Last spring, we spent a few days in Seville as a family during our one-week road trip around Andalusia. It was not our first time in Seville, as it is a Spanish city we love — in fact, it is my favourite city in Andalusia. It was, however, our first visit to Seville with the children , so we showed them the city’s great classics. This is the perfect opportunity to share our 10 must-see places for a family stay in Seville. As for timing, I find the Easter school holidays ideal for the weather: sunny, but not yet too hot.
Plaza de España
As soon as we arrived in Seville, we set off from our accommodation in Santa Cruz on a long walk to Plaza de España. It is a magnificent introduction to Seville’s architectural beauty and thoroughly Andalusian in style. The setting is majestic and colourful, while the water adds to the immense square’s charm. Its long colonnades, mosaics and decorative tiles are impressive. It is the perfect place to fall in love with Seville and take plenty of beautiful photographs. Plaza de España stands in the gardens of María Luisa Park. The square is clearly the highlight, but it is also delightful to wander quietly through the park in the shade of its old trees. The park is divided into numerous smaller areas, making it feel intimate despite its size.
The Royal Alcázar of Seville
I love Seville’s Alcázar. On my first visit to Andalusia, I even preferred it to Granada’s Alhambra — an unusual opinion, I know. What I particularly like is that it feels smaller and more concentrated. The children were captivated by the palace’s architecture, and we spent time in its charming, manageable gardens. The complex developed over many centuries, combining buildings from the Islamic period with later Gothic, Mudéjar, Renaissance and other additions under successive Christian monarchs. The 14th-century palace of Peter I is a particularly striking example of Mudéjar architecture , a style found throughout Andalusia. The different courtyards are delightful, while the Alcázar gardens, with their fountains, palms and orange trees, feel wonderfully exotic. Book admission tickets . Free-entry arrangements and opening times can change, so check the official conditions when booking.
Seville Cathedral and the Giralda
This is a substantial visit, combining the main cathedral with the Giralda. Inside, do not miss the chapels, the cloister and the Orange Tree Courtyard. The Giralda is especially fascinating: its lower sections preserve the minaret of the former Almohad mosque that once stood here, while later additions transformed it into the cathedral’s bell tower. The tower rises to approximately 104 metres and offers superb views over Seville’s old town. Find current visitor information on the cathedral website.
Torre del Oro and a walk along the river
Another delightful walk follows the Guadalquivir along the promenade known as Paseo de Cristóbal Colón. Along the way you pass Torre del Oro, shown in the photograph. We also crossed to the other side of the river for a wander through Triana.
The Santa Cruz neighbourhood
This is the historic centre, and it is also where we stayed, at Santa María Apartments . They are spacious and well located. It is lovely to wander through the neighbourhood’s narrow streets at any time of day, even after nightfall, and discover its many charming little squares.
Santa Cruz has numerous souvenir shops of every kind, some of which sell attractive, high-quality pieces.
Plaza del Cabildo
A pretty square whose semicircular architecture we particularly liked. It lies in the Arenal district in the city centre and feels like a peaceful haven.
Las Setas — ‘the mushrooms’
It is certainly unusual, and you may wonder whether it is beautiful. This enormous wooden structure stands in the old town and creates fascinating perspectives depending on where you view it from. You can walk beneath it, above it and all the way around to appreciate its construction. We enjoyed the atmosphere of the small restaurants surrounding it and particularly recommend Bar Favorito Mi Lugar.
Watching a flamenco performance in Seville
Seville is an ideal city in which to discover flamenco. As we had already seen a show in Málaga, we chose an informal and inexpensive venue. One evening after dinner, we went to La Carbonería. It is a large, inexpensive bar in a warehouse-like space where flamenco artists perform without a stage or costumes. We had checked the times beforehand and arrived at around 9 p.m., when it was crowded. A warning: it is not particularly suitable for young children, as you may not find seats and it can be late for them. Drinks were inexpensive, so we stayed for just one and were quickly swept up in the atmosphere and music.
If you are travelling with young children and would prefer a more traditional flamenco show in comfortable surroundings, I recommend El Museo del Baile Flamenco . I visited on a previous trip to Seville and found it very good and better suited to families.
Seville’s bullring from the outside
We passed the Plaza de Toros, an important part of Seville’s architectural heritage. It can be visited, but we preferred simply to admire the exterior. It is often regarded as one of Spain’s most architecturally impressive bullrings. Its construction began in the 18th century and the building has protected heritage status.
San Lorenzo church and neighbourhood
We enjoyed the atmosphere around San Lorenzo church, which is beautiful both inside and out and is another example of the Gothic-Mudéjar style.
Just beside it, we found an excellent favourite address for original tapas at Eslava:
Seville with children: practical information
When should you visit Seville? We found April perfect. One word of caution: I recommend avoiding Seville during Semana Santa and the Easter weekend , when the city is crowded and accommodation is far more expensive. Of course, Semana Santa is an impressive experience — I saw it several years ago — but for a family visit I prefer to avoid this expensive, extremely busy week. This time we arrived just before Semana Santa, so we saw plenty of decorations and preparations without the crowds or accommodation difficulties.
How long should you stay? I recommend at least 2 nights, ideally 3, or 4 if you really want to take your time.
Other places to visit in Seville On an earlier trip, I visited Casa de Pilatos, a beautiful aristocratic residence that I would add to the itinerary.
Where can you park in Seville? We found a small, reasonably priced outdoor car park on Plaza de San Sebastián, not far from Santa Cruz. There are, of course, plenty of other options.
Combining Seville with an Andalusian holiday As three days are enough for Seville, we recommend exploring other cities and villages in the region. Read my article about our week in Andalusia with the children.
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Would you be tempted by a trip to Seville?
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