12 things to know before traveling to Seville

30.08.2024 - 11:43 / lonelyplanet.com

Aug 29, 2024 • 5 min read

Seville is the gleaming jewel in Andalucía’s cultural crown and a superb introduction to the region.

Packed into Seville’s fairly compact Casco Antiguo (Old Town) are some of Spain’s great architectural treasures (including the Real Alcázar), its most impassioned art form, flamenco, and a whole host of museums, mansions and ornate churches.

The Romans, Moors and Reyes Católicos (Catholic Monarchs of the Spanish Empire) came, saw, conquered and then left the best of themselves behind, for all to see. And because a great trip is a well-planned trip, here are all the things you should know about health, safety and etiquette in Seville before you go.

Seville demands a proper exploration. Barrio Santa Cruz is a great place to start for first-time visitors, with three UNESCO World Heritage Sites – Real Alcázar, Catedral de Seville and Archivo General de Indias – clustered at the edge of the labyrinthine neighborhood. These sights could easily consume a couple of days on their own, particularly with the riches of the Hospital de los Venerables Sacerdotes and flamenco tablaos such as Casa de la Guitarra also packed into this tiny neighborhood. But there’s so much more to experience within easy walking distance, including scores of fascinating museums, churches and mansions. And that’s without even mentioning the food yet. Three days is the minimum you’ll want to spend here.

Although it’s tempting to pack all three of Seville’s UNESCO World Heritage sites into one long day, it’s not advisable if you want to experience them properly. Both the Catedral de Sevilla and Real Alcázar are accessible via a specific entry time ticket only (turn up early or late and you might be turned away). It’ll be less fun visiting the first site if you know you have to hurry through it to make it in time to enter the second site. They are also both vast places that demand a lot of walking and standing. The Real Alcázar and its gardens need at least half a day to explore thoroughly. The cathedral is one of the world’s largest and its Giralda is accessed via an approximately 100-meter climb, which is extra draining if you’re visiting during hot weather. The Archivo General de Indias, however, makes for a perfect second sight to see on day one, before tackling either the cathedral or Real Alcázar fresh the next day.

Each week, Catedral de Sevilla offers 100 free tickets. The tickets allow access to the cathedral and Giralda tower, with 20 up for grabs each day from Monday to Friday, valid for 2–3pm entry only. These tickets can only be secured on the official cathedral website. Unsurprisingly, demand is monumental and they often get snapped up very quickly, so you might need to try a couple of times.

Similarly, the