Seville Cathedral and the Giralda: visitor guide and tips

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The short answer

Seville Cathedral is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, built on the site of the city’s great mosque. Its bell tower, the Giralda, was the mosque’s minaret. Inside are the tomb of Christopher Columbus and one of the largest altarpieces ever made.

• Time needed: 1.5 to 2 hours, including the Giralda
• Price: €13 online (€14 at the ticket office) for general admission, which includes the Giralda and the Iglesia del Salvador
• Book ahead: we recommend it from March to June and in October, to skip the ticket queue
• Best time: we suggest opening time, or the last two hours of the afternoon
• Where: the ticket offices are at the Puerta de San Cristóbal (Puerta del Príncipe), on Avenida de la Constitución (south side). With an online ticket, enter by the Puerta del Lagarto

Opening hours and prices

Hours change for religious services and holidays, and the building closes to visitors on some days during Semana Santa. From 4 to 7 December 2026 only the Giralda and an exhibition can be visited, and there is no visit on 8 December. Check the official website, catedraldesevilla.es, before you go. Compare all ticket options in our cathedral tickets guide.

Tickets: official or guided?

The official ticket (with the optional audio guide) is enough for most visitors. A guided tour helps you make sense of a building this big, and the combined tours with the Alcázar are the easiest way to see both in a morning.

• On your own: the official ticket
• With a guide: cathedral and Giralda guided tour
• Combined: Alcázar and cathedral tour

What to see inside: the best route

1. Tomb of Christopher Columbus. Just inside the south door, the explorer’s remains are carried by four giant figures representing the kingdoms of Castile, León, Aragon and Navarre.

   

2. The Capilla Mayor. Behind its iron screen is the main altarpiece, more than 25 metres high and covered in gold leaf, with dozens of carved scenes from the life of Christ. Its carving took more than 80 years.

3. The choir and the organs. In the centre of the nave, facing the Capilla Mayor.

   

4. The Sacristía Mayor and the treasury. Silverwork, relics and the keys given to the city at the Christian conquest in 1248.

   

5. The Chapter House (Sala Capitular). An oval room with a Murillo Immaculate Conception in the dome.

6. The Giralda. The official route starts here, with its own entrance check. Climb the ramps (more than 30 of them, then a few steps at the top) to the bell chamber. The ramps are wide enough for a rider on horseback. We think the view over Santa Cruz, the Alcázar and the rooftops is the best in Seville.

   

7. Patio de los Naranjos. The orange-tree courtyard of the old mosque, with its fountain. You leave through here and the Puerta del Perdón, the mosque’s original gate.

   

The rooftop tour

The guided Visita a las cubiertas takes you across the cathedral’s roofs, between flying buttresses and above the vaults, with views you can’t get from the Giralda. It lasts about an hour and a half and runs in Spanish, English and French at set times. Children must be over 9, and the cathedral does not allow it for people with vertigo, heart or breathing problems or limited mobility.

Tips for your visit

• Dress code: it is a place of worship, so cover your shoulders and knees. We suggest carrying a scarf in summer.

• The Giralda climb is easy (ramps, not stairs), and the official route starts with it, before it gets hot and crowded in the afternoon.

  

• Mass: you can attend mass for free at the times posted on the official website, but you can’t tour the building during services.

• Keep your ticket. It also includes free entry to the Iglesia del Salvador, ten minutes’ walk north.

• Rosemary sellers work around the cathedral doors. We’d politely decline and walk on.

Nearby: combine it with

• The Real Alcázar: across Plaza del Triunfo. See the Alcázar guide.
• Archivo de Indias: free, next door.
• Rooftop bars with Giralda views: the hotels around the cathedral, such as EME Catedral Mercer and Hotel Doña María, have terraces open to non-guests.
• Where to stay nearby: where to stay in Seville.

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