Historic places in Seville

Historic places in Seville

1. See

   Casa de Pilatos

   A 16th-century palace and generally thought to be one of the best in the city.

   Nov-Mar: daily 09:00-18:00, Apr-Oct: daily 09:00-19:00·€8; free on Mondays after 15:00

2. See

   Cathedral

   Catedral de Sevilla

   Huge 15th-century church on the site of the former great mosque; richly decorated with the central nave rising to 37 m. An ornate canopy and statue marks the final resting place of Christopher Columbus. If there's a queue for tickets then go to the nearby Church of Salvador (Iglesia del Salvador) and buy a combi ticket. Cathedral admission includes La Giralda, the minaret that is now the magnificent bell tower. Within, you ascend 34 ramps - no need to keep count as they're tallied on the wall - then a last short flight of steps brings you onto the viewing terrace. Church of Salvador: all of its Rocco altarpieces were cleaned and excavations revealed remains from an Islamic mosque and earlier Christian churches, now accessible in the crypt. Unless you like massive cathedrals, the effect is much more impressive.

   Jul-Aug: Mon 09:30-14:30, Tue-Sat 09:30-14:00, Sun 14:30-18:00; Sep-Jun: Mon 11:00-15:30, Tue-Sat 11:00-17:00, Sun 14:30-18:00·Adult €10, concessions €5

3. See

   Centro Andaluz de Arte Contempraneo

   CAAC

   Contemporary art museum in the former Carthusian monastery of Santa Maria of Las Cuevas, which has a fascinating history as a clay mine, monastery, and ceramics factory. The site and expansive grounds are worth a visit in their own right, including a striking rose window, industrial chimneys, and orange orchards. This was one of the places where the remains of Christopher Columbus were buried, before ending up in the Cathedral.

   Visit monument €1.80; Temporary exhibitions €1.80; Complete Visit €3.01. Free on Tu-Fr 19:00-21:00 Sa 11:00-21:00

4. See

   Metropol Parasol

   An enormous wooden structure, designed by German architect Jürgen Mayer-Hermann, inspired by the Cathedral of Seville and in the form of giant mushrooms. Known to locals as 'las setas' (the mushrooms), the structure covers the Central Market and the Antiquarium; the top level contains a restaurant and provides some of the best views of Seville.

   daily 09:30-23:30·€15

5. Do

   Museo del Baile Flamenco

   Offers an experience for all the senses with ambiental music, videos, touch-screens and artifacts to be found in this 18th century building at the heart of the historical Barrio Santa Cruz. On Friday and Saturday evenings a spectacular show is hosted at a discounted price for visitors to the museum. Flamenco art and photography exhibitions are also on display and dance, singing, percussion and guitar lessons are offered.

   Daily: museum 10:00-19:00, performances 19:00-20:00·Museum: €10 adult, €8 senior, €6 child; performances: €20 adults, €14 senior, €12 child

6. See

   Palacio Arzobispal

   Archbishop's Palace

   It is in the historical section of the city and is home to various clergy and the Archbishop. On the outside you only can catch a glimpse of the patio but on the inside there are important works of art.

   Free

7. See

   Palacio de Las Dueñas

   Las Duenas Palace

   Las Dueñas is a palace belonging to the House of Alba. It was built in the 15th century, with Renaissance architecture style and Gothic-Mudejar influences. The palace is one of the major historic homes in the city. The poet Antonio Machado was born here in 1875. It is also said that Amerigo Vespucci married in this chapel at the beginning of the 16th century. The Palace has a great collection of paintings (Ribera, Luca Giordano, Neri de Bicci), ceramics, antique furniture and other decorative arts, sculptures of Ancient Rome and contemporary (Mariano Benlluire), Flemish tapestries (Willem de Pannemaker), mosaics, and many other pieces of art. An important site for understanding Andalusian customs and history.

