As it happens in most of the beautiful cities with history of Europe, the best area to stay in Seville is the Old Town , in the heart of the city of Seville. The Old Town welcomes the most representative monuments of obliged visit in our stay in Seville: The Cathedral (that includes the Giralda), The Tower of Gold, The Alcazar, The Archive of the Indies and The Plaza of Spain.
Staying in the centre of Seville not only will you be able to enjoy the beauty of its Old Town and walk to its main tourist attractions, but you will also be able to taste the most typical and authentic atmosphere of the capital of Andalusia.If you want to taste some authentic tapas, don’t hesitate to go to the bars at the end of Sierpes Street or to the wine cellars in the Arenal area.
A must see in the Old Town of Seville is the picturesque Barrio de Santa Cruz which is located southeast of the Cathedral.And don’t forget to take a walk along the Guadalquivir River and cross to the other side to visit the historic Triana neighborhood.
If you are interested in knowing where to stay in Seville , you may also be interested in knowing where to stay in Cadiz, where to stay in Granada or where to stay in Cordoba.
The Old Town, the best area to stay
The capital of Andalusia and the most populated city of this autonomous region offers a lot of accommodations that meet the expectations of the most demanding people and are located in the old town of the beautiful town.
There you will find the Cathedral of Seville , the largest Christian Gothic cathedral in the world, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, together with the Real Alcázar and the Archivo de Indias, since 1987.The impressive stone temple, which began to be built in the 15th century, houses the mortal remains of Christopher Columbus and several kings of Castile. Inside is the famous Giralda , which is the bell tower of the cathedral.
With its 104 meters high, the imposing Giralda was for years the highest tower in Spain, its original quadrangular architecture, adorned with turrets and pinnacles, has inspired many other towers in the world.
In front of the Cathedral is another architectural jewel of Seville, the Real Alcázar. It is a spectacular historical complex of palaces surrounded by a wall and built in the High Middle Ages. The mixture of styles is the most striking of the Real Alcázar, which meets the Islamic, Mudejar, Renaissance, Baroque and Gothic.The beautiful gardens that surround this complex are one of the greatest attractions of the visit and one of the most pleasant in Seville. Orange trees, palm trees, ponds and beautiful fountains coexist here and captivate the visitor at every step.
The Archivo de Indias , the third monument that completes the Seville architectural complex declared a World Heritage Site, is an old fish market located between the cathedral and the Real Alcázar and houses pieces of incalculable historical value, such as Columbus’ diary and autographs of the main protagonists of the discovery of America.
Next to the picturesque historical centre of Seville is the charming Santa Cruz district , chosen by many as the place to stay during their stay due to its proximity to the centre, the charm of its streets and its active day and night life.
Santa Cruz, the old medieval Jewish quarter of Seville, is a network of narrow streets and small squares where you can enjoy a beer or taste its famous tapas.It is also home to the Jardines de Murillo, a beautiful and well cared for green space with roundabouts where there used to be some orchards and which today welcomes thousands of visitors who stroll through it.
If we head towards the Guadalquivir River we find the well-known Torre del Oro , another of the icons of Seville.This 36-meter high tower houses the Naval Museum of Seville and is located in front of the Real Maestranza, the city’s bullring and the one with the longest bullfighting tradition in Spain, as well as being one of the oldest (built in the mid-18th century).
Hotels in the Old Town of Seville
The Triana neighbourhood, the other recommended area to stay in Seville
If we continue along the Paseo de Cristóbal Colón along the Guadalquivir river, we reach the Isabel II bridge, popularly known as the Triana bridge, which gives its name to the picturesque Seville neighbourhood on the other side of the river.
Birthplace of singers, bullfighters and renowned artists, Triana is a vibrant and spectacular neighborhood that exudes pure art.The long Betis street, which offers impressive views of the city, the river and the bridge, is one of the most emblematic streets of Triana, where there are many narrow streets and neighborhood corrals that give atmosphere and life to this area.
You can also have a drink in the Plaza del Altozano, the one at the entrance to the neighbourhood, where you will find the Capilla del Carmen and it opens the way to the rest of the singular neighbourhood, whose streets are worth going into.Staying in Triana is also an excellent option to get to know the essence of Seville, its gastronomy and people, and to enjoy its lively nightlife, where there is no lack of flamenco, happiness and the best drinks.
Hotels in Triana
Seville is a city that excites the senses. exquisite architecture, rich history, delicious tapas and fantastic flamenco: the Andalusian capital has it all!
