Immerse yourself in the wonders of old Seville – get lost along the ancient lanes, eat tapas at street side bars, and enjoy the down-to-earth Spanish lifestyle in this small but welcoming city.
Get stuck into life in the Andalucian capital and enjoy your Spanish city break among the Moorish architecture, where you can spend time discovering tiny city squares scattered with cafes, visit awe-inspiring churches, and shop for traditional handmade souvenirs. Travel around town using the city’s easy-to-use transport system, and in the evening, try traditional tapas while chatting with locals at one of the old Spanish bars.
Map of Seville’s Neighborhoods
Stay at one of the city’s chic hostels, or you could opt for a mid-range hotel in a historic building in the center. If you really want to reside in luxury, you can sleep in one of the city’s lavish hotels, which feature charming courtyards and rooftop pools.
Sublime Seville is waiting for you to visit. Step into a the pages of a Mediterranean tale and spend time getting to know more about this special Spanish city as you uncover its secrets. Want to find out what area of this this spectacular city is the place for you? Here is our guide on where to stay in sunny Seville.
El Centro
If you are into shopping, then you should head to El Centro, where you can pick up all sorts of Spanish-made products, from leather goods to embroidery. High street shops can also be found here, with big names such as Zara and Mango, along with other designer brands.
Stop off for a coffee and bite to eat at one of the cafes along the pedestrianized streets. There are a wide selection of independent shops and boutiques where you can discover labels by rising Spanish designers. Or pop into one of the small art galleries and discover the works of up-and-coming Spanish artists. After all of the shopping, change it up a bit by stopping off at one of the biggest wooden structures in the world, the Metropol Parasol – a rooftop walkway which provides incredible views.
Staying in this retail-oriented district provides some incredible hotels designed with luxury in mind, which include spas to unwind after a day spent walking the city streets. The city stays connected by a great bus network that runs through the central district, taking you to most of the places that you want to see in Seville.
Where to Stay in El Centro
- Hotel Rey Alfonso X – With some rooms looking out onto the Santa Maria La Blanca Church and others boasting views of the garden, this boutique hotel features a rooftop terrace complete with a chilled out swimming pool.
- Hotel Don Paco – Here, you can open up the big sliding doors of your room and look across the city from your balcony. There’s also a rooftop bar (with a pool) at this small hotel, where you can drink a few cocktails in style.
Santa Cruz
The bustling Santa Cruz district is often busy with tourists, who flock to the area to see the most beautiful part of the city. Classically narrow lanes wind past blocky whitewashed buildings and cobbled streets, in the old Jewish quarter surrounding the huge Cathedral of Seville.
Santa Cruz is the classic depiction of a Spanish city. People linger outside bars, meet friends after work, and enjoy plates of tapas with a cold glass of beer at the many tavernas. Don’t forget to spend time in the area’s beautiful gardens – get lost discovering them and stumble across tiny squares, such as Plazas Doña Elvira and Santa Cruz, where you can sit under the shade of orange trees.
Choose to stay in the central district if you are traveling on a budget and are short on time. There are some clean and modern hostels on offer, in close proximity to the top sites. There is also a selection of three-star and luxury hotels, which come complete with roof terraces and stylish decor. To get around, use the city’s bike rental system.
Where to Stay in Santa Cruz
- EME Catedral Hotel – There are good views, then there are stunning views. From the rooftop, you can see the incredible Seville Cathedral that’s practically next door and it’s definitely a highlight of staying here.
- Eurostars Sevilla Boutique – Featuring plush interiors, high ceilings with timber beams, and sleek black tiles, walking into this hotel feels like an ultra-modern reworking of the city’s old Islamic-influenced palaces.
- Hotel Casa 1800 Sevilla – Built around the courtyard of a 19th century mansion, staying at this hotel is a true antidote to the frenetic streets of Seville.
Triana
Covered with stunning azure-blue ceramic tiles, Triana is stuffed full of uniqueness and a stylish Spanish aesthetic. Well known for having a different feeling to the rest of the city, Triana is proud of its strong and unique identity. The barrio is even known in the city as “the Independent Republic of Triana”. The iconic blue tiles are made from mud that is collected from the river and hand crafted in workshops around the district. This proud and creative neighborhood is also famous for its inhabitants – traditionally this is where sailors and bullfighters would frequent the inns and tavernas alongside flamenco artists.
Today, the inner city area is lively, and maintains a strong connection to its historical roots. Enjoy shopping for fresh food and goods at the local market during the day, and spend nights indulging in riverside restaurants and drinking in the buzzing bars. Choose to stay in mid-range hotels in traditional buildings, or for those on a tight budget, try one of the reasonably priced hostels in the area.
