Top 5 Sights in Spain’s Historic Seville

by Caitlin Boros · February 27, 2018

What better way to chase off the winter blues than by planning your next trip to a sunny destination? Seville in southern Spain is the perfect spot for soaking up both sun and rich history, offering a unique alternative to the country’s tourist-laden beach cities. And while the city is landlocked, there’s no shortage of beautiful sights to captivate visitors. Here, we share 5 of our favourites.

Plaza de Espagna

Entering the Plaza de Espagna is a bit like stepping onto the set of a Hollywood film – at first glance, it seems entirely surreal. And at nearly 500,000 square feet, the sheer size of the place is impressive. The site of the 1929 World Fair, the Plaza embodies both bold architectural vision and historic Spanish design. This can be observed in the style of the prominent buildings lining the edge of the crescent-shaped place, as well as the river canals and ornate bridges that cross through the heart of the area. Visitors can explore by boat and on-foot, stopping to admire the tiled alcoves that line the wall and depict Spain’s 48 provinces. If you’re lucky, a local flamenco dancer and her accompanying musicians may be found at the center of the square, performing a quintessential display of Andalusian culture.

Real Alcázar

Travellers may want to dedicate an entire day to visiting the exquisite Real Alcázar, the city’s royal palace and one of the oldest still in use in Europe. Originally built for the Moorish Muslim kings in the 10th century, the design of this UNESCO Heritage Site prominently features its Arabic roots. The palace itself is striking, enormous and beautiful – but it’s not the only site to explore. The Alcázar gardens are an elaborate oasis dotted with sprawling palm trees, fountains, and even a small labyrinth. From touring the brightly coloured rooms of the palace’s top floor to the immaculate gardens, this site offers a truly enchanting experience for all who visit.

Seville Cathedral

If you’re exploring the city by foot, it will be impossible to miss the Seville Cathedral. Steps away from the Real Alcázar, this other UNESCO World Heritage Site is the third largest church in the world, and the largest in the Gothic style. At 23,500 square meters, walking around just the periphery of the building takes some time. Like many of the cathedrals in Seville, it was originally built as a mosque in the 12th century before being ‘Christianized’ in the mid-1200s. One particularly unique feature of the site is that it features 14 doors along it’s 4 facades, many lined with elaborate sculpture detailing. Can you spot them all?

Casa de Pilatos

Casa de Pilatos, while a smaller palace than Alcázar, is one of the most intricate displays of iconic tile mosaics in Seville. The centre courtyard (featured in the above image) is lined with aqua and dark blue tiles, which continue on the inside of the palace in a series of colours and patterns. And these aren’t any ordinary tile – they are azulejo, a tine-glazed ceramic tile signature to Spain. Opt for the paid tour of the upper floor, where a knowledgeable guide will walk you through each room, describing both the history of the place as well as the origins of some of the unique art and items featured in the palace.

Alameda de Hercules

Photo Credit: Ali Eminov, Flickr

After a long day of walking through the sun-soaked streets of Seville, there’s no better place to sit and relax than one of the many patios that line the Alameda de Hercules. But before taking a seat, be sure to take a closer look at the two tall Roman columns that stand at the garden square’s entryway. Atop these imposing pillars sit statues of Hercules and Julius Cesar, remind passerbys of the city’s Roman history. Visitors may also notice the white poplar trees that line the square – álamos in Spanish – that along contribute to the namesake of this square.

Now, sit back, relax, and enjoy some delicious tapas in the heart of the city.

Know of other top sights to see in Spain? Share them with us in the comments below!

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Caitlin Boros

Caitlin's love for travel began at age 2 and has been a life-long affair. She's visited 13 countries, and has lived in 4. Caitlin currently resides in Paris, where she works as a Social Media Consultant at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). In her spare time, you can find Caitlin reading a good book, catching a flick at the local theatre, or eating something delicious. No matter where she is, you can bet she's thinking about her next adventure.