Old Seville Walking Tour (Self Guided), Seville

The Royal Palace of Seville is one of the city’s most important historical monuments and a rare example of a palace that has remained in continuous use for more than a thousand years. Its story begins in 712, when Seville was conquered by the Umayyad Caliphate, ushering in nearly seven centuries of Arab rule in Andalusia. In 913, Abd al-Rahman III ordered the construction of a fort on this site, built over a former Visigothic church. This early complex was expanded in the 11th century with an addition known as Al Mubarak, meaning “The Blessed,” as Seville grew into a major political centre of Muslim Spain .

Over time, the palace underwent repeated cycles of demolition and rebuilding. By the later medieval period, as many as twelve palaces had been constructed one atop another, each reflecting the tastes and priorities of its rulers. Its most decisive transformation came in the 14th century, when King Pedro I commissioned the Mudéjar Palace, blending Islamic craftsmanship with Christian symbolism. Muslim artisans created interiors rich in carved stucco, wooden ceilings, Arabic inscriptions, and an extraordinary abundance of ceramic tiles—majolica and arista—so characteristic of Seville.

The main entrance, the Lion Gate, takes its name from the tiled panel above the doorway showing a lion holding a cross beneath a Latin motto meaning “ready for anything.” Once you pass through security, you enter the Lion Courtyard. To your left is the Justice Hall, known for its remarkable Mudéjar plasterwork and square floor plan. While in the Lion Courtyard, continue straight ahead to reach the Hunting Courtyard. From there, head toward the richly decorated main façade of the palace and enter through the central doorway. After passing through several corridors, you arrive at one of the most famous spaces in the complex—the Courtyard of the Maidens. Here you will see a long reflecting pool surrounded by sunken gardens and a gallery of intricate multifoil arches. The delicate, lace-like stucco decoration is a masterpiece of the Mudéjar style.

Another highlight is the Hall of Ambassadors, once the throne room. Looking up, visitors see the spectacular gilded wooden dome from 1427, often described as a half-orange dome because of its segmented shape. The walls are covered in vibrant ceramic tiles and portraits of Spanish monarchs, making it one of the most lavish rooms in the entire palace. To reach it, stand in the Courtyard of the Maidens and look for the most richly decorated triple-arched entrance along the side of the courtyard.

The gardens are equally essential to the experience. Like many Andalusian palaces, the complex was designed with gardens combining fruit trees, vegetables, flowers, and abundant water in fountains and ponds. Expanded and reshaped over the centuries, they now include more than a dozen gardens, creating a peaceful landscape that contrasts with the ornate palace interiors.

The Archive of the Indies is one of Seville’s most historically significant buildings and an essential place for understanding Spain’s global empire. The archive preserves documents related to Spain’s overseas territories and the administration of its vast colonial network.

The building itself predates the archive. It was originally constructed in the late 16th century during the reign of King Philip II of Spain as the House of Trade Merchants, a place where merchants gathered to conduct business connected with trade between Spain and the Americas. Designed in the restrained style of the Spanish Renaissance, the structure is organized around a spacious central courtyard surrounded by elegant arcaded galleries. Seville was chosen for this purpose because the city served for centuries as Spain’s principal—and at one time exclusive—port for commerce with the New World.

In 1785, King Charles III decided to centralize the enormous volume of documents related to Spain’s overseas empire. He transformed the former merchants’ exchange into a state archive dedicated to preserving records from Spain’s territories in the Americas and beyond.

A highlight of the building is the Grand Red Marble Staircase. Added in the late 18th century, it was designed to provide a majestic transition from the former merchants' courtyard to the scholarly world of the archives above. Pay attention to the rich, deep colors of the stone and the intricate patterns on the floor landings. The way the natural light falls from the windows onto the polished marble makes it the most photographed architectural feature in the building. To find it, look for the signs to the upper floor while you are on the ground floor.

As soon as you reach the top of the staircase you will find the second highlight of the building. The series of long, high-ceilinged galleries represent 80 million pages of history. Look at the shelving units, which are made of Cuban mahogany. If you look at the thousands of uniform boxes on the shelves, you are looking at more than five miles of continuous history. Be sure to check the rotating glass display cases in the center of these halls; this is where the archive displays high-value treasures, such as original hand-drawn maps of the New World and letters signed by the Conquistadors.

One particularly memorable display on the ground floor features a 1616 cannon recovered from the Spanish ship, a treasure-laden vessel that sank in a storm while returning from Havana.