But not all the city’s neighbourhoods or streets have the same to offer visitors, which is why we have put together this guide to where to stay in Seville.
The best areas to stay in Seville
There is no single “best” neighbourhood to stay in Seville, although some are more convenient for sightseeing than others.Since the heart of the city is compact and very walkable, and since many of Seville’s attractions are centrally located and very close together, it is perfectly feasible to stay in the neighborhood of your choice, depending on your interests and budget, and explore the city on foot or take an inexpensive taxi, tram or metro ride to and from your hotel if you stay outside the center.
While many of the best hotels in Seville and the best family hotels in Seville are located in the central Barrio Santa Cruz and Centro, there are also other luxury options further away.
Barrio Santa Cruz is the heart of Seville, centered around the cathedral.Its maze of winding streets is home to excellent and varied restaurants, several valuable museums and much of the city’s nightlife. This is where you will find the widest range of accommodation in the city, from numerous boutique hotels, including 4 and 5 star options, to excellent budget hotels.It is easy to walk, and best not to drive here as many of the streets are one-way and very narrow.
Just west of Barrio Santa Cruz is El Arenal, Seville’s old port area bordering the river.this neighbourhood is where you will find some of Seville’s most striking historical buildings, as well as the bullring.Many of the city’s main attractions are just a few minutes walk away and accommodation here includes some mid-range and budget options.
North of Barrio Santa Cruz and El Arenal is the Centro, the central part of the city which lies between Plaza Nueva to the south and Plaza de la Encarnación to the north.Accommodation includes boutique hotels, several 5-star and business hotels, and various budget options.
Bordering the centre to the north is Macarena, the north-eastern part of Seville’s old city.once one of the poorest areas of the city, Macarena is now becoming gentrified and attracting young professionals.With several clusters of tapas bars, it has a quieter, more residential atmosphere than the Barrio Santa Cruz, and there are numerous small squares and attractive churches to discover.there are numerous mid-range self-service options here, as well as several hotels.
Across the river from El Arenal is the up-and-coming neighbourhood of Triana, famous for its distinctive character.’, “Flamenco was born here, and to date there is a lively nightlife here and a lively tapas bar scene, although Triana is a long walk from Seville’s main attractions. Accommodation here consists of several luxury and boutique hotels, short term apartment rentals and some budget hotels.
North of Triana is La Cartuja, whose defining features are a monastery with a museum of contemporary art, the popular Seville theme park and the remaining pavilions of the Expo 92.This is a quiet neighbourhood, with very few hotels on the periphery and virtually no restaurant options to speak of, although the tapas bars of Triana and Macarena are within walking distance.
South of Triana is Los Remedios, a specially designed residential district, with apartment blocks and fashionable boutiques lining wide, straight avenues.In addition to several mid-range hotels, there are numerous dining options and Seville’s short metro line connects Los Remedios with Barrio Santa Cruz.
Best places to sleep in Seville
Best Luxury Hotels in Seville: Hotel Alfonso XIII – Gran Melía Colón – Hotel Mercer Seville
Best Boutique Hotels in Seville: Palacio Alcázar – Hotel EME Catedral – Hotel Casa del Poeta
Best Cheap Hotels in Seville: Alcoba del Rey de Sevilla – Adriano Hotel
The best neighborhoods in Seville for tourism:Barrio Santa Cruz, El Arenas and CentroDado Since these three central neighborhoods are next to each other and are imminently passable, all three are very convenient for tourism.Barrio Santa Cruz is excellent for access to the major attractions: the Cathedral and the Alcazar.within a couple of minutes walk, El Arenal has its own share of attractions: the Plaza de toros (bullring), the historic Hospital de la Caridad and the Torre de Oro naval museum overlooking the attractive seafront.the Centro is particularly good for shopping and also for fine arts at the Museo de Bellas Artes.
Seville’s best neighbourhoods for nightlife: Triana, Macarena, Centro and Barrio Santa CruzThere is not a single best area in Seville for nightlife.If you’re lucky, a local might point you in the direction of the small dive bars where impromptu flamenco performances still occasionally take place late at night (unlike Barrio Santa Cruz, where flamenco performances are scheduled for dinner and are largely geared towards tourists).in Macarena, the largely local action is centred around tapas bars along the Alameda de Hércules and Calle Santa Ana.In the Barrio Santa Cruz there are numerous tapas bars and cocktail bars to choose from in the small streets near the Cathedral and it is a mixed local and tourist scene.the tapas bars and cocktail bars spread around the Centre also attract a mix of visitors and locals.there are also a handful of gay bars, mainly in the centre.”, “
The best neighborhoods in Seville for food and restaurants:Barrio Santa Cruz, Macarena, Triana, El Arenal, CentroAs with the nightlife, there is not a single neighbourhood in Seville to go out for dinner.Triana and El Arenal are famous for their down-to-earth tapas bars, where simple local dishes are beautifully executed.Macarena offers a mix of excellent tapas bars, along with some restaurants specialising in fusion cuisine.Both the Centre and Barrio Santa Cruz have a mix of old school tapas bars serving Andalucian standards, new wave gourmet tapas bars, elegant restaurants serving traditional Spanish cuisine and even some international restaurants serving sushi and Indian food.the only Michelin starred restaurant in Seville, El Abantal, is just east of Barrio Santa Cruz, on the way to the train station.