   Apr-Sep: Mon-Sat 10:00-20:00; Oct-Mar: Mon-Sat 10:00-18:00·Fee: €10 with audio guide, ask for reduced prices

8. See

   Palacio de la Condesa de Lebrija

   Palace of the Countess of Lebrija

   The palace is considered the 'best paved house-palace in Europe' owing to its collection of Roman mosaics and marble floors in the 'opus sectile' geometric style, which paved practically the whole of the ground floor. There is also a collection of well parapets, vases, amphora, columns and sculptures of incalculable worth. On the upper floor you can visit the residences previously inhabited by the Countess and her descendants, up to only a few years ago; extremely well-preserved, they are today filled with ornaments and furniture from all over the world, priceless artwork by Van Dyke, Bruegel, Alonso Cano, among others, as well as collections of porcelain and glass.

   Mon-Fri 10:30-19:30 (Jul Aug 09:00-15:00), Sat 10:00-19:00 (Jul Aug 10:00-14:00), Sun 10:00-14:00 (Jul Aug closed)·€14

9. See

   Plaza de España

   The site of the Spanish pavilion from the 1929 exhibition: the semi-circle has little ceramic maps of every region of Spain plus images of them and/or their history. It was also used in the filming of the Star Wars prequels. Visit it early in the morning on a weekday to see a long line of immigrants outside one of the government offices it now houses, or visit it right before it closes (officially at 22:00 but likely half an hour later) to see it completely empty and rather eerie.

10. Do

    Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza

    Bull ring

    Bullfighting is not a sport for all; those who are either squeamish or have convictions on animal welfare should stay clear, as the event concludes with the killing of the bulls. Failing that, a visit to the arena and the attached museum of bull-fighting is well worth the time. While it is not the largest, it is considered the most attractive bull arena in Spain due to its history.

    Nov-Apr 09:30-19:00, May and Oct 09:30-20:00, Jun-Sep 09:30-23:00; on bull fighting days 09:30-15:00·€7 adult, €4 senior or student, €3 child 7-11, free for child under 6; free on M 15:00-19:00

11. See

    Real Alcázar

    A beautiful palace in Mudéjar (Moorish) style, built in the 12th century by the Almohad Caliphs. Greatly remodelled and extended in the 14th century by Pedro I the Cruel, its myriad rooms, extravagant architecture, lavish gardens including a maze, with many courtyards, ponds and secrets to be explored, make it a fascinating place to visit. The room where Christopher Columbus's journey across the Atlantic was planned has his coat of arms embroidered on the wall along with those of royalty. The Royal Apartments are open to tours whenever the royal family aren't using them. In the heat of summer the palace is a cool retreat from the sun's glare, and there are night tours Mar-Oct. There are toilets and a cafe within the walls of the site. It gets busy in high season: buy tickets online in advance, and only from the official website. The tourist entrance, "The Lion's Gate", is on the side facing the cathedral and has a large image of a lion above it.

    Apr-Sep: daily 09:30-19:00; Oct-Mar: daily 09:30-17:00·Adult €13.50, concessions €6, plus Royal Apartments €4.50

12. See

    Real Fábrica de Tabacos

    Universidad de Sevilla

    The main building of the University of Seville was once the Tobacco Factory of Seville, and was constructed between 1728 and 1771 by Sebastián Van der Bocht. Over the main entrance, the triangular façade ends in a statue of La Fama (fame). The tobacco factory was then the largest industrial building in Spain. A monopoly assured high income, which is reflected in the factory's architecture and surrounding gardens. Its chapel and prison complement the main building. In the interior you find impressive stairways, fountains and Patios. It was the setting for the first act of Bizet's opera Carmen. In 1953 the factory was converted into the main building of Seville University. Just behind the tobacco factory, the María Luisa Park borders the historic centre of Seville to the south. Although it's open to the public (as all university buildings are), the building is used for academic purposes. Be respectful: don't venture into closed rooms and disrupt lectures.

    During term time only: Mon-Fri 10:00-20:00, Sat 10:00-14:00

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Seville (CC BY-SA 4.0).