What to do in Seville in 3 days: a neighborhood-by-neighborhood itinerary with prices and hours
Three days are enough to see the essentials of Seville on foot. Day 1: the Real Alcázar (15.50 €) and the Cathedral with the Giralda (13 €, 12 € online), right next to each other, plus the Santa Cruz quarter. Day 2: Plaza de España, the Torre del Oro by the river and Las Setas (Metropol Parasol). Day 3: Triana, crossing the Isabel II bridge, with time for markets and flamenco. The historic centre is compact, so you'll barely need public transport (a ticket costs 1.40 €). The big trade-off is the heat: in July and August it hovers around 28 °C, so it's worth seeing the monuments first thing in the morning.
Day 1 — Real Alcázar, Cathedral and Santa Cruz
Start with the two must-see monuments, which are almost next door to each other. The Real Alcázar (15.50 €) is the oldest royal palace still in use in Europe, Mudéjar in style and with sprawling gardens; book online in advance, because the queues are long and capacity is limited. A few metres away, Seville Cathedral and the Giralda (13 €, 12 € when bought online) is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world and holds the tomb of Columbus. End the afternoon strolling through the Santa Cruz quarter, the old Jewish quarter of narrow lanes and courtyards, which is free to wander.
Day 2 — Plaza de España, Torre del Oro and Las Setas
Plaza de España, built for the 1929 exhibition, is free: it has tiled alcoves dedicated to Spain's provinces and a canal. From there walk down to the Guadalquivir to see the Torre del Oro, a 13th-century watchtower beside the river (~3 €). End the day at the Metropol Parasol, known as Las Setas, a wooden structure with a panoramic viewing deck (~16 €). It's a day that mixes the free and the paid, all walkable.
Day 3 — Triana across the river
Cross the Isabel II bridge to reach Triana, the neighbourhood on the far side of the Guadalquivir, historically tied to flamenco and ceramics. It's the most relaxed day of the itinerary and the one that leaves room for markets, cafés and an evening flamenco show. Seville is famous for its flamenco, along with the Alcázar, the Cathedral and the Plaza de España.
Free vs paid
Much of Seville can be enjoyed without paying admission: strolling through Santa Cruz, the Plaza de España and crossing over to Triana cost nothing. The paid sights are the monuments: Real Alcázar (15.50 €), Cathedral with the Giralda (13 €, 12 € online), Torre del Oro (~3 €) and Las Setas (~16 €). If you're on a tight budget, prioritise the Alcázar and the Cathedral, the two big ones.
How much it costs and how to get around
To give you an idea of daily spending: a set lunch or a meal runs 8 to 13 €, a café con leche 1.30 to 1.80 €, and a hotel is around ~65 € at the budget end and ~110 € for three stars. The historic centre is walkable; when you do need public transport, a single ticket costs 1.40 € (there's a metro line, a tram and city buses). SVQ airport is 10 km away and connects to the centre via the EA bus. The AVE high-speed train to Madrid takes 2h30.
Best time to go
Spring (March-May) and autumn (October) are the best times: in April it's around 18 °C and in October around 20 °C. Bear in mind that spring coincides with Holy Week (the brotherhoods' processions) and the Feria de Abril (casetas, flamenco dresses and horses, two weeks after Holy Week), which fill the city. In July and August it gets very hot (~28 °C), so visit the monuments first thing; in late July the Velá de Santiago y Santa Ana takes place, Triana's free local festival. In January it drops to around 11 °C, with fewer crowds.