3 days in Seville | Top things to do

By Ellen (Updated Jan 23)

⏱ 5 min

If you’re wondering what to see in 3 days in Seville and what to do while you’re there, this blog post presents a perfect plan for that 👌. Seville is one of the most important cities in Spain’s history and connected Spain to the Americas during the golden age. The first potato in Europe arrived in Seville first, on a boat from the Americas in the 16th century!

Visigoths and Muslims ruled over the city before the Spanish, creating a beautiful blend of architecture over centuries that can be seen throughout the city. Today, Seville is known for its beautiful sites and ancient history. We hope this post gives you ideas for things to do in 3 days in Seville!

Historical Free Walking Tour

We almost always do a free walking tour when visiting a new city. Almost every city that has tourism in Europe offers a free walking tour. We prefer to do a general historical walking tour on the first day because it is a great way to get familiar with the new city and learn some basic information about where you are. It may give you ideas of additional things you want to do in Seville and also an appreciation for the local culture and history.

We recommend starting with Free Walking Tour Sevilla’s Historical Tour. The tour runs daily at 11:00 and 17:00 and is available in both English and Spanish. Book in advance on their website.

Plaza de España

The Plaza de España is by far one of Spain’s most famous plazas. It is definitely one of the most photogenic plazas we have visited and it’s a MUST when staying 3 days in Seville. If you want to read more about capturing beautiful sites in Seville, check out our post:

The plaza was built in 1929 for the Ibero-American Expo. It has several alluring characteristics that pay homage to Spain, including four decorative bridges that cross over a canal that stretches across the plaza. These four bridges represent the ancient kingdoms of Spain. Along the walls of the plaza, there are mosaics of colorful tiles, for each of Spain’s 49 provinces. The plaza is free to visit so take your time to walk around and enjoy the lovely site.

Royal Alcazar Seville

The Real Alcazar or Royal Alcazar of Seville should be at the top of your list of things to do in Seville. The palace is one of the oldest active palaces in the world. It is a perfect example of blended Christian and Mudejar architecture and is one of Seville’s most iconic landmarks. We recommend booking tickets for a guided tour online in advance as there is a lot to learn about the Alcazar and it would be a shame to visit this historical treasure without learning about what you are experiencing.

If you’re a Game of Thrones fan like me, note that several scenes were shot in the Alcazar and its gardens. 

Visit the Cathedral of Sevilla

The Cathedral of Seville is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world. It is mammoth, covering a total area of 11,520 square meters! The cathedral’s grand presence is felt throughout the city, with a height of 42 meters. The cathedral is another one of Seville’s main attractions, and it has been a UNESCO world heritage site since 1987.

We did another tour of the cathedral and learned lots of interesting facts, like how many chapels are inside the cathedral (more than 80!). Our guide also told us stories about Christopher Colombus’ body (some parts are actually preserved here). A stunning monument from the outside, but a tour inside the cathedral is also a great thing to do in Seville.

Check here for schedules and prices for entry.

Climb to the top of La Giralda

La Giralda is the bell tower of the cathedral and is over 100 meters tall. The tower was originally part of the mosque and construction on it started in 1184. When Spain reconquered Seville, the cathedral was constructed to replace the mosque but they kept the tower. Rewarding 360-degree views of Seville await you if you climb up to the top of the tower. Can you guess how many stairs are in the tower? It’s a surprise – you’ll have to go and find out 😉

Flamenco Show in Seville

The neighborhood of Triana in Seville is the birthplace of flamenco! Sure, you can see flamenco shows in other parts of Seville or even Spain, but the salons in Triana offer very authentic shows. We went to one recommended by our Free Walking Tour tour guide and it did not disappoint. We saw the flamenco show at Sala Almoraima and it was a small and intimate setting.

Included in your ticket is one free drink which you can bring with you to your seat inside the dance salon. The performance we saw included all the elements of flamenco: Singer, guitarist and dancers (man and woman in this case). It was a small masterpiece of arte, and we absolute recommend its visit for a visit of 3 days in Seville.

Visit Casa de Pilatos

Casa de Pilatos is less visited than some other bigger sites in Seville. It is a palace, but not a royal palace. The stunning palace was built by the order of Pedro Enríquez de Quiñones, IV Chief Governor of Andalucía. The architecture is a mixture of Italian Renaissance and Mudejar architecture. You can see these styles in the intricate tiles, carvings, and archways and also the Roman influence in the marble, columns, and statues.

There are two types of entrance tickets. One ticket is just for the main courtyard/ground floor and another ticket includes a tour of the top floor. The tour is offered in Spanish only. We just visited the main courtyard and were more than satisfied with our visit. 

Las Setas

Las Setas in Seville is said to be one of the largest wooden structures in the world. It is a landmark in Seville with a surrounding plaza where you can find restaurants and bars. Yes, it is a cool structure to see, and you likely will see it while walking around and exploring Seville but it isn’t what we consider a “must-do experience” for 3 days in Seville.

It is possible to access different areas of the structure by paying an entrance fee. It’s true that there are some nice photos that can be taken from the walkway on top of Las Setas, but the ticket fee is 15 € per person…so that’s 15 € for some views and photos. Maybe you can save your money to…

Try the best tortilla de patatas in Seville and other tapas

Like Granada, another important city in Andalusia, Seville is known for delicious and authentic tapas. If you like tortilla de patatas (the Spanish omelet of potatoes and eggs), then you must head to Uno de Delicias. We aren’t exaggerating when we say that it has one of the best tortilla de patatas that we have.

Places to try tapas in Seville:

• Uno de Delicias (for tortilla de patatas)
• Ovejas Negras Tapas
• Perro Viejo Tapas Bar
• Casa Pepe Hillo
• La Chunga Tapas

Are you looking for other cities to visit in Spain?

Do you love history and are looking for other Spanish cities to visit? Check out some of our other posts for ideas!