Seville’s best neighbourhoods for families: Barrio Santa Cruz, Centro, Los RemediosThe Barrio Santa Cruz is one of the best places in Seville for families because it is a very passable neighbourhood, with fun activities for children, such as horse-drawn carriage rides and the Alcázar gardens.the centre is also very accessible, has good hotels for families and is closer on foot to the Isla Mágica theme park, which is across the river in La Cartuja.Although Los Remedios is further away from the centre and the tourist attractions, there are good family-friendly hotels here, as well as a large park for the children to explore.
The best neighbourhood in Seville to stay in for the first time: Barrio Santa CruzIf this is your first time in Seville, then Barrio Santa Cruz is the best neighbourhood to settle in.It is as central as possible, very atmospheric, has excellent gastronomy and nightlife, and numerous attractions are just around the corner, from the Cathedral and the Alcazar to the Flamenco Museum and the art gallery of the Hospital Los Venerables.It is also the easiest place to see a flamenco show, there are accommodations for all budgets and other neighborhoods of interest: El Arenal, Centro, Macarena, are within walking distance.
Most romantic neighborhood in Seville:Barrio Santa CruzIf you want a place to stay for a honeymoon or a getaway for two, Barrio Santa Cruz is hard to beat.It must be something about the perfect little streets, small squares full of orange blossoms, horse-drawn carriage rides through the Cathedral, some excellent formal dining options and intimate boutique hotels where Old World architecture is combined with personal service.Triana, on the other side of the river, is also worth considering, as the riverfront hotels offer splendid views of Seville’s historic centre.
Better Seville neighbourhood for a local atmosphere:TrianaIt’s hard to get more ‘local’ in Seville than Triana.Still rough around the edges, this working class neighbourhood is where Seville used to produce all the beautiful ceramic tiles you see around the city, although few pottery workshops remain open.many of Seville’s bullfighters, artists and flamenco performers were born here and Triana is still the best place in Seville to see an impromptu flamenco performance in small dive bars late at night if you’re lucky (unlike Barrio Santa Cruz across the street).The cobblestone streets here resemble Barrio Santa Cruz, but the houses are much less grand and the lively tapas bars along Calle Betis are constantly filled with locals.
Seville’s best neighbourhood for walking:Barrio Santa Cruz,This neighbourhood consists of a maze of numerous small streets lined with bars, shops and restaurants that are a pleasure to explore on foot.”, “Barrio Santa Cruz is part of the old city and is the historical heart of Seville. you will find the main attractions of Seville, the Cathedral and the bell tower of La Giralda, right there, with the Alcazar (royal palace) just in front. the Hospital de la Caridad, the Plaza de Toros (bullring) and the Torre de Oro in El Arenal are a five or ten minute walk west, while the Flamenco Museum on the edge of the Centro is a 10 minute walk north.The Museo de Bellas Artes in the centre is a 15 minute walk north and it takes about 20 minutes to get to the tapas bars at Macarena (north of the centre) or the plazas and churches of Triana, the latter across the river: take the Triana Bridge west.
Safest Areas of Seville:The safest areas of Seville tend to be the most exclusive.Barrio Santa Cruz, Centro, El Arenal, Macarena, Los Remedios, these are all safe to walk around in at any time of the day, although precautions apply at night.in Barrio Santa Cruz and Centro, things can get quite lively on weekend nights.
Unsafe areas of Sevilla:Partes de Triana can be incomplete at night; it is best to stay on the most popular streets where the locals are away from home until late at night.In Barrio Santa Cruz, El Arenal and Macarena it is best to avoid any deserted and poorly lit streets at night and it is always a good idea to watch out for opportunistic pickpockets. It is also best to avoid the parks at night, as well as the area east of Barrio Santa Cruz, between the neighbourhood and the train station.