The Gold Tower is one of Seville’s most recognisable riverside landmarks and a vivid reminder of the city’s medieval maritime power. It was built in the early 13th century by the Almohad dynasty as a military watchtower designed to control access to Seville via the Guadalquivir River. Positioned at a strategic bend in the river, it once worked in conjunction with a heavy chain stretched across the water to regulate traffic and defend the port from naval threats.

Architecturally, the tower is a striking example of Almohad military design. Its original structure is twelve-sided and was constructed using a distinctive mix of mortar, lime, and compacted hay. This material gave the surface a warm, shimmering quality, which explains the tower’s name: when sunlight struck its walls, it cast a golden reflection across the river. The tower is divided into three levels, with the uppermost circular section added much later, in 1769.

Over the centuries, the Gold Tower served multiple roles, including that of a prison during the Middle Ages. In more recent times, it narrowly escaped demolition during 19th-century urban works, thanks to strong opposition from Seville’s residents. Today, the restored tower houses a naval museum, displaying models, maps, instruments, engravings, and documents that trace Seville’s long relationship with the river and maritime exploration. The tower offers both historical insight and panoramic views over the Guadalquivir, the Triana district, and the historic city centre.

The Maestranza Bullring is one of Seville’s most famous landmarks and one of the oldest and most prestigious bullrings in Spain. Construction began in 1749 under the patronage of the Royal Cavalry Brotherhood of Seville, an aristocratic institution originally devoted to military training and horsemanship. Unlike many bullrings built later in the 19th century, the Maestranza developed gradually over decades, which explains its distinctive slightly oval shape rather than a perfect circle. The elegant Baroque-style entrance gate and the bright white and yellow exterior walls have become instantly recognizable symbols of Seville.

The arena can seat roughly 12,000 spectators and is considered one of the most demanding venues in the bullfighting world. Its long history, distinctive layout, and highly knowledgeable audience give it a reputation as a particularly challenging arena for matadors. In Seville, bullfights held during the April Fair represent the highlight of the city’s bullfighting calendar. The regular season usually runs from March or April—depending on the dates of Holy Week—until late September. Each year, the Real Maestranza commissions an artist to design the official poster announcing the upcoming season at the Royal Bullring.

Today the Maestranza is also one of the city’s most visited tourist attractions. Even for visitors who do not attend a bullfight, the site offers insight into a long-standing Andalusian tradition. Guided tours allow access to areas normally hidden from the public, including the chapel where matadors pray before entering the arena, the royal box, and the bullfighters’ gate through which the toreros make their entrance.

The complex also houses the Bullfighting Museum, which displays historic costumes, paintings, posters, and memorabilia tracing the evolution of bullfighting in Seville.

Seville Cathedral and the Giralda Tower form one of Spain’s most powerful architectural ensembles and a defining symbol of the city. The cathedral stands on the site of Seville’s former Great Mosque. After the city was conquered by Ferdinand III in 1248, the mosque remained in use for some time before being replaced in the 14th century by a new Christian cathedral. When plans for the church were presented, it is said that the elders declared: “Let us build a church so beautiful and so grand that those who see it finished will think we were mad.” The result is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. When Hagia Sophia in Istanbul was converted into a mosque in the 15th century, Seville Cathedral became the tallest cathedral in the Christian world.

The entrance is located on the south side of the building. This entrance is easily identified by the Giraldillo statue—a large bronze figure standing on a pedestal in front of the door. This statue is an exact replica of the weather vane that sits at the very top of the Giralda Tower.

Inside, the cathedral’s immense scale reflects Seville’s wealth during its rise as Spain’s main gateway to the Americas. In the Central Nave sits the largest and most expensive altarpiece in the world. The Great Altar consists of 45 separate panels, which tell the story of the Bible in chronological order from bottom to top. It was designed so that even those who couldn’t read could understand the life of Christ through these intricate carvings. Covered in nearly two tons of gold, it took almost a century to complete, from 1482 to 1564. To find the altar, look for the massive gilded iron grille that separates it from the rest of the space.

The cathedral is also where the remains of Christopher Columbus are preserved. Walk along the south transept and look for four larger-than-life bronze figures carrying the casket on their shoulders. The bronze casket holds bone fragments of the famous explorer, as confirmed by DNA testing in 2006 and more recently in 2024. The figures represent the four kingdoms of Spain: Castile, Aragon, León, and Navarre. Notice that the kingdom of Castile—the figure in front with a castle engraved on its garment—is stepping forward and holding a ship's oar, symbolizing overseas discovery.

