You have to visit Seville more than once in your life. It has something special, and not just the colour (as the song says). There are many monuments to contemplate and countless historical and cultural buildings to visit.
However, maybe we cannot afford it at some point in time. Don’t worry! On TUDESTINO you will find innumerable tips and ideas so you can do and see in Seville everything you want without spending any money. Keep reading and discover the best free things to do in Seville so you don’t have to fork some money out!
- Torre Del Oro
- Casa De Pilatos
- Seville Cathedral, Giralda And Church Of El Salvador
- Lebrija Palace
- Andalusian Centre Of Contemporary Art
- Monasterio De La Cartuja
- Hospital De Los Venerables
- Seville City Hall
- Church Of San Luis De Los Franceses
- General Archive Of The Indies
- Basilica De La Macarena
- Capilla De Los Marineros
- Hospital De Las Cinco Llagas
- Iglesia De Santa Maria La Blanca
- Museum Of Arts And Popular Customs
- Archeological Museum Of Seville
- Museum Of Fine Arts Of Seville
- San Telmo Palace
- Royal Tobacco Factory Of Seville
- Military Historical Museum Of Seville
- Basilica Del Gran Poder
- Convento Santa Clara
- Castle Of St. George
MAKE THE MOST OF MONDAYS
From now on, Mondays will be your favourite day of the week. Don’t you believe us? What if we tell you that you can visit some essential monuments of Seville without spending any money? Now we’re talking, right? In fact, there are a few buildings in Seville whose admission is free on Mondays. We’ll also tell you the opening hours, so it will be easier for you to organise when it comes to visiting them.
TORRE DEL ORO
Torre del Oro is to Seville as a corgi is to Queen Elizabeth II: one cannot imagine the one without the other. You can go into one of the emblems of Seville and see the Marine Museum and contemplate Seville at 36 metres high. It is open from 9:30 a.m. to 6:45 p.m.
CASA DE PILATOS
This spectacular palace that combines the Italian Renaissance style and the Spanish Mudejar opens for free on Mondays from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit a palace where scenes from well-known films such as Mission Impossible 2 or Lawrence of Arabia were filmed.
SEVILLE CATHEDRAL, GIRALDA AND CHURCH OF EL SALVADOR
The Seville Cathedral is one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in the world, being led only by St. Peter’s Basilica and St. Paul’s Outside the Walls. Its construction, between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, was carried out on the remains of an Arab mosque.
As for the Giralda, it is the bell tower of the Sevile Cathedral. The different architectural styles are fused perfectly as a result of the cultures that have helped its construction over the course of centuries. Its spectacular 97.5 metres high will give you the chance to contemplate Seville like you have never done before.
The Church of El Salvador is the second largest Catholic church in Seville, only led by the Seville Cathedral. Its particular history, which has a great fusion of cultures, and its historical-cultural heritage will attract your attention.
You can visit these important monuments of the city of Seville for free on Mondays from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. We advise you to be punctual so you can see all three of them in that hour and a half.
LEBRIJA PALACE
The sensational Palace of the Countess of Lebrija, considered “the best paved house-palace in Europe”, is located on the well-known Cuna street, parallel to Sierpes street. Its both historical and aesthetical value deserves your visit at least once in your life. On Mondays you can do it completely for free at 6:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. We assure you that its majesty will leave you speechless.
SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO
You may be asking yourself why we remind you of this mythical song that now it is getting hard for you to get it out of your head. Well, because you should definitely stay in Seville to go to the many buildings that you can visit for free almost every day of the week. Keep on reading!
ANDALUSIAN CENTRE OF CONTEMPORARY ART
Located in the Monasterio de la Cartuja, the Andalusian Centre of Contemporary Art (Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo) exhibits mainly modern and contemporary art. Together with the architectural heritage of the building, this place becomes a very interesting one to visit (much more if it is for free, right?). From Tuesday to Friday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., you have the possibility to see a space dedicated to favouring artistic creation in all its forms.
