3 Days in Seville: My Ultimate Seville Itinerary

Seville is the capital of Southern Spain’s Andalusia region, adorned in colorful tiled palaces and beautiful winding alleyways. Flamenco dancers and tapas line the streets and orange trees line the plazas. A city like Seville has so much to see, it was after all named #1 on Lonely Planets places to visit in 2018. So what can you do with only 3 days in Seville? It turns out, a lot:

Here’s my complete Seville itinerary:

Day 1 in Seville:

Start off your 3 days in Seville by checking into your hostel or hotel. I stayed at La Banda Rooftop Hostel which was honestly one of my favorite hostels I’ve ever stayed at.

Once you’re settled in, grab a few of Seville’s famous tapas (Seville after all is known as the tapas capital of Spain). The locals here have perfected their custom of bar hopping for small bites and drinks in the street. Join in the fun once you’re ready. Here are a few recommended spots for tapas during your 3 days in Seville:

El Rinconcillo: One of the oldest bars in Seville, with bottles of wine lining the walls and legs of ham hanging from the ceiling.
La Azotea: One of the most popular dining spots in Seville with modern decor
Albarama: A bit more of a fine dining tapas restuarant where you can sit on a terrace
Eslava: A cleanly blue painted restaurant with creative dishes
conTenedor: a vibrant restaurant with slow cooked organic food
Dos de Mayo: a comfortable bar with traditional tapas
La Brunilda: a cozy tapas bar and one of Seville’s best tapas joints

You may want to plan on heading to bed at a decent hour since day 2 will be the major sight seeing day, but if not, here are some nightlife ideas:

Calle Betis: The area of town next to the Guadalquivir River which is made up of flamenco joints, tapas bars and discos. It’s popular with foreigners and the younger crowd.
El Arenal: A young/hip part of town in between the bull ring and the cathedral. Come here if you’re looking for a cocktail bar.
Alfalfa: Filled with cheap bars where people spill out onto the street
Alameda: Find a few live music bars

Day 2 of my Seville Itinerary:

This will be the busiest of your 3 days in Seville. Wake up early and go visit The Alcázar of Seville, Seville’s royal palace and biggest attraction. There’s almost always a line, so buy tickets in advance and go early. With it’s colorful walls and intricate ceiling designs, the Alcazar is one of the prettiest buildings I’ve ever been inside, so don’t skip this one. Not to mention, it was a featured location on Game of Thrones.

Next, go to the Cathedral next door, which is the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world. I’m not crazy about churches, but you can climb to the top of the Giralda (the bell-tower right next-door to the Cathedral). The Giralda has one of the best views of Seville.

Take a break from sight seeing to wander around the streets of Old Town. Santa Cruz is one of the famous districts inside of Old Town and you can find a lot of beautiful areas while winding through it’s alleyways. Almost every turn is a professional photograph. The streets are lined with houses painted in various colors, large ornate doors and local artists.

Once you’ve had your fun walking aimlessly, head to Plaza de Espana. This plaza is Seville’s most eye catching square, covered in tall archways and beautifully designed tiles. A small waterway runs through Plaza de Espana, where you can rent boats and gondolas. You can also listen to live music here if you are lucky.

Day 3 of the Seville Itinerary:

Head to the the Old Quarter of Seville to find Metropol Parasol, a large wooden structure that’s shaped like a mushroom. It’s fun to look at but more fun to climb to the top of. From the Metropol, you can see a 360 degree view of Seville.

Spend your last night checking out the Flamenco Show at the Flamenco museum. Even if you aren’t into music or dance, you can’t leave Seville without witnessing one of these shows. Seville is the origin of Flamenco, and you can see that by the sweat flying off of the performers on stage (not an exaggeration). The energy and emotions of the Flamenco dancers here are impressive.