One Day in Seville Spain with Kids
Seville is a city that is fun to get lost in. It’s a beautiful city and has its own special magic. It’s a wonderful choice for both family and long-term travel.
Seville is a beautiful city located in the southern region of Spain, known for its stunning architecture, rich history, and lively atmosphere. Travelers to Seville can explore the city’s many attractions, including the famous Seville Cathedral, which is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world and home to the tomb of Christopher Columbus. Another popular attraction is the Real Alcazar, a stunning palace complex that blends Moorish and Christian architecture.
Seville is also known for its vibrant atmosphere, especially during the annual Feria de Abril, a week-long festival featuring traditional dress, music, and dancing. Visitors can also enjoy the city’s many tapas bars, where they can sample the local cuisine and enjoy a glass of wine or sherry.
How to Get to Seville and Travel Around Seville
Seville has an airport but prices are generally cheaper going in to Lisbon or Malaga. It’s about a 4 hour drive from Lisbon to Seville. Once you are in the Andalusia area of Spain then most drives around 2 hours between larger cities and towns.
Seville is Andalusia’s biggest city. If you only have a day or two then go straight to the old town city center and explore from there. Parking can be difficult so expect to take extra time finding a spot. Once you park the city is very easy to navigate.
We first went to Seville as a day trip from our home base in Olvera. Our original plan was to explore the town and try to find a Flamenco show. Of course, plans changed, kids (and parents) get tired but our time in Seville was wonderful.
First stop – The Plaza de Espana
After getting a little lost trying to find parking, we parked at a hotel near the Plaza de Espana. We then walked a short distance to the plaza (it’s so pretty) and soaked in some of the atmosphere. The plaza is made of a large beautiful building, fountains, ornate tiles, a small canal and some amazing horse carriages – if you’re in to that kind of thing and what kind of person visiting this part of Spain isn’t. For an unique experience you float in the boats around these beautiful historic buildings. The Plaza de Espana also has some wonderful park space to take that Spanish stroll.
My kids loved the street performers … they had bubbles. After the kids had their fill of chasing the bubbles around the fountain (and I got my photos) we began searching for our next stop – the Real Alcazar de Seville.
Old Town Seville – Santa Cruz
The old town and tourist area of Seville is called Santa Cruz. It’s just beautiful and has such an inviting and relaxing atmosphere. I could spend all day exploring the wandering streets. It’s a very photogenic area too. Think small alley’s, fresh flowers with music and spice smells wafting out of small shops.
Santa Cruz is full of tapas restaurants and small shops. If you have time (and 1-2 kids or less) then find a cafe table, grab some tapas and some wine and enjoy a relaxing day. Our kids were too restless to sit very long but we really enjoyed exploring this area of the city.
Royal (Real) Alcázar of Seville
We wanted to stop by the Cathedral first to see Christopher Columbus’s tomb but it was closed. So we went to the Alcazar line instead (and it was a long line). I’m glad we did. We went a different day to the cathedral but the Royal Alcazar was my favorite of the two.
We skipped some of the line by going ahead and getting a guide but there was still a pretty good wait. I do recommend buying these tickets online. We were visiting in off-season and it still took us 30-45 minutes in line. Buy tickets here.
The palace complex itself is huge. It is a blend of several different styles that have been woven together over time. There are Arabic, Middle Ages, Renaissance, and Baroque elements. It’s really spectacular (and big). I was fascinated by all the tile and wood work. The Alcazar was also used in filming Game of Thrones and I can see why. It is definitely a must see and it probably the most beautiful palace that we were able to tour on our trip – and we saw a lot of them.
Cathedral of Seville
We ended up planning a second day trip to Seville a few weeks later. It’s such a wonderful city and one day is not enough. This trip we focused on the Cathedral.
As with most cathedrals, it’s massive and the details are amazing. We were able to see Christopher Columbus’s tomb which set of a prety good history lesson (the good and the bad). I’m very glad we made the trip back.
Making Choices
After the tour the kids were getting a little restless and tired – so we talked them out of Flamenco. I’m sure it would have been wonderful but the shows don’t start until late at night and we just can’t do everything.
Instead we stopped for some time at one of the many playgrounds we spotted on the way to the car. The kids climbed and did zip lines then we made our way back home after a stop at Burger King for something resembling food and ice cream. I’d love to say we loaded up on local food and had time to enjoy the tapas bars but we were not able to adjust to a Spanish eating cycle (lunch at 2-3 dinner after 9 pm) so for us it was fast food or no food.
Overall it was a great day. I loved Seville and I want to go back. Next time I hope we can stay a few days and definitely save some energy for on of those famous Flamenco shows.
Have more time? Then consider spending some time in the Costa del Sol.
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