Free tourSeville Monumental Free Tour
The Cathedral and the Giralda, the Royal Alcázar, the Archive of the Indies and the Torre del Oro: Golden Age Seville.
2h 30minES · EN
Free · tip-basedView tour
Free tours in Seville
Free walking tours Seville · Trip Tours Seville
From the Giralda and the Real Alcázar to the maze of the Barrio de Santa Cruz, then across the Guadalquivir to Triana. Monumental Seville, its mysteries and its legends, on foot and with local guides.
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Free walking tours in Seville
Traveller's guide
Seville on foot: neighbourhoods, plans and tips
Cathedral, Giralda and Real Alcázar: monumental Seville
Seville Cathedral is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, built over the Almohad mosque of which the Giralda and the Orange Tree Courtyard remain. Next door, the Real Alcázar is one of the oldest royal palaces still in use in Europe, with the Mudéjar halls of Pedro I and the gardens where Game of Thrones was filmed. And the Archive of the Indies holds the paperwork of everything that crossed the Atlantic.
The Monumental Seville free walking tour covers this World Heritage ensemble from the outside and helps you decide what to visit inside afterwards. Alcázar tickets sell out: buy yours in advance.
Santa Cruz quarter: the old Jewish quarter
Santa Cruz is the maze of whitewashed lanes, tiled courtyards and orange-tree squares everyone pictures when they think of Seville. It was the Jewish quarter until 1391 and has a legend for every corner: Calle Susona and its skull, Plaza de Doña Elvira, the Hospital de los Venerables and the Murillo Gardens.
Our Santa Cruz free walking tour focuses on these stories and is perfect for the afternoon, when the quarter empties of groups and regains its scale. It pairs well with the Monumental tour in the morning.
Triana and the Guadalquivir: the other bank
Crossing the Isabel II bridge is like changing city. Triana was the quarter of potters, sailors and flamenco artists; Calle Betis is Seville's best terrace at sunset, the market stands on the remains of the Inquisition's castle and the Ceramics Centre tells centuries of tile-making.
The Triana free walking tour is the most local of the three we run in Seville. If you come in spring, note that during Holy Week and the Feria times and routes change: check the tour page before booking.
City guide
What to see in Seville
Seville is best walked slowly, keeping to the shade. The old town is compact and flat: from the Cathedral to the Plaza de España is a short stroll, and almost everything worth seeing fits between the Guadalquivir river and the Macarena walls. This is a city of patios, glazed tiles and orange trees, where the sun beats down from May to September, so it pays to set off early or head out as the afternoon cools. Between one monument and the next there is always a square with a bar for a breather, and the wandering itself, with its shady corners and whitewashed façades, is part of the plan.
The visit falls into three walks. The first is monumental Seville, with the Cathedral and the Giralda, the Real Alcázar, the Archivo de Indias and the Torre del Oro beside the river, the backbone of the free tour of the Golden Age and its splendour. The second slips into the Barrio de Santa Cruz, the old Jewish quarter of narrow lanes such as the Callejón del Agua, hidden courtyards and the legend of la Susona, the perfect way into the free tour of mysteries and legends. The third crosses the Isabel II bridge to Triana, the pottery and flamenco district on the far bank, with its market, the little Carmen chapel and the tales of ceramists and singers that bring the free tour of Triana legends to life.
Free tours usually set off from easy-to-spot places: the Plaza Nueva or the Cathedral door for the city-centre walks, and the foot of the Triana bridge for those on the far bank. The best window is early in the morning, when the sun is still gentle and the Barrio de Santa Cruz is quiet, or at dusk, when the stone of the Giralda turns golden and the terraces of Triana fill up. Save the Plaza de España for last, since it is best enjoyed at an unhurried pace. Booking is free and, at the end, you thank the guide for their work with a voluntary contribution, usually 15 to 20 euros per person.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a free tour in Seville cost?
- Booking your spot is free and you pay nothing up front. At the end of the walk you leave a voluntary contribution for the guide, which in Seville tends to be between 15 and 20 euros per person depending on how much you enjoyed it. It is handed over in cash, and many guides also take card or Bizum.
- Which free tour is the best one to start with in Seville?
- For a first taste, the Monumental Seville free tour is the most complete: in a couple of hours you take in the Cathedral and the Giralda, the area around the Real Alcázar, the Archivo de Indias and the Torre del Oro, and you come to understand the city's role in the age of the Indies. If you are after something with more atmosphere and mystery, the legends of the Barrio de Santa Cruz make the ideal follow-up.
- Do I need to book in advance?
- Yes, it is worth booking your place online, because groups have limited capacity and fill up in spring. During Holy Week, the Feria de Abril and the May weekends, book one or two days ahead. The rest of the year, signing up the day before is usually enough. Booking is free and you can cancel if your plans change.
- Do the tours run if it is very hot or rainy?
- Yes. In summer the guides seek out the shaded streets of the Barrio de Santa Cruz and ease the pace; even so, bring water, a hat and comfortable shoes, because the July and August heat is fierce. When it rains, which is rare in Seville, the walks go ahead unless there is a storm, making the most of the arcades and covered stops.
- What is the one Seville experience not to miss?
- Crossing over to Triana at dusk. The district on the far bank of the Guadalquivir is home to the pottery, the market built over the remains of the San Jorge castle and the flamenco of its cellars, and you can explore it on the Triana Legends free tour. Rounding off the day with the Giralda lit up, seen from the Isabel II bridge, is the finest postcard of Seville.
Articles about Seville
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How free tours in Seville work
Everything about free tours in Seville: what they are, how much you leave (15-20 € per person), where they start and which to choose first. By the operator.
8 min read
What to see in Seville on foot: from the Giralda to Triana
A walking route through Seville: the Cathedral and Giralda, the Real Alcázar, the Santa Cruz quarter, the Torre del Oro and Triana across the Guadalquivir. What to see, hours and tips.
6 min read
Mysteries and legends of the Santa Cruz quarter in Seville
Walk the old Jewish quarter of Seville: the skull of La Susona, King Don Pedro, Murillo and Don Juan. History and legends of the Santa Cruz quarter.
7 min read
Groups and companies
Travelling as a group? Private tour in Seville
A guide exclusively for your family, friends, school or company, with the schedule, route and language you choose. Request a quote with no obligation.