Where to Stay in Triana
- Barceló Sevilla Renacimiento – This modern 5-star offering features simple yet refined rooms. It’s got a large outdoor pool, a heated indoor pool, palm-lined grassy gardens as well as two restaurants.
- Zenit Sevilla – On the banks of the River Guadalquivir, you’ll find this stunningly stylish offering. The onsite restaurant serves up Andalusian cuisine, whilst in summer, you can head out to the roof terrace and enjoy a few drinks.
Arenal
In times gone by, Arenal was a port where famous ships arrived with their goods from the New World. Now, it is busy with an affluent young crowd, who pack the bars and tapas tavernas. The modish Torre del Oro bullring attracts many visitors, and is one of the most famous of its kind in the world. Check out the artistic Maestranza theatre, as well as the baroque Hospital de Carida, with its strange and macabre art.
The area along the river was regenerated for Expo 92 and has become a chic place with upmarket leather goods shops, stylish bars, and restaurants with brilliant views over to Triana.
Book into one of the area’s historic 4-Star hotels, where you can stay in the same room that wealthy merchants once chose in the past. It’s a pleasant wander along the street to grab some dinner, and in bullfighting season you’ll have the best spot to watch the fight and soak up the traditional atmosphere.
Where to Stay in Arenal
- Gran Meliá Colon – Billing itself as a design hotel, there certainly are a lot of design touches jostling around at this 5-star option. There’s a cocktail lounge here, as well as a fantastic tapas restaurant, plus there’s a rooftop area complete with swimming pools.
- Vincci La Rabida – This hotel is set inside a beautiful 18th century mansion. There’s an Andalusian style courtyard and a rooftop terrace where you can enjoy an evening meal.
La Macarena
This well-known neighborhood is a creative hub, where trendy kids from the city hang out in cool vintage shops and secondhand bookshops. The area’s market, the Mercado de la Feria, is perfect for picking up bites to eat – try some tasty paella or some traditional potatoes. Local’s tapas bars are packed with the young, trendy crowd, who meet here after work and on weekends to enjoy tapas and glasses of cold beer. The nightlife here continues late into the evening, as friends sit around chatting and laughing together. The vibe in La Macarena is fun, and many feel at home in this area of Seville.
The Basílica de la Macarena in this district is popular with travelers, who come to see the statues of the wooden, jewel encrusted Virgin of the Macarena. Use the bus links in La Macarena to travel around the rest of the city, and stay in the area’s cheap but chic hostels and low cost hotels.
Where to Stay in La Macarena
- Exe Sevilla Macarena – This is a big hotel with a classic but old-school grand style.
- Hotel Plaza Santa Lucía – Guests can take a break from sightseeing on the rooftop terrace or take a relaxing dip in the pool. But it’s the location that steals the show; it is close to many top attractions and many a tasty tapas bar.
Nervion
The modern part of Seville, Nervion is centered around business and shopping. Because the area is an urban commercial hub, it has fantastic transport links and its own metro stop – it is well connected to the city center. Nervion also has speedy rail links to the airport, great for visitors who are in the city for a quick stop over.
If you love to shop, Nervion is the district for you. The Nervion Plaza is a shiny shopping center situated just outside the old town which features a huge variety of shopping – from food to clothes and electronics. There’s even a cinema for when you want to spend evenings watching Spanish movies. Football fans should head to Nervion because the Sevilla Football stadium is also located here.
Staying in this quiet area will mean restful nights – the hotels are also newer and larger than those in the old city, giving you more space to store all that shopping.
Where to Stay in Nervion
- Melia Lebreros – Smart and sophisticated, this hotel boasts spacious bedrooms with plenty of room for luggage, big beds and muted, tasteful decor.
Alameda
The Alameda neighborhood is the area surrounding the Alameda de Hercules, a broad, tree-lined avenue flanked by trees. This hip district is all about its restaurant scene. There is a huge variety of restaurants to choose from, including traditional Spanish bars and quirky eateries. Many students live In Alameda, as the main central university is easily reached by foot from here.
Popular with young people, Alameda is a fun place to stay, where much of the accommodation on offer is cheap and perfect for budget travelers. With the student community comes a pretty funky nightlife – hang out in the hot spots and enjoy drinking with the locals.
Where to Stay in Alameda
- Patio de La Alameda – Complete with an atmospheric, glowing orange internal courtyard, this was once the home of famous 19th century Spanish sculptor, Antonio Sasillo.
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