The Best One Day in Seville Itinerary (A Local’s Guide)

Are you wondering what to do in Seville, Spain in one day?

This local guide to spending one day in Seville is your perfect blueprint for a memorable 24 hours. Discover exactly how to see the main highlights and get a true flavour of the city, all within one day.

From the iconic Alcazar and Girlada to the vibrant plazas, our one day Seville itinerary ensures you won’t miss a thing.

With our guidance, you’ll navigate the city like a local and make the most of Seville in one day.

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A Locals Guide to One Day in Seville

At The Seville Guide, we only use local writers.

Between all the contributors to this site, we’ve accumulated years of experience discovering Seville and exploring every corner of the city to uncover its best-kept secrets.

This has enabled us to put together what we think is the most practical Seville in a day itinerary, ensuring you get a genuine feel of the city in the most efficient way.

Best Things to Do in Seville in One Day

• Real Alcazar
• Seville Cathedral and Giralda Tower
• Barrio Santa Cruz District
• Plaza de España
• Parque de Maria Luisa
• Metropol Parasol (Las Setas)
• Flamenco Show
• Tapas Crawl
• Rooftop Cocktail Bars

Map of Seville

This map shows all the places we mention in this 1 day in Seville itinerary.

Click on it for the interactive version.

Suggested Seville One Day Itinerary

Here’s an overview of how what this Seville itinerary looks like. We go into more detail later on, but this will give you an idea of what you can expect in one day in the city.

📍 Morning: Start your morning in Seville with a visit to the Royal Alcazar, followed by exploring the Seville Cathedral and climbing the Giralda for panoramic views over Seville. Finish your morning by getting lost in the photogenic narrow streets of Barrio Santa Cruz.

📍 Afternoon: In the afternoon, head to Plaza de España – one of Span’s most beautiful squares (ahem…it’s actually a semi-circle!) then walk through Parque de Maria Luisa. In the late afternoon visit the Metropol Parasol (Las Setas) and go up top on the roof-top level walkway.

📍 Evening: In the evening, you have options. Either enjoy a Flamenco Show or opt for a Tapas Crawl. Finish with drinks at a rooftop bar overlooking the cathedral and Giralda.

Seville in One Day: Know Before You Go

Before we get into the details of this Seville one day itinerary, this section includes some useful information if you’re in the planning stages of your trip.

Is One Day Enough Time in Seville?

Sort of.

One day in Seville isn’t enough to see everything the city has to offer – I live here and I’m always discovering new things to see. However, one day is certainly enough time to get a taste of the city and see the main highlights. (Becki, Seville Resident)

If you have the time, then we 100% recommend spending at least two or even three days in Seville.

The Best Time to Visit Seville

The best time to visit Seville is typically in the spring (March-May) or Autumn (September-November). These seasons are when the weather is most comfortable.

Summers here get insanely hot – we’re talking 40 degrees (+100 °F). Although they are very hot, it’s not a humid heat like in Asia. Lots of businesses in the city tend to shut down in July and August because of this, but the tourist attractions are open.

Winters are also another good time to visit, although there are plenty of days of sunshine, the air temperature is cold at night and there’s often the chance of rain or a passing storm – that said, Seville isn’t a rainy city.

Getting to Seville

Seville has an airport, Santa Justa train station, and a Plaza de Armas bus station.

🚄 The AVE high-speed train is an excellent way to travel. You can do a day trip to Seville from Madrid – it takes just 2hrs 20mins

🚌 Alternatively, there are plenty of buses that run between Seville and other cities, such as Malaga.

✈️ If you’re flying into Seville airport then getting to Seville city centre from the airport is pretty easy. The airport bus takes around 40 minutes with regular buses throughout the day.

Getting Around Seville

This Seville day trip has been designed so you don’t need to faff with public transport.

One of the great things about Seville is that it’s an incredibly pedestrian-friendly city. For a start, the city is flat and secondly, many of the tourist areas are pedestrian only.

