top of page

48 Hours in Seville: Spain's Sunny City

Niamh Woodhouse

Tuesday, 15 February 2022

Join Niamh, a French and Spanish third year, for 48 hours in this beautiful, Andalusian city, full of life, culture and history!

Seville has been an important city throughout Spanish history, from its Moorish routes to the country's Golden Age, when the city benefited from the hordes of riches brought from the New World. The result of this is that is has become a city rich with a beautiful culture and an extraordinary history. ​


As well as being a cultural hotspot, the Andalusian capital has a bustling nightlife, making it the perfect destination for a city break. Full of hotels, Airbnbs and hostels, the city has plenty of places to stay – even on a student budget!


Day 1


The best way to start your day in Andalusia is with an authentic breakfast! Pan con tomate, toasted bread served with salmorejo (tomatoes blended with bread), olive oil and occasionally cured Serrano ham, is something you have to try when visiting Seville. In the majority of cafes, you can order this alongside a coffee and fresh orange juice, amazingly for under €5. ​


Walking through the cobbled streets of the city, you'll be able to find many places offering this deal. But I recommend Café Mamá Inés, with it serving a range of coffees and alterations on the classic pan con tomate. The second reason Mamá Inés is the ideal place to start you trip to Seville is the location. Situated on Plaza Zurbarán, it is just a 30 second walk from one of the city's most iconic (and controversial) landmarks - Las Setas.


Las Setas de Sevilla

Las Setas, or ‘The Mushrooms’ as it's known in English, is a relatively new addition to Seville’s landscape, with construction being completed in 2011. Although contrasting to the rest of the quarter’s architecture, it is still an impressive structure and with a short escalator ride up, you have access to viewpoint across the city – completely free!


Top Tip! Remember to bring your student card for discounts and deals across the city!


After a look over the city from the top of the Setas, wander along to one of the three UNESCO World Heritage sites that Seville has to offer, el Catedral de Sevilla. Said to be the third biggest Church in the world, this colossal building has been a central part of Seville for nearly a thousand years. Having watched over the city for all this time, you get an immense sense of the history held within the building, especially around the tomb of the renowned explorer Christopher Columbus. With beautiful architecture and decoration throughout, you can easily spend an afternoon walking through the Cathedral, its side chapels and gardens. Don't forget La Giralda Tower included in your ticket for another breath-taking view across the city!


La Giralda Tower

Moving into the evening, the city gets even busier. An integral part of Spanish culture is the nightlife and Sevilla is a great place to experience this! Begin your evening with a meal in one of the city's many restaurants - from a traditional tapas bar to cuisines from afar! We went for Asian tapas at Sibuya Sushi Bar and very much recommend! ​


After dinner, visit a bar or chupitería. These won't be hard to find - squares across the city will be jampacked with enthusiastic locals and visitors alike enjoying a cerveza or glass of tinto. For more of an exclusive feel, there are also plenty of rooftop bars on offer to sip a cocktail and watch the sun go down!


Day 2


Undoubtedly, one of the most popular breakfast spots in Seville is La Mala Brunch. Offering a range of dishes, such as traditional tostadas, classic eggs benedict and waffles & pancakes to satisfy those with a sweet tooth, there is something for everyone at La Mala Brunch. Although remember to book or arrive early as it can have around an hour waiting time!


Pancakes at La Mala Brunch

After desayuno, it's time to explore the Real Alcázar, a remnant of Arab rule over the city. This enchanting palace has been a royal residence since the eighth century and you can tell why the royals love it so much! With its Moorish facades, tiles and domes, it really transports you to another era and world. As well as, a walk around the extensive and tranquil gardens will certainly help you recover from the night before!​


Top Tip! As you may have heard, Seville is famous for its oranges - their trees line the streets and fill the gardens of its palace. However, don't be fooled by their vibrant colour! They are extremely sour and bitter and VERY unpleasant to eat. We learnt the hard way!


Following the beautiful Alcázar, make your way to the Plaza de España in Parque de María Luisa. It is a little bit of a walk (20 minutes) from the city centre but definitely worth the trip! Or if the walk is a little too long, there electric scooters to rent dotted around the city. The plaza is bordered by colourful tiled alcoves, each representing the different provinces of Spain, and features a moat. Rowing boats are available to hire for €6, making it a very budget friendly sunset activity.


For the final night in Sevilla, I recommend doing something quintessentially Spanish! So cross the River Guadalquivir in La Tirana, the old gitano neighbourhood of the city. La Tirana is rumoured to be the birthplace of flamenco, so there's no better place to watch a show! Small, intimate venues are scattered throughout this barrio, offering authentic and thrilling flamenco performances nightly. So grab some tapas and cerveza and enjoy the show!

Map

About the Author

Related Articles

Barcelona’s Hidden Gems: Live like a local and escape the tourists

Mhairi MacLeod

48 Hours in Seville: Spain's Sunny City

Niamh Woodhouse

Southern Spain’s Architectural Gems

Vicki Mileson


 

Images Provided by Niamh Woodhouse


For more content, follow us on Instagram, and like our Facebook page for more articles and information on how to join the Lingo Team.


Have an article ready to send in? Submit it here.

Tags:

Tips Spain Seville Food History Niamh Woodhouse

Categories:

Travel City Guide Culture

Share:

facebook-scalable-graphics-icon-facebook-logo-facebook-logo-png-clip-art.png
png-clipart-computer-icons-social-media-business-turner-s-fine-furniture-black-twitter-ico

Let us know what you think

average rating is 3 out of 5, based on 150 votes, Article ratings

Thanks for submitting a comment! 

bottom of page