The short answer
Seville is one of the best cities in Spain to visit on a tight budget. Its most photographed sights are free, and several of the big monuments have free slots.
- Always free: Plaza de España, the Parque de María Luisa, Santa Cruz, Triana, the Castillo de San Jorge, the Archivo de Indias and most parish churches
- Free on Mondays: the last hour at the Real Alcázar (book online) and the Torre del Oro
- Free for EU citizens: the Museo de Bellas Artes and the Museo de Artes y Costumbres Populares (about €1.50 for everyone else)
- Free with a tip: free walking tours, usually €10–15 per person
The list
1. Plaza de España
The great semicircle of brick and tiles built for the 1929 Exposition, with a canal, four bridges and an alcove for each Spanish province. Free and open every day. Climb to the upper gallery for the view. Only the rowing boats cost money (about €6). See Plaza de España.
2. Parque de María Luisa
Seville’s main park: palm trees, fountains, tiled benches and ponds, from Plaza de España to Plaza de América. The shadiest place in the city on a hot afternoon.
3. Santa Cruz
The old Jewish quarter is free to wander: Plaza de Santa Cruz, Plaza de Doña Elvira, the Callejón del Agua along the Alcázar wall, and the Jardines de Murillo. Best early or after dark. See Santa Cruz.
4. Triana and its market
Cross the Isabel II bridge to the potters’ and sailors’ neighbourhood. The Mercado de Triana, the ceramics shops of Calle Alfarería and the painted houses of Calle Betis cost nothing to see. See Triana.
5. Castillo de San Jorge
Under the Mercado de Triana, the remains of the castle that was the headquarters of the Spanish Inquisition, now a small museum about religious intolerance. Free.
6. Archivo de Indias
The archive of Spain’s empire in the Americas, in a Renaissance building next to the cathedral, with a marble staircase and changing exhibitions of maps and documents. Free.
7. Real Alcázar on Monday
On Mondays, the last hour is free: 18:00–19:00 from April to September and 16:00–17:00 from October to March. You still need a timed ticket from the official website, released a few days ahead, and they go fast. An hour is enough for the main palace but not the gardens. See Real Alcázar tickets.
8. The cathedral’s free slot
The cathedral releases a limited number of free places at set times, usually one afternoon a week, bookable only online with a small booking fee. You can also attend mass for free, but not visit during services. See cathedral tickets.
9. Torre del Oro
The 13th-century Almohad watchtower on the river houses a small naval museum with a rooftop view. About €3, free on Mondays.
10. Museo de Bellas Artes
One of the best painting collections in Spain, with Murillo, Zurbarán and Valdés Leal, in a former convent. Free for EU citizens with ID, about €1.50 for everyone else, so almost free anyway.
11. Plaza de América museums
At the south end of the Parque de María Luisa, the Museo de Artes y Costumbres Populares (folk arts, costumes and crafts) has