Seville Travel Guide

Seville Cathedral is the largest Gothic church in the Christian world, raised on the site of a former mosque and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. The soaring Giralda, converted from a minaret, is climbed by ramps not stairs, overlooking red roofs. Columbus's tomb rests within — a monument to Andalusian faith and power.

Plaza de España is Seville's landmark built for the 1929 Ibero-American Exposition — a semicircular building embracing a canal, with tiled benches depicting every Spanish province. Red-brick towers, arcades and horse carriages form an supremely romantic picture, still beloved for film shoots and evening strolls.

Beside Seville's cathedral, the Real Alcazar is among the oldest royal palaces in Europe still in use, begun by the Moors in 913 and layered ever since with Christian, Gothic and Renaissance additions. Its jewel is the Palacio de Pedro I: lace-like stucco work, glazed tiles and mocarabe arches at the height of Mudejar art. The upper floor still serves the Spanish royal family on state visits. The vast gardens layer orange trees, palms and cypress mazes where peacocks roam. Game of Thrones fans will recognise Dorne. Book online for the earliest slot to dodge crowds and Andalusian heat.

The Royal Alcázar of Seville is an extraordinarily splendid palace—fusing Islamic Moorish and Christian styles, famed for its dazzling Mudéjar architecture and beautiful gardens. It is one of the oldest royal palaces still in use in Europe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a not-to-be-missed gem of Seville. The Royal Alcázar is a palace complex of great antiquity and unique splendor: it was first built under Moorish (Islamic) rule, then continuously expanded and remodeled by Christian monarchs (who loved and imitated its fine Islamic art), so it blends Islamic Moorish, Christian and other cultural and architectural styles, renowned above all for its brilliant Mudéjar architecture—a distinctive style under Christian rule that wove in Islamic art—exquisite beyond words. The palace's architecture and decoration are gorgeously fine: especially its core, the Palace of Pedro I, with breathtaking courtyards (such as the famous Patio de las Doncellas, Courtyard of the Maidens), walls and arches carved with intricate Islamic geometric patterns and calligraphy, brilliant azulejo tiles, finely carved wooden ceilings, and murmuring fountain waters—everywhere filled with the splendor and oriental mood of Islamic art, intoxicating. Another charm is its vast, lovely gardens—Islamic- and Renaissance-style grounds with green trees and flowers, fountains and pools, and labyrinthine pavilions, serene, beautiful and full of life. The palace's stunning settings have also been used as a filming location for famous films and series. Visiting the Royal Alcázar, marvelling at its dazzling Mudéjar architecture and lovely gardens, and savoring the beauty where Islamic and Christian cultures meet is a sublime Sevillian experience.

The Torre del Oro (Gold Tower) is a 13th-century Almohad military watchtower on the Guadalquivir River in Seville. This dodecagonal golden-stone tower, with its unique shape, picturesque riverside position and role as a Seville historic landmark and naval museum, is one of the city's most recognizable historic buildings. Built in the 1220s as part of the Almohad defensive wall to control river traffic, the name "Gold" reportedly comes from its golden tile facade gleaming in the sun, or from gold brought from the Americas once stored inside. The twelve-sided tower has three floors, the top added later. It now houses a small naval museum with models and maritime exhibits. From the top, views of the Guadalquivir and Triana Bridge. The riverside promenade is one of Seville's most pleasant walks. Visiting the Torre del Oro to feel Seville's history and Andalusian sunshine by the river is a relaxed, elegant experience.

The San Telmo Museum is the temple of Basque culture. Housed in a sixteenth-century Dominican convent and reopened in 2011 after a striking expansion, the museum clamps old and new architecture onto the rock of Mount Urgull. Permanent displays use archaeology, folk life, art and contemporary issues to tell the story of Basque society past and present; the vast murals in the convent cloister are the showstopper, and the vertical garden on the hillside is a sight in itself. Finish your visit by climbing the mount for bay and old-town views, or treat it as the perfect all-weather half day.