The Ultimate One Day Seville Itinerary

This Seville one day guide covers the best things to see in the shortest time along with insider tips peppered through, to make sure you don’t miss a thing.

A Day in Seville: Morning

Royal Alcazar of Seville

After a tasty traditional Seviliano breakfast, start your day in Seville at the stunning Royal Alcazar of Seville (Real Alcazar).

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is considered one of the most important examples of Mudejar architecture in Spain. If you’re a fan of Game of Thrones, you might recognise parts of it from there! 

Aim to get to the Real Alcazar as early as possible.

Even though it doesn’t open until 9.30 am, there’s already a queue snaking its way from the entry – at the Lion Gate – and around the corner by about 9 am.

Once inside you’ll get to walk through the different rooms – there’s a one-way system that you have to follow. My favourite room by far – and often where you’ll see the largest crowds of people is the Salón de Embajadores.

Opulent doesn’t really describe this room – it’s incredible in every way. The walls are adorned from top to bottom with intricate plasterwork, with archways leading through and up to a golden ceiling. It looks out onto the iconic patio you’ve probably seen photos of everywhere.

Other highlights include the Arab Baths and the gardens.

Seville Cathedral and Giralda

The Seville Cathedral is one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in the world. Building began in 1402 and took over 100 years to complete.

The Cathedral sits on the site of a former mosque – some parts you see today still date to the time when Seville was under Arab rule. The Giralda used to be the minaret of the mosque and is now the bell tower of the Cathedral.

Inside, the cathedral is filled with art, including works by famous artists such as Goya and Murillo. One of the most popular things to see is the tomb of Christopher Columbus.

Climb the ramps up to the top of the Giralda for some of the best views over the old town.

A word of warning, if you’re at the top of the Giralda when the bells chime, it gets insanely loud up there.

Barrio Santa Cruz

This is one of our favourite districts in Seville and we’ve spent hours wandering these narrow, photogenic streets, purposely getting lost before stumbling out on a courtyard.

Barrio Santa Cruz was historically the Jewish quarter of the city, and you’ll see evidence of this in the street names. Despite its popularity with visitors, it’s still possible to find peaceful corners.

There’s so much history in this part of the city – it’s also one of the most picturesque areas of Seville.

To learn more we highly recommend joining one of the walking tours with a local guide who will show you hidden gems and share interesting stories about the neighbourhood.

A Day in Seville: Afternoon

Plaza de España

In the afternoon of your day in Seville, head to Plaza de España. Right now, it’s still free to visit this landmark, but there is talk of charging for it – if and when that happens, who knows?

This stunning square was built for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929. Although technically, this isn’t a square.

The semi-circular plaza is surrounded by beautiful buildings built in a mixture of Renaissance and Moorish styles with a fountain in the centre.

A moat runs parallel to the main building, with four elaborate bridges to cross it – you can hire a rowing boat to view the plaza from a different perspective.

The plaza is one of the most Instagram-worthy places in Seville, with colourful tiled benches representing different Spanish provinces lining the walls.

Parque de Maria Luisa

Located next to Plaza de España is Maria Luisa Park, Seville’s main public park.

The park is a popular spot for locals and tourists and you’ll see plenty of jogging, walking their dogs and even taking part in a yoga lesson, relaxing with a book, or having a picnic under the shade of the trees.

The park is filled with various pavillions, gardens, ponds and fountains.

One of our favourite pavilions in the park is the Mudejar-style building which houses the Museo de Artes y Costumbres Populares (Museum of Popular Arts and Customs). You’ll find it at Plaza de América at the southern end of the park.

Metropol Parasol (Las Setas)

Another iconic architectural landmark in Seville is the Metropol Parasol. It’s also known as Las Setas which translates to The Mushrooms, thanks to their organic shape.

This modern structure was completed in 2011 and is made up of six giant mushroom-like structures made of wood and concrete.

At the top, there is a winding walkway which is another great viewpoint in the city.

A Day in Seville: Evening

Flamenco Show

As your Seville 1 day itinerary comes to an end you have a couple of options.

