One of the things we really like about Seville is that there aren’t a ton of things to do: this is a city for strolling. But there are a few genuinely spectacular sights in Seville, and you can’t spend all your time eating. (We’ve tried!). So here are our top picks.
Real Alcázar
Probably the most famous of the sights in Seville, this luxurious Moorish palace and its gardens cover tons of ground. Buildings and decorations range over centuries, Moorish to Mujedar to Baroque, so you can see the unique fusion of Christian and Muslim architecture Andalusia is known for. Built on the site of a Roman fortress, it became a castle in the 10th century. And successive rulers just kept building!
Highlights include the Salón de Embajadores, which contains a spectacular cedar dome, and the Casa de Contratación, where Columbus met with the king and queen of Spain. We also loved the gardens, with their many trees, footpaths, ponds, and pavilions.
Seville Cathedral and La Giralda
Seville’s cathedral is the largest Gothic church in the world, finished in 1401 on the site of a mosque. It’s got five aisles and is 127 metres long, 83 metres wide and 43 metres high. The royal chapel and treasure room are worth a look, and don’t miss the paintings by Murillo, Goya, Pedro de Campaña and Luis de Vargas. On top of everything else, Christopher Columbus’ grave is here, containing 250 grams of the man.
Right next to the cathedral is La Giralda, the minaret from that mosque, now a 104-metre belltower (most bells in Spain!). This wins our prize for easiest tower to climb, as it’s not by stairs but by ramp, so horses and donkeys could also ascend. Think about sharing space with the equines while you’re up there enjoying the fantastic views.
Plaza de Espagña and María Luisa Park
Most of this gorgeous square dates to 1928, when it was built for an international exposition commemorating Spain’s discovery of America. It has navigable channels, arcades, fountains, and 52 benches and frescoes that represent the provinces of Spain. The benches and frescoes, and pretty much every other flat surface, sport azulejos, the famous tiles of Andalusia.
When the hot sun of the plaza becomes too much for you, cross over to the Parque María Luisa. It’s a beautiful green space, also with fountains and pools, that houses several museums. And also pavilions named for a number of New World places (Guatemala, Brazil, etc.).
Torre del Oro
This thirteenth century Moorish ‘tower of gold’ provides a great view of the city and Guadalquivir river. Once connected to the Alcazar by a wall, it served primarily defensive purposes. It served as both a treasury and a prison, at different times. The maritime museum it houses is not bad if you like that kind of thing (we do!).
Metropol Parasol aka Las Setas
This thingy – the largest wooden structure in the world, 150m x 70m x 26m) – is six giant umbrellas (or, if you like, mushrooms). Underneath is a great food market and underneath that, ruins. You can walk on top and at night it is lit up. Designed by Jürgen Mayer and built in 2011, it makes a great contrast to the historical sites in Seville.
There you have ’em: our don’t miss sights in Seville!
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