift to the city, and it became a public, urban garden. The park is the area that holds the Plaza de Espana.

If you’re on a budget for your trip this is a great addition to your itinerary, as it’s free to wander around. You can quite easily spend an hour here without spending money, but still be amazed by the scenes.

But, if you want to learn more about the park and surrounding area, you can find some great tours to follow. Check out the Secrets of Maria Luisa Park tour, which also includes the Plaza de Espana.

Other Tours and Things to See in Sevilla

• Italica Roman City and 14th Century Medieval Monastery – one of the largest amphitheatres known to exist during the Roman empire, you’ll be able to see where 25,000 audience members could watch a display, wander up the tunnels where gladiators once walked to their fate, and stand in the den that would’ve held the lions. Any Game of Thrones fans may also recognise this as another filming location.
• Take a Paranormal Tour – if you’re into ghost tours, you’ll be please to know Seville offers its own through the city. Touching on the myths and legends of the city, this is a great choice if you’re looking for a city tour that offers something a little different.
• Take a Flamenco Dance Lesson – one of the traditional, and most famous, cultures celebrated throughout Spain, take a 1-hour flamenco lesson, and bring something home that’s more interesting than any other souvenir. Or, if taking part is quite what you’re looking for, you can see a flamenco show instead for around £42.50.
• Sign Up to a Spanish Cookery Class – A completely different side, and a chance to get immersed in it. Take a class to learn some traditional courses, and enjoy the eating afterwards.
• A Tour of Queens, Nuns, Sex Workers, and Witches – another tour, but another angle. Take a tour that looks at the city from a female perspective.