The Best Neighbourhoods in Seville for tourists
Centro
This central part of the Ciudad Vieja is located between the Barrio Santa Cruz and the Plaza Nueva with the Seville City Hall to the south and the Plaza de Encarnación and Macarena to the north.The main attraction of the centre is its large shopping area, centred on Calles Sierpes, Cuna and Velázquez / Tetuán, where you can find offers from Zara, Sfera, Pull & Bear and Mango on the main street, as well as some excellent leather goods made in Spain: shoes, purses and boots.In the evening, the tapas and cocktail bars in the Centre are very lively and it is worth visiting the Plaza de Encarnación to climb the Metropol Parasol, a wooden building that resembles giant mushrooms on top of excavated Roman ruins; you will get a great view of the city from the top.Towards the river is the Museo de Bellas Artes, Seville’s excellent museum of fine arts.
Best hotel: Gran Melía Colón
Barrio Santa Cruz
Bordered by El Arenal to the west and the centre to the north, the most visited part of Seville comprises a medieval maze of small, winding streets lined with picturesque whitewashed houses and dotted with small squares filled with orange trees.This used to be the Judería (Jewish quarter) and the churches here were originally synagogues.the central feature of the quarter is the splendid Cathedral and the Giralda, the bell tower which used to be a minaret.the Alcázar (royal palace) is a heavyweight attraction just south of the Cathedral.”, “The Archive of the Indies, which houses all the documents about the Spanish conquest of the New World, is also near the Cathedral and open to the public. Flamenco enthusiasts should not miss the excellent Museo de Flamenco, where you can see nightly performances of the passionate dance. Barrio Santa Cruz has an excellent gastronomic scene for all tastes; Calle Mateas Gago, in particular, is full of excellent tapas bars and elegant restaurants.
Best hotels: Hotel Las Casas de la Judería – Hotel EME Catedral
El Arenal
Between Barrio Santa Cruz to the east and the Guadalquivir River to the west, El Arenal used to be the port from which ships sailed from Spain to the New World.The main attractions here are the Arabian Gold Tower, the naval museum overlooking the river promenade, the Maestranza Bullring, the most famous bullring in Spain, and the Hospital de la Caridad, formerly a charity hospital for the poor, decorated with beautiful tiles and paintings by Spanish Masters.The streets are dotted with some excellent discreet tapas bars, and there are excellent views of Triana from the riverbank.
Best hotels: Hotel Alabardero – Hotel Mercer Sevilla
Macarena
Formerly a poor neighbourhood, the neighbourhood of Macarena is located north of the centre in the old city.Its narrow streets are lined with historic buildings with character, crumbling old mansions that have been restored and groups of tapas bars popular with the locals.The small squares are dotted with churches, the most famous of which is the Basilica of the Macarena ; during Easter Week, the procession from this church with the statue of the Virgin on a solid silver float is one of the highlights of the week. This neighbourhood attracts young artists and professionals and has an authentic feel, despite a certain amount of gentrification. Macarena is a short walk from the attractions of Centro, Triana and Barrio Santa Cruz.
Best Hotel: Hotel Abril
Triana
Across the river from El Arenal, the main attraction of this neighborhood is to stroll through its streets and small squares and explore its ceramic workshops that still produce colorful tiles that decorate many of the city’s buildings.Tapas bars are an attraction in their own right, with many concentrated along Calle Betis which runs parallel to the coast. Seville’s heavyweight attractions in El Arenal and Barrio Santa Cruz are a 20 minute walk away.
Best hotel: Hotel Ribera de Triana
La Cartuja
The 15th century La Cartuja Monastery is located in the centre of this quiet area of the city, north of Triana and west of the river.CAAC (Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo): Seville’s excellent museum of contemporary art resides on the monastery grounds and Columbus himself planned his travels to the New World in the monastery, which is why the La Cartuja neighbourhood was chosen to host the Expo 92.There are some attractive botanical gardens near the monastery and along the river, as well as pavilions left over from Expo 92, one of which has interactive exhibits, tracing the voyages of exploration of Spain. North of the Expo 92 site is the large and popular Seville theme park, Isla Mágica.
Best hotel: Barceló Sevilla Renacimiento
Los Remedios
South of Triana and accessible from Barrio Santa Cruz by a short and practical metro line, Los Remedios is a prosperous residential area, its wide and straight street contrasting with the medieval maze of the old city.There are some good shops here, as well as a large and pleasant park, Parque Los Príncipe, but the main attraction of the neighborhood is its proximity to the large fairground where the April Fair is held.”]
