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Is this a good month to visit?
Yes, if you like a local, low-key Christmas. December in Seville is mild and often sunny, around 17 °C by day and 7 °C at night, with lights, nativity scenes and markets in the centre. Outside the holiday weekends, it is quiet and good value.
- Weather: average high 17 °C, low 7 °C, about 7 rainy days
- Events: the Christmas lights, the Feria del Belén, the Inmaculada on 8 December, Christmas and New Year
- Crowds: medium around the holidays, low in between
- Hotel prices: low to medium, higher around 6–8 December and New Year
- Best for: a winter city break, Christmas atmosphere, sightseeing without queues
Compare the months around it: Seville in November and Seville in January, or see the full month-by-month guide. For what to see between the festivities, see things to do in Seville.
Weather
| December | |
|---|---|
| Average high | 17 °C |
| Average low | 7 °C |
| Rainy days | about 7 |
| Daylight | about 9.5 hours |
December has the most rainy days of the year in Seville, but rain usually comes in spells, with plenty of bright, sunny days between them. At midday you can often sit outside in the sun; after dark, you need a warm coat. Days are short, with sunset around 18:00.
What’s on
Christmas lights and markets
The Christmas lights go on in late November or early December, with the main displays on the Avenida de la Constitución, Plaza Nueva, Plaza de San Francisco, Calle Tetuán and Calle Sierpes. There is no big German-style Christmas market. Instead, the Feria del Belén by the cathedral sells nativity figures and everything needed to build a belén, and a craft market sets up in Plaza Nueva.
Nativity scenes
Visiting nativity scenes (belenes) is a family tradition. Churches, brotherhoods, the city hall and cultural foundations set up large scenes, most of them free to visit.
The Inmaculada (7–8 December)
The Immaculate Conception, on 8 December, is a national holiday and a great feast in Seville. On the night of the 7th, university tunas, student music groups in capes, sing to the Virgin at the monument in Plaza del Triunfo, next to the cathedral. Around the feast, the choirboys known as the Seises dance before the high altar of the cathedral. With Constitution Day on 6 December, this is a long weekend, the Puente de diciembre, and the city fills with Spanish visitors.
Convent sweets
In early December, a fair of sweets made by enclosed convents is usually held in the city. Look out also for polvorones and mantecados from Estepa, a town in Seville province famous for them.
Christmas and New Year
On 24 December (Nochebuena), families eat at home and many restaurants close in the evening. On 25 December, the Real Alcázar and most shops are closed. On 31 December, everyone eats twelve grapes at midnight, then goes out until dawn. The Christmas season ends with the Three Kings parade on 5 January: see Seville in January.
For the full calendar, markets and holiday opening hours, read our Christmas in Seville guide.
Crowds and hotel prices
Most of December is quiet. The Alcázar and the cathedral are calm, except on the Puente de diciembre and between Christmas and New Year, when Spanish families visit. Opening hours change on 24, 25 and 31 December: check before you go, and book the Alcázar ahead for holiday dates.
A double in a good central hotel typically costs around €90–150 a night, more over the Puente de diciembre and New Year’s Eve. Book one to two months ahead for those dates. To walk out among the lights, stay in the Centro, for example at Hotel Inglaterra on Plaza Nueva. See where to stay in Seville and hotels in the city centre.
What to pack
- A warm coat, a scarf and a jumper for the evenings
- Layers for sunny middays
- An umbrella or waterproof jacket
- Shoes with grip for wet paving
- Warm clothes for indoors: many older buildings have little heating
- Something smart for a Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve dinner
FAQ
Is Seville worth visiting in December?
Yes. It is mild, often sunny and quiet outside the holidays, with lights, markets and nativity scenes in the centre. Plan around 24–25 December, when a lot closes.
What is the weather like in Seville in December?
Mild by day, around 17 °C, and cool at night, around 7 °C. December has about seven rainy days, the most of any month, but plenty of sun between them.
Is Seville busy in December?
Mostly no. It gets busy on the long weekend around 6–8 December and between Christmas and New Year.
Is there a Christmas market in Seville?
Yes, two traditional ones: the Feria del Belén, selling nativity figures by the cathedral, and a craft market in Plaza Nueva. Both are smaller than the Christmas markets of Central Europe.