Things to Do in Seville: Sights, Palaces and Day Trips

If you only have a weekend, start with the two great landmarks. Seville Cathedral began life as a mosque before becoming a Catholic cathedral, and the Reales Alcázares next to it is the city's royal palace; together they are the Seville attractions most visitors build a day around, both about a mile from the centre.

After those, the question of Seville what to see becomes a pleasant one of choosing between palaces. Casa de Pilatos, now a museum, is barely half a mile from the centre, while Palacio de las Dueñas, a 15th-century historical monument, and the Palacio de San Telmo are each around a mile away. The Archbishop's Palace sits near the Cathedral too.

For art and history, the Museo de Bellas Artes de Sevilla occupies a former monastery, the Archeological Museum of Seville covers the region's past, and Casa de Murillo is a small museum close to the centre. The Plaza de toros de la Maestranza, the historic bullring, rounds off a full list of things to visit in Seville.

The old centre of Sevilla holds the lion's share of what there is to see in Seville. Cathedral, Alcázares, Casa de Pilatos, Casa de Murillo, the Archbishop's Palace and the Maestranza bullring all fall within roughly a mile, so a good pair of shoes covers most of it. Slightly further out, at about 2 miles, you'll find the Museo de Bellas Artes, the Basílica de la Macarena and the Isabel II Bridge across the river.

Camas, about 4 miles from the centre, is the base for two very different visits: the Isla Mágica theme park and the Antiguo Monasterio de la Cartuja de Santa María de las Cuevas, a former monastery around 2 miles from the old town.

Santiponce, roughly 5 miles away, is home to Italica, the ancient city of Hispania Baetica, and its Roman amphitheatre. It's the obvious choice if you're weighing up day tours from Seville and want something close at hand rather than a long coach ride.

Isla Mágica is the clear family pick: a theme park about 2.5 miles from the centre, on the Camas side of the river. It makes a welcome change of pace after a morning of palaces and museums.

Older children often enjoy Italica more than they expect, because the Roman amphitheatre is easy to picture in use. The Alcázares, with its royal palace setting, also tends to hold young attention better than a gallery. In July and August daytime highs average 37°C, so plan outdoor visits for early in the day and keep the hottest hours for indoor sights or a rest.

You can compare tours and tickets for the main Seville Spain attractions directly on this page, alongside hotel prices and car hire if you plan to drive out to Santiponce or Camas. Booking popular sights such as the Cathedral and the Alcázares ahead saves time standing in a queue.

April, May and October are the best months to visit, with average highs of 23°C, 29°C and 27°C. Summer is very hot and almost rainless, while winter is mild at around 16°C in January. If you'd rather bundle flights and a hotel, package deals from several UK providers are shown here too: Seville Airport is 7 minutes from the city and Jerez about an hour away, both with direct flights from the UK.