The heart of Andalusia. A city of orange trees, flamenco, and jaw-dropping Islamic architecture. The Real Alcázar alone is worth the entire trip. Three packed days — arrive Friday evening, full sightseeing Saturday, Jerez sherry day trip Sunday, then onward to Valencia.
Day 1 — Friday, October 16
Arrive from Málaga ~6pm · Santa Cruz stroll
AVE 02153 departs Málaga 14:56, change at Córdoba (17:03–17:55 on AVLO 02156), arrive Sevilla Santa Justa 17:55. Taxi to Hotel Giralda Center (~10 min). Hotel is in San Bernardo, southeast of the old town — Santa Cruz is an easy 8 min walk. Check in, then wander the narrow lanes of Barrio Santa Cruz. Pre-dinner wine at Lama la Uva, dinner at Blanco Paloma.
Day 2 — Saturday, October 17
Day trip to Jerez — Tío Pepe (booked 12:30pm) · Evening: Metropol Parasol (booked 6:45pm)
Morning train to Jerez (~45 min from Santa Justa). Tío Pepe "Entre vinos y tapas" experience at 12:30pm — arrive in Jerez by 11:30am to explore the old town first. Return mid-afternoon. Stop at Metropol Parasol at 6:45pm for the rooftop — perfect golden-hour timing before dinner. Dinner at Lalola or Casa Robles.
Day 3 — Sunday, October 18
Morning: Alcázar (booked 9:30am) · Cathedral · Afternoon: Plaza de España · Evening: Tapas & Flamenco Tour (booked 5:30pm)
Real Alcázar at 9:30am — timed entry booked, allow 2hrs, finish ~11:30am. Walk to the Cathedral for the Cathedral visit (note: Cathedral is booked for Oct 19 morning, so today just walk the exterior and Giralda if you like — or keep Cathedral for tomorrow). Lunch nearby in Santa Cruz. Afternoon: walk to Plaza de España (~15 min, genuinely unmissable). That still leaves time for a coffee and a change before the tour. Evening: Tapas & Flamenco Tour with City Experiences — meet at Banco de España, Pl. de San Francisco 17 at 5:30pm. Finishes around 8:30pm — dinner is included on the tour.
Day 4 — Monday, October 19
Morning: Cathedral & Giralda (booked 10:45am) · Departure: Train to Valencia departs 4:44pm
Cathedral de Sevilla at 10:45am — timed entry booked, allow 1.5–2hrs (includes Giralda ramps). Finish by ~12:30pm. Lunch nearby in Santa Cruz or Triana. Taxi to Santa Justa station (~10 min). Allow 30 min before departure. AVE 03981 departs 16:44, arrives Valencia Joaquín Sorolla 21:06.
Booking Status
| Item | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|
| ✅ Málaga → Seville trains | Booked | Oct 16 · AVE 02153 dep 14:56 + AVLO 02156 dep 17:03 |
| ✅ Hotel Giralda Center | Booked | Oct 16–19 · Check-in 6:00pm |
| ✅ Tío Pepe — Entre vinos y tapas | Booked | Oct 17 · 12:30pm · Jerez |
| ✅ Metropol Parasol (Setas de Sevilla) | Booked | Oct 17 · 6:45pm |
| ✅ Real Alcázar | Booked | Oct 18 · 9:30am |
| ✅ Tapas & Flamenco Tour | Booked | Oct 18 · 5:30pm · Pl. de San Francisco 17 |
| ✅ Catedral de Sevilla | Booked | Oct 19 · 10:45am (departure day morning) |
| ✅ Seville → Valencia train | Booked | Oct 19 · AVE 03981 dep 16:44 |
Attractions
Real Alcázar ✅ BOOKED
★★★★★ 4.7 (65,000)A 1000-year-old royal palace still used by the Spanish royal family. Islamic geometric tilework, horseshoe arches, courtyards with fountains. Game of Thrones was filmed here (the Water Gardens of Dorne).
Tickets: Viator · TripAdvisor
Seville Cathedral & Giralda ✅ BOOKED
★★★★★ 4.7 (55,000)Largest Gothic cathedral in the world. Columbus's tomb, enormous gold altarpiece. The Giralda tower was a 12th-century minaret — it has ramps (not stairs!) all the way to the top.
Tickets: Viator · TripAdvisor
Plaza de España
★★★★★ 4.8 (95,000)Built for the 1929 World's Fair. Massive semicircular building with a canal, ornamental bridges, and 48 tiled alcoves representing each Spanish province. Ridiculously photogenic.
Tickets: TripAdvisor
Metropol Parasol (Las Setas) ✅ BOOKED
★★★★★ 4.4 (32,000)Striking modern wooden structure — the world's largest. Rooftop walkway with panoramic views over the old town. Especially beautiful at sunset.
Jerez Sherry Bodega Day Trip — Tío Pepe ✅ BOOKED
Jerez de la Frontera — the home of sherry. Visit a historic bodega for a tour through the solera system and generous tastings.
Book: Viator · TripAdvisor
Hotels
✅ Hotel Giralda Center BOOKED
★★★★★ Booking.com 9.0 · TripAdvisor Top 10%Calle Juan de Mata Carriazo 7, Seville. Standard Room for 2. Check-in: 6:00pm · Check-out: Oct 19 noon.
