City Break: 24hrs Seville

Seville is a stunning city to visit, one of those places were you’re absolutely guaranteed to have a good time! Also good off-season, it’s heritage is just incredible, talking about its famous cathedral (the biggest in the world), the Alcázar Palace and its beautiful gardens, the Jewish quarter with it’s cobbled stone roads and the world famous Plaza de España, where the Sotogrande Classic Car Rally started from (check out our Lifestyle section). Apart of this historic monuments, Seville is alive all day and all night with its market, bars, cervecerías, restaurants and roof terrace hang-outs with views to-die-for! Architecturally, Seville’s stunning period buildings are literally everywhere you go, whilst ultra-modern structures are peppered all over the place, including the world’s largest wooden construction called Las Setas – completely unique to Seville and an absolute must-see! Life in Seville is happening in great style, so we’ve curated for you a list of happening destinations, telling you where to stay, where to eat, where to go outside of Seville and what to do to at end of your day…in style. One could argue that 24hrs are never enough for a vibrant city like Seville, but hey: for all those culture trippers, who want value for money, this is the ultimate guide to a good time in a city that never seems to sleep.

Lockdown measures are finally starting to ease, which means we can start to go on those holiday breaks that we’ve been dreaming about for months! Whilst some area may be a little more difficult to go to than others given the current state of things, there’s plenty of destinations that are safe and easy to travel to. One such place is Seville, a gorgeous historic city located in south-western Spain that offers visitors everything they could ever want; sunny weather, lots of things to do and see, and brilliant places to eat and drink

Check out our specially curated guide to city breaks in Seville and the top things to see and do below.

Seville Cathedral

One of Seville’s most sought-after sights is undoubtedly it’s magnificent cathedral and Giralda (the bell tower) – they loom over the city and are the key to much of the city’s cultural heritage, making them a great place to stop off at during your trip. The cathedral is the 3rd largest in the world, and is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, so you don’t want to miss out on this extraordinary sight. With 80 chapels inside and a total or 124,000 square feet to be explored, we recommend setting aside a good chunk of time for your trip to the cathedral so that you have ample opportunity to soak in everything that it has to offer.

The main attraction at the cathedral, and perhaps in the entirety of Seville is the Giralda – a huge bell tower that has become a synonymous symbol of Sevilla. The tower can be ascended using the 35 handy ramps that were put in place for horses to travel up to make it easier for the crier to climb to tower for the call to prayer. One tip: don’t book your hotel too close to the Giralda, as they’ll keep you awake, ringing every 15 minutes :-0

Before leaving, check out the remains of Christopher Colombus – his coffin is being held aloft by 4 statues as he stated that he did not want to be buried on Spanish soil!

Plaza de España

Another must-see is the Plaza de España – Seville’s famous city square featuring some of the most lavish architecture in Europe. The Plaza was built in 1929 and comprises two towers, North and South, and a large semi-circular building that stretched between the two, surrounded by canals. Due to this, the square has gained a reputation for feeling like “the Venice of Seville”! If you’re interested in seeing the plaza from canal-level, there are boats available to rent.

Take a stroll down to Maria Luisa park from Plaza de España and grab and ice- cream from one of the sellers by the pedestrianised avenue!

Las Setas

For those with an interest in contemporary architecture and spectacular views, Metropol Parasol (known locally as Las Setas) is sure to be high up on your list of vital sights whilst in Seville. The unique structure is made up of 6 separate parasols and is inspired by the vaults of Seville Cathedral and the ficus trees in Plaza de Cristo de Burgos. There’s lots to see and do at Las Setas, with an underground Antiquarium full of remains found during the construction of the landmark, a ground-level market, a floor of restaurants and a viewing platform that offers some of the city’s most breathtaking views. Whilst visiting Las Setas, you’ll be right in the heart of the Jewish Quarter – another chance to soak up the atmosphere in one of Seville’s most vibrant and interesting areas.

Gruta de las Maravilla

Gruta de las Maravillas is one of Europe’s most beautiful natural sights – it is a collection of natural caves sculpted by nature over thousands of years that provide some truly spectacular sights. The caves can be visited by 1000 people per day as part of guided tours (these are only available in Spanish) due to conservation reasons. There are many different sights to take in whilst in the caves, including “The Glassworks of God”, “The Volcano”, and “The Cathedral Hall”. Each of these different caves has its own unique look and feel, adding more to this peculiar wonder. One thing to bear in mind is that the cave is located underground and humidity levels can often hit around 98%, so you’ll want to make sure you stay cool. and hydrated whilst making your way through the aptly-named “Cave of Wonders”.

Seville has so much to offer to visitors looking for a quick escape with lots to see and do, so we hope that we’ve inspired you to head to the city to take a look for yourself!