Exploring Seville in 3 days

Seville is a jewel in the beautiful Andalusia region of South Spain. Sunny weather and fascinating history make Seville a great city break, or you can use it as a base for day trips to explore this Spanish region. Here’s my guide to exploring Seville in 3 days. 

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When is the best time to visit Seville? 

To fully enjoy exploring Seville in 3 days, I’d recommend visiting in spring or autumn. March to May, or September to November, bring warm sunny days and little rain. The summer months of July and August can get extremely hot which can make it difficult to enjoy exploring some of the sights. 

Easter can be a great time to visit as there can be extra events on to celebrate Easter. However, Spain is a Catholic country so expect many places to be closed over the Easter weekend, including a lot of the tourist attractions and restaurants. If you’re planning to visit over Easter, check opening times carefully so you can plan your visit around closing times. 

Day 1: The Alcazar and Plaza de Espana

Start your time exploring Seville in three days by exploring ones of Seville’s best sights, the famous Alcazar. It’s definitely worth booking your tickets in advance, especially if you’re visiting at busy times such as around Easter. The queues can get really long, but if you book online you can skip the queue and have more time to explore. Book tickets online here. 

The Alcazar of Seville is a Spanish royal palace, built by the Moorish rulers. The Alcazar was begun in around the 8th century and developed more in the 14th century, when this area of Spain was occupied by the Moors. You can really see the Arabic influence here, with Arabic calligraphy on the walls and the iconic geometric patterns. 

Expect to spend a couple of hours exploring the Alcazar and learning about the history. There are beautiful gardens to explore as well.

After enjoying lunch at one of the many local tapas bars, head over to Plaza de Espana for the afternoon. One of my favourite things to do in Seville in three days is to visit the stunning Plaza de Espana.

It was built in 1929 for the Ibero-American Exposition, and it’s a great place to relax. The semicircular buildings surrounded the water are just beautiful in the sun. Spend some time wandering round and relaxing here, before heading out to another tapas bar for your evening.

Day 2: Seville Cathedral and Las Setas

Seville Cathedral and the nearby bell tower, La Giralda, are another highlight of Seville. Go inside the cathedral to see the tomb of Christopher Columbus and admire the architecture. 

Make sure you leave time to climb to the top of the bell tower as well for beautiful views over the city. 

For something a bit different in the afternoon, I’d recommend visiting the artistic Las Setas for views over the city. This unique wooden structure is great for photos, and I loved relaxing at the top with a glass of wine while enjoying the view. 

Day 3: Take a day trip to the white villages or Cordoba 

For your final day when you’re exploring Seville in three days, I’d recommend taking a day trip to explore somewhere else in the region. 

You can hire a car and drive around the beautiful white villages of Andalucia. Enjoy mountain views, and make sure you visit Ronda to see the famous bridge. You can read more about a day in the white villages here.

Alternatively, you can take the train to nearby Cordoba for a day trip from Seville. Only an hour by train, Cordoba has cute cobbled streets and the impressive Mesquita mosque. Read about Cordoba as a day trip from Seville here. 

How to spend a week in Andalusia? 

If you’ve got a full week to spend in Andalusia, I’d recommend starting off your week with the above itinerary to spend a few days in Seville. Then take some day trips to the white villages and Cordoba. And finally, finish off your week in Granada. Visiting these places in a week will give you a great taste of this region, and you’ll definitely want to be returning to explore more! For a great guide to the whole region of Andalusia, check out the Lonely Planet guide to Andalusia (affiliate).

Enjoy exploring Seville in four days! If you’d like to explore more of Andalusia, why not spend a few days in nearby Granada. Or if you’re looking to explore more of Spain, check out my guide to Barcelona and taking a day trip from Barcelona to the Montserrat monastery in the mountains.