Good choice overall. San Bernardo is a modern, safe, residential neighbourhood just southeast of the historic core — it's not inside the tourist bubble, which means better sleep than hotels directly on the cathedral square. Plaza de España is a comfortable 10-min walk, Alcázar is 14 min, and Santa Cruz is about 8 min on foot. The nearest metro (L1) is 5 min away if you'd rather not walk back after a late evening. One honest trade-off: you'll be walking to the old city rather than stepping straight out into it — the most atmospheric streets (Santa Cruz, Mateos Gago) are a 15-min walk. The hotel itself is 4★, modern, with a rooftop pool, and holds a Booking.com location score of 9.0.
Restaurants
🍽️ What to order in Seville: Andalusia is tapas country — small plates designed for sharing over a long evening. The essentials: montaditos (small open toasts), jamón ibérico, croquetas de jamón, and gambas al ajillo (garlic prawns). For a proper meal, look for rabo de toro (braised oxtail — the Sevillano classic) and pescaíto frito (mixed fried fish). In season, salmorejo (thick cold tomato soup, richer than gazpacho) is everywhere and excellent.
Blanco Paloma
★★★★★ 4.5 (450)Traditional Sevillano cooking. Hearty, local, unpretentious. Good first-night spot.
Casa Robles
★★★★★ 4.0 (2,200)Fine traditional dining near the cathedral. White tablecloths, excellent service, classic Andalusian dishes.
Lalola (Bib Gourmand)
★★★★★ 4.5 (380)Modern Andalusian with a Michelin Bib Gourmand. Creative without being fussy. Book ahead — small space, popular.
El Baratillo (Triana)
★★★★★ 4.5 (1,100)Riverside tapas in the Triana neighbourhood. Casual, local, great views back across to the old town.
Opera & Events
💃 Seville Tapas & Flamenco Tour ✅ BOOKED
City Experiences guided tapas crawl and flamenco show through the old town. Meeting point: Banco de España, Pl. de San Francisco 17.
🎶 Teatro de la Maestranza
Seville's opera house on the river. Gounod's "Roméo et Juliette" plays Oct 23 (after we leave). Check their website for concerts or recitals Oct 17–18 — they often have smaller events during the season.
Book: Official tickets · TripAdvisor
Wine & Cocktail Bars
🥂 Try locally: Manzanilla — the bone-dry, slightly salty fino sherry made only in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, just down the coast. It's the wine of Seville: light, cold, and perfect with tapas. Also try fino en rama (unfiltered fino) if you see it. Both are served in small copas and are dramatically different from the sweet sherries sold abroad.
Small Shops & Museums
📜 Archivo de Indias
★★★★★ 4.4 (5,200)Free entry. Houses documents from the Spanish colonial era including a replica of Columbus's diary. Beautiful Renaissance building right next to the Cathedral.
🎨 Triana Ceramics
Cross the bridge to Triana neighbourhood for small ceramic shops selling traditional Sevillano tiles and pottery. Great for browsing and picking up souvenirs.
💃 Museo del Baile Flamenco
★★★★★ 4.3 (3,100)Small museum dedicated to flamenco history and dance. Sometimes has intimate performances in the courtyard — worth checking their schedule.
🏃 Running Routes
Guadalquivir River Path
Gravel paths along the western bank of the river, starting from Puente de la Señorita heading north for ~3.5km. Flat, tree-lined, mostly shaded. Quiet in the early morning. Can extend further north past the SE-30.
📏 5-7km (out-and-back on the route) 🛤️ Gravel paths, flat 🏃 ~7 min run to river start (1.2km) 📐 Total door-to-door: 7.4–9.4km
María Luisa Park + Plaza de España Loop
Run through the beautiful María Luisa Park (shaded paths, fountains, duck ponds) and loop past Plaza de España. A "runseeing" tour that takes in the city's most photogenic spots. Mostly flat with wide paths.
📏 5-6km (loop) 🛤️ Paved + gravel paths, flat 🏃 ~4 min run to park entrance (700m) 📐 Total door-to-door: 6.4–7.4km
Maps: GreatRuns
📚 Further Reading
Rick Steves — Sevilla Guide — Practical tips, self-guided walks, restaurant picks, and honest opinions on what to skip.
Rick Steves Audio Tours (Spain) — Free self-guided audio walking tours. Download the Audio Europe app.
Seat61 — Train Travel in Spain — Best independent guide to Spanish trains.
Transport
🚕 Getting Around
Santa Justa station → Hotel: Taxi €10, ~10 min
Jerez day trip: Train ~1hr each way, ~€15–20 return pp
Old town is compact — everything is walkable from Santa Cruz.
🗺️ Seville → Valencia on Rome2Rio → (compare train, bus, car options)
🚄 Train Bookings
| Route | Date | Train | Depart | Arrive | Class | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Málaga María Zambrano → Córdoba | Fri Oct 16 | AVE 02153 | 14:56 | 15:43 | Confort (Coach 1) | 13C / 13B |
| Córdoba → Sevilla Santa Justa | Fri Oct 16 | AVLO 02156 | 17:03 | 17:55 | Turista (Coach 11) | 02A / 02B |
| Sevilla Santa Justa → Valencia Joaquín Sorolla | Sun Oct 19 | AVE 03981 | 16:44 | 21:06 | Confort (Coach 1) | 4B / 4C |
✅ All trains booked via Renfe. Tickets issued.