Top Attractions in Sevilla

Cathedral

It took almost 400 years to build Spain's largest church and the third biggest in the Christian world. Standing on the site of what was Seville's main mosque, one can still see elements of the Mudéjar style of art and late Gothic style architecture. Work began in the early 15th century, and by the time it was finished, it had five naves with a floor space measuring 116m x 76m. There is an astounding number of fine paintings and sculpture inside.

Giralda

Seville's most impressive building was originally a Moorish minaret, known as the Mohammedan minaret of La Giralda. It is attached to its adjacent mosque which was later converted into the cathedral bell tower with the addition of Renaissance-style balconies. It's well worth climbing to the top for some stunning views of the city.

Torre del Oro

Built by 13th-century Almohad rulers of Seville to control shipping along the River Guadalquivir, this attractive tower is within easy walking distance of the cathedral, Giralda Tower and Maestranza Bullring. There are a few legends that attempt to explain why it's called Torre del Oro (The Golden Tower). One says that the gold from the New World was stored here in the 16th and 17th centuries. Another claims that the Almohads originally covered its outer walls in golden tiles. The battlements on the upper part were added in the 18th century.

Casa de Pilatos

This wonderful old house in the center of the city is open to the the public all day. Its numerous rooms are full of antique furniture and collections of vases, plates and silverware spanning many different historical time periods. There's an important collection of paintings dating from the 16th-19th centuries as well. The Spanish Royal Family and sundry members of the aristocracy stay here when they come to Seville and the house closes on those days.

Parque de María Luisa

Sitting in the centre of the city is a huge expanse of parkland planted with a wide variety of trees from all over the world. This is the perfect place to spend a relaxing Sunday afternoon. It has been carefully laid out with lots of space to wander among the exotic plants and numerous areas where you can sit and rest. You can rent bicycles and even take a horse-drawn carriage ride. It's named after Princess María Luisa who donated some of the land and plants from her palace gardens to start the public park. Inside, you'll find examples of all styles of architecture in the buildings erected as pavilions for Seville's 1929 Ibero-American Expo. Join one of the free guided tours given by students of the tourism school on weekends. Admission: free.

Plaza de España

A magnificent semi-circular square that has become a symbol of the city. Along with the adjacent building it was designed by Aníbal González for Seville's 1929 Ibero-American Expo in a style that has become known as Andalusian regionalist because it employed a mixture of architectural influences from the past including Renaissance and Gothic. The most oustanding feature is the overwhelming use of exposed red brick. The inner part of the square contains a series of glazed-tile depictions of historical scenes from every province in Spain. A canal runs around the perimeter of the square where you can hire a rowing boat or motor boat for a short pleasure trip.

Calle Sierpes

This is, without doubt, the best-known street and it runs between Plaza de San Francisco and La Campana (a shopping area). Although it's a short street, it's lined with all kinds of shops, bars and cafés, and has a constant stream of people all day long. It's a prime location, right in the center of the city and completely pedestrianized. Next to this street are Plaza del Salvador and Capilla de San José. There are also several tiled walls in this street, one of these being the façade of Seville's former prison where you can read that Miguel De Cervantes was imprisoned here, and it was while serving his sentence that he had the idea to write El Quijote, the most famous work of Spanish literature.

Circuito Deportivo Parque María Luisa

If jogging and outdoor exercise are your thing, then the spacious, pleasant, and historical Sevillian María Luisa Park is an unbeatable location for your next workout. From the very entrance to the Park, you can already see the two thin towers of the Plaza de España reaching up to the sky. It is a true delight to run near the Reales Alcázares, the old Tobacco Factory, and San Fernando Street, whose sidewalks are spiced up with college students visiting bookstores and nearby bars. Without a doubt, it is one of the biggest pleasures available for the athlete. On Isabel la Católica Avenue, one of the entrances to the park, if our physical shape allows and we have indeed been able to cross the entire park, we will find the Casino of the Universal Exposition of 1929 and the Municipal Theatre Lope de Vega. Regardless of the entrance you choose, the beauty of the park encourages any athlete to go that extra mile, and at the same time, enjoy the sights at hand.

Paseos en coches de caballo

The horse and carriage rides are a very popular attraction. There are several points around the city where you can find the traditional carriages, with their coachmen eager to take you for a ride. You will find them in Avenida de Roma, next to the Alfonso XIII hotel, in Plaza de Espana on Anibal Gonzalez roundabout, in Plaza del Triunfo and behind the Archivo de Indias. It is most expensive to take a ride during Feria de Abril.

Estadio Manuel Ruiz de Lopera

The Estadio Manuel Ruiz de Lopera belongs to the Real Betis Balompié Club and hosts the soccer games of the popular Betis soccer team. The most important events that take place in this stadium are the soccer games between the Betis and the Sevilla teams, who are bitter rivals.