MONASTERIO DE LA CARTUJA
The Monasterio de la Cartuja, located in the district of Isla de la Cartuja, has a lot of history to tell: ceramic factory, hermitage, monastery, military base, tile factory… The building has given much of itself over the centuries . You will love to appreciate its Gothic style, its patios and its domes. You can visit it on Thursdays from 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
HOSPITAL DE LOS VENERABLES
The first Thursday of every month you can visit the Hospital de los Venerables for free from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. It is the headquarters of the Velázquez Centre, in honour of the famous Sevillian painter, which also opens for free on Sundays from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The Hospital de los Venerables has elements of great beauty, such as its central fountain surrounded by circular steps decorated with tiles or the arches with marble columns. The Main Altarpiece inside the church is a real wonder. You will see it for yourself!
SEVILLE CITY HALL
On Saturdays you can visit the Seville City Hall completely for free. Located in the vibrant Plaza Nueva, you will find inside a large collection of art and, in addition, there are two bright and spacious patios, vaults with reliefs, stairs and columns, as well as a mixture of styles such as Gothic, Plateresque Renaissance and Neoclassical.
CHURCH OF SAN LUIS DE LOS FRANCESES
If you don’t have a plan for a Sunday afternoon, you can visit this church for free, which was named after Louis IX, King of France and cousin to King Ferdinand III of Castile. Once inside, you will be amazed by the main altarpiece, the rest of the altarpieces, the altars, the spiral columns and the impressive dome.
FREE FOREVER: BETTER THAN YOUR MOBILE RATE
In fact, dear reader: the monuments and buildings that we are going to tell you now can be visited whenever you want without having to get your wallet out. In addition, the vast majority appears in all the lists of essential places to see when visiting Seville.
GENERAL ARCHIVE OF THE INDIES
The General Archive of the Indies (Archivo General de Indias) is a very interesting place, since it was founded by King Charles III of Spain in 1785 to store all the documents of the administration of the Spanish colonies. Here, more than forty-three thousand files are stored with more than eighty million pages and approximately eight thousand drawings and maps of the different administrations of the Spanish colonies. Quite impressive, right? You can stop by from Tuesday to Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. and Sundays and holidays from 10:00 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.
BASÍLICA DE LA MACARENA
The venerated image of the Virgen de la Esperanza Macarena, one of the most popular ones in Seville, is located in this basilica. In front of the temple you will see the Puerta de la Macarena, one of the few traces that are preserved of what once were the walls of Seville. You should go into the basilica to see its impressive 12-metre-high altarpiece from Monday to Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and from 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. It opens on Sundays and holidays half an hour later in the morning.
CAPILLA DE LOS MARINEROS
The most devout people from Triana and Sevillians find in this chapel their venerated image of Nuestra Señora de la Esperanza de Triana. In addition, its white and yellow façade stands out on Pureza street, and inside the chapel the ceiling in red pine wood and carved ornaments shines, as well as the central lamp of the nineteenth century. If this has caught your attention, visit the Capilla de los Marineros from Monday to Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., or on Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m..
HOSPITAL DE LAS CINCO LLAGAS
The Hospital de las Cinco Llagas is currently the heads of the Parliament of Andalusia, but was a hospital until 1972. There are many curiosities and legends around it. Due to the terrible epidemic of plague that occurred in Seville in 1649, they could not cope with the injured and, in addition, the crowd waited in front of the hospital to be treated. This image was represented in a painting by unknown author called “The plague of 1649”. So if you want to know a place full of mystery and history, stop by from Monday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Remember that you must request an appointment in advance in writing and by phone.
CHURCH OF SANTA MARIA LA BLANCA
The Church of Santa Maria la Blanca may not catch your attention from the outside. But does the sentence “beauty is on the inside” seem familiar to you? This church is an example of this. Its ceilings and vaults covered with plaster ornaments, its arches, its impressive Baroque altarpiece in the background and many more details will leave you speechless. We encourage you to discover it from Monday to Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Keep in mind that during the mass of 11:00 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. no visits are allowed.
MUSEUM OF ARTS AND POPULAR CUSTOMS
Admission to the Museum of Arts and Popular Customs (Museo de Artes y Costumbres Populares) is free for all citizens of the European Union. This museum was created with the intention of teaching everyone the richness and diversity of the Sevillian culture. We assure you that it will be a very profitable visit. In winter, the opening hours are from Tuesday to Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and on Sundays and holidays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. In summer it opens from Tuesday to Sunday and holidays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. It’s closed on Mondays.