The first is to experience the art of flamenco. This traditional Spanish dance originated in Andalusia and Seville is one of the best places to see it.

There are plenty of flamenco shows throughout the city, but for an authentic experience, we recommend small intimate venues like Casa de la Memoria, Casa del Flamenco (although this venue is closed until 2025) and the Flamenco Museum.

Related Articles:

• Where to Find Authentic Flamenco Shows in Seville

Tapas Crawl

If flamenco isn’t your thing, then as an alternative idea we suggest going on a tapas crawl.

Seville is known for its delicious tapas, but it can be a bit of a gamble to work out what they all are.

Some of the best areas for tapas in Seville are Alameda, Triana and Santa Cruz.

If you’re not sure where to start or where to go, then check out this small group tapas tour where you’ll get to hop from bar to bar sampling a whole range of traditional tapas and wines in the city.

Roof Top Bars

Seville is blessed with dozens of gorgeous rooftop bars. 

Finish your evening by heading to one (or two) of these, to sip on a cocktail with the backdrop of the Cathedral and Giralda lit up.

One of the best rooftop bars with cathedral views is located on top of the EME Catedral Hotel – it’s called La Terraza del EME. Another option for cathedral views is Terraza Doña Maria’s, located on the 4th floor at Hotel Doña Maria.

Both of these can get insanely busy – and justifiably so – the view is stunning.

If you’re after an alternative rooftop option further away from the central tourist spots our ultimate favourite bar is Ático located on the corner of Paseo de Colón and Reyes Católicos. This rooftop bar has fabulous views looking out over the river – you can still see the Cathedral and Girlada from here.

If You Have Longer Than One Day in Seville, Spain

So now you know what to see in Seville in 1 day, but what if you want to extend your stay a bit longer?  Luckily, Seville has plenty more to offer and could easily fill a few days or even a week!

Here are some of our other favourite places in Seville.

Other Things To See In Seville

📍 Torre del Oro (The Golden Tower): This ancient watchtower sits on the banks of the Guadalquivir River. It used to form part of the city walls and also served as a prison. Today it houses a small maritime museum. Climb up to the top for a view out over the river and the city.

📍 Casa de Pilatos: If you enjoyed the Alcazar (let’s face it, who doesn’t – it’s stunning), then chances are you’ll like this spot too. This house was once owned by the Dukes of Medinaceli and features a beautiful mix of Renaissance, Baroque, and Mudejar styles.

📍 Palacio de Las Dueñas: This stunning palace is the former residence of the Duke of Alba and is now open to visitors. It’s packed with family heirlooms with different parts of the buildings surrounded by beautiful gardens and courtyards. 

📍 Hospital de los Venerables: This 17th-century hospital now houses the Velázquez Centre. The display includes a collection of works by Diego Velázquez, one of Spain’s greatest artists. This is also where you’ll find one of Seville’s most opulently decorated chapels – it’s worth a visit for this alone!

📍 Bellas Artes/ Museum of Fine Arts: Another one for art lovers, this museum is home to an impressive collection of Spanish paintings from the medieval period to the 20th century, including works by Murillo, Zurbarán, Velázquez and more. If like ceiling frescos, then like Hospital de los Venerables, there’s an impressive decorated room here.

📍 Triana: Across the river from the city centre you’ll find Triana. This neighbourhood is known for its ceramics workshops, flamenco bars as well a popular food market. Seville is synonymous with tiles, and you can learn about them at the Triana Ceramic Centre – the ceramic shops around here are also one of the best places to pick up authentic Sevilliano souvenirs.

Seville in a Day: FAQs

So, I’ve given you plenty of ideas on what to do with 1 day in Seville, Spain, here are the answers to questions which often come up while planning your trip.

Final Thoughts on This One Day Seville Guide

Ready to enjoy one day in Seville?

We hope this guide has given you ideas on what to do in Seville, Spain, in one day and how to experience the highlights efficiently.

Of course, we’re totally biased, and 100% recommend spending more time here if you can, there’s so much more to see in Seville. But if one day is all you have, then think of this as a tease to come back another time.