A visit to Seville wouldn’t be complete without climbing its iconic symbol. The Giralda Tower was originally built in the late 12th century as the mosque’s minaret during the Almohad period. Constructed from local brick and recycled marble from earlier Umayyad buildings, its design was inspired by the Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakesh. The tower is located in the northeast corner of the building. To reach the top, you do not climb stairs; instead, you walk up 35 wide ramps. This allowed the muezzin—and, according to tradition, even the sultan on horseback—to ascend to the top. Once at the bell level, you will enjoy a 360° panoramic view of the entire city.

The Archbishop’s Palace stands beside Seville Cathedral in Square of the Virgin of the Kings, forming part of one of the city’s most historic spaces. The building has served for centuries as the residence of Seville’s bishops and archbishops, as well as an administrative centre of the archdiocese.

The origins of the palace date back to the period following the Christian reconquest of Seville in 1248, when church authorities established their headquarters near the newly consecrated cathedral. The complex expanded over the following centuries and underwent several reconstructions, particularly during the 16th and 17th centuries when Seville flourished as Spain’s principal trading port with the Americas. The building visible today largely reflects 18th-century Spanish Baroque renovations. Its richly decorated red façade and ornate entrance portal make it one of the most colourful historic buildings in the city. In recognition of its cultural importance, the palace was declared a National Monument in 1969.

Inside, the palace preserves an important artistic heritage. Its halls, staircases, and courtyards display paintings and sculptures from the Seville Baroque period, forming one of the city’s most notable collections of religious art—surpassed only by those of the Museum of Fine Arts and Seville Cathedral. Works by painters such as Francisco de Zurbarán, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, and Francisco Pacheco are displayed alongside pieces from Italian and Dutch Baroque schools.

After many years of restricted access, visitors can now explore parts of the palace, though all visits must be guided. Standing outside in the square, tourists can also admire the striking contrast between the palace’s vibrant Baroque façade and the massive Gothic walls of the nearby cathedral.

The Church of the Holy Cross stands on Mateos Gago Street, just a short walk from the cathedral in the historic Holy Cross Neighborhood. While it bears the name of the district's central square, it is not actually located within it; rather, it occupies the site of the former Convent of the Holy Spirit. The church is deeply connected to the history of the area, which once formed the Jewish quarter of medieval Seville. Today, it serves as the headquarters of the Brotherhood of the Holy Cross, a prominent religious confraternity.

Construction of the building began in 1655 and was completed in 1672 to serve the Minor Clerics, only becoming the parish church of the Holy Cross in the 19th century after the original church in the nearby square was demolished. The main chapel, designed by architect José Tirado, was added in 1728. The interior features three naves and a magnificent altarpiece from 1735. Neoclassical refinements continued into the late 18th century, including the installation of 46 choir stalls made of mahogany and pine in 1800, salvaged from the Convent of Saint Augustine.

After centuries of appearing unfinished and plain, it was enhanced with a Neo-Baroque façade between 1926 and 1929 by architect Juan Talavera y Heredia, giving the building its current decorative character.

While the church itself sits on a bustling street, Holy Cross Square remains a peaceful retreat nearby. Shaded by orange trees and centered around a famous 17th-century wrought-iron cross, the square marks the site where the original church once stood and where the painter Bartolomé Esteban Murillo is buried.

Los Gallos Tablao Flamenco is one of Seville’s most respected venues for experiencing live flamenco in a traditional setting. The family-owned business has been in continuous operation since 1966 and is considered the oldest tablao flamenco venue in the city. The performances take place inside a former family home that was adapted to host flamenco shows, creating an intimate environment that reflects the art form’s close connection to Andalusian culture.

The venue was founded by dancer Luis Adame, who envisioned a space where flamenco could be presented in an authentic atmosphere. Over the decades, Los Gallos has hosted many renowned singers, guitarists, and dancers, earning a reputation as one of the most prestigious flamenco stages in Seville. The word “tablao” refers to the wooden platform used by dancers, whose rhythmic footwork produces the sharp sounds that are essential to flamenco performance.

During a typical season, the venue presents two performances each evening, usually at 7:00 PM and 8:45 PM, with each show lasting about 75 minutes. Because the venue is relatively small, tickets often sell out, and visitors are encouraged to book in advance. Each ticket also includes one complimentary drink, and sitting close to the stage allows guests to fully appreciate the dancers’ intricate footwork and expressive movements. For practical reasons, children under the age of five are not admitted.