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Is this a good month to visit?
Yes. May is warm and reliably sunny in Seville, with days around 28 °C, very little rain, and a string of local festivals. It is still high season, and the end of the month can already feel like summer.
- Weather: average high 28 °C, low 14 °C, about 3 rainy days
- Events: Cruces de Mayo, the Fiesta de los Patios in Córdoba, the El Rocío pilgrimage and, in 2027, Corpus Christi on 27 May
- Crowds: high
- Hotel prices: high
- Best for: warm evenings on terraces, festivals, day trips
Compare the months around it: Seville in April and Seville in June, or see the full month-by-month guide. For what to see in between festivals, see things to do in Seville.
Weather
| May | |
|---|---|
| Average high | 28 °C |
| Average low | 14 °C |
| Rainy days | about 3 |
| Daylight | about 14 hours |
Early May is warm and pleasant; by late May, afternoons often pass 30 °C and a few days reach the mid-30s. Evenings are mild and long, perfect for dinner outside. Rain becomes rare.
From May, plan like a local: sightsee in the morning, take a long lunch in the shade, and head out again from about 19:00.
What’s on
Cruces de Mayo (early May)
In the first days of May, brotherhoods, neighbourhood groups and schools decorate crosses with flowers, and some carry small processions through their streets, often with children. It is a small, local tradition, far from the scale of Holy Week, and you come across it by chance in the neighbourhoods.
Córdoba’s patios
Córdoba, 45 minutes away by high-speed train, has its best month in May. It has its own Cruces de Mayo in early May, followed by the Fiesta de los Patios, usually in the first two weeks of May, when residents open their flower-filled courtyards to visitors for free. Expect queues at the most popular patios, and go on a weekday if you can.
El Rocío pilgrimage
At Pentecost, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims travel to the village of El Rocío in the province of Huelva to honour its Virgin. In 2027, Pentecost Sunday is 16 May. In the days before, brotherhoods from Seville leave the city on foot, on horseback and in decorated wagons pulled by oxen. The departure of the Triana brotherhood draws big crowds in Triana.
Corpus Christi (27 May 2027)
Corpus Christi is a feast tied to Easter, 60 days after Easter Sunday. In 2027 it falls on Thursday 27 May, a local holiday in Seville. In the morning, a solemn procession leaves the cathedral with its great silver monstrance and pasos, through streets scattered with rosemary and lined with decorated balconies and altars. Around the feast, the choirboys known as the Seises dance in the cathedral.
Jacarandas
From late May into June, the jacaranda trees along many avenues turn purple.
The Feria in some years
When Easter is late, the Feria de Abril falls in early May. In 2027 it is expected in April.
Crowds and hotel prices
May is high season. Book the Alcázar and the cathedral several days ahead, and go at opening time. A double in a good central hotel typically costs around €130–250 a night, and weekends fill first.
As the heat builds, a hotel with a pool or a roof terrace starts to make sense, for example the rooftop pool of EME Catedral Mercer or the small pool of Hotel Adriano. See hotels with a pool and where to stay in Seville.
What to pack
- Summer clothes: light, breathable fabrics
- A light layer for early-May evenings
- Sun protection: a hat, sunglasses and high-factor sun cream
- A refillable water bottle
- Comfortable sandals or trainers for long walks
- Covered shoulders for churches, useful on Corpus Christi
FAQ
Is May a good time to visit Seville?
Yes, one of the best. It is warm, sunny and full of local festivals. The downside is high-season prices and, by the end of the month, the first hot days.
How hot is Seville in May?
Around 28 °C on average in the afternoon, and 14 °C at night. Late May can reach the mid-30s.
Is the Feria de Abril ever in May?
Yes, in years when Easter is late. In 2027 it is expected in April, two to three weeks after Easter.
Can I see Córdoba’s patios on a day trip from Seville?
Yes. The high-speed train takes about 45 minutes, so you can see the Mezquita in the morning and the patios in the afternoon.