ARCHAELOGICAL MUSEUM OF SEVILLE
Inside the Archaeological Museum of Seville you will find a collection of incalculable value of objects and pieces that date from the Paleolithic to the Middle Ages. Admission is free for citizens of the European Union. Its opening hours in summer are from Tuesday to Sunday and holidays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and in winter they’re from Tuesday to Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Sundays and public holidays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. It’s closed on Mondays.
MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS OF SEVILLE
There are works by important artists such as Zurbarán and Murillo in the Museum of Fine Arts of Seville (Museo de Bellas Artes de Sevilla). Once you go into it, forget about the clock to appreciate unhurried all the beauty that is exposed here. Admission is free for all citizens of the European Union. You can visit it from Tuesday to Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Sundays and public holidays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
SAN TELMO PALACE
The San Telmo Palace is one of the most representative buildings of the Sevillian baroque: we have no doubt that its splendid façade will fascinate you. In addition, the set of sculptures that represent twelve Illustrious Sevillians will catch your attention. If you want to see its inside (we assure you that it is worth it), visits are available on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays with prior reservation.
ROYAL TOBACCO FACTORY OF SEVILLE
This building housed the first tobacco factory in all Europe, in the eighteenth century. Its story is very interesting, and we advise you to visit it so you don’t miss it. It is the headquarters of the Chancellory of the University of Seville, and it offers free guided tours on Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and also on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Remember that you must make an appointment in advance to attend.
MILITARY HISTORICAL MUSEUM OF SEVILLE
The Military Historical Museum of Seville is located in the beautiful Plaza de España. Its entrance is next to the Puerta de Aragón. If you are passionate about the military world, you will love visiting this three-floor museum where more than five thousand objects are exhibited. It is open from Monday to Saturday.
BASILICA DEL GRAN PODER
The Basilica del Gran Poder, in Seville, is located in the district of San Lorenzo, next to its brotherhood and the parish of San Lorenzo. Here the image of Jesús del Gran Poder is located, to which the Sevillians feel authentic devotion.
CONVENTO DE SANTA CLARA
The Convento de Santa Clara, in Seville, was built next to a palace in the 13th century. It was a convent for cloistered nuns until the 20th century, but now the Council uses it for cultural events. There are some beautiful patios and gardens, and some impressive areas such as the Cloister and the Refectory.
CASTLE OF ST. GEORGE
This is one of the most unjustly forgotten monuments when visiting Seville. The Castle of St. George (Castillo de San Jorge) was the headquarters of the Court of the Inquisition for two centuries, after which it was demolished and the Market of Triana was built above its ruins. It is said that a lot of paranormal events happen here, because strange noises are heard at night and there are even some people who claim to have seen a little girl dressed in white. Today, the Castle is used as Museum and Interpretive Centre of the Inquisition in Seville.
SQUARES AND PARKS REMAIN PUBLIC
And, therefore, free. In addition, they are a perfect option when it comes to take a leisurely stroll and escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. Places as essential as Plaza de España, Plaza de America, Plaza Nueva, Plaza de la Encarnacion, Alameda de Hercules, Plaza del Triunfo or Plaza de Doña Elvira; incredible parks and gardens such as the Parque de Maria Luisa, Jardines de la Buhaira, the Jardines de Murillo, the Jardines del Prado, Parque de los Príncipes, the Alamillo Park or Parque Magallanes; places of interest such as the district of San Bernardo, the district of Triana, the district of Santa Cruz, Isla de la Cartuja, the New York Dock or Sierpes street; monuments such as the Esfera Armilar; bridges such as Triana’s or Alamillo’s and, of course, the Guadalquivir River, next to which you can walk peacefully.
Very cool, right? The truth is that options are endless when visiting Seville without spending any money. The city offers many alternatives for all tastes. On TUDESTINO we are sure that getting bored in Seville is never an option! That is why we give you endless ideas so that every time you go, your visit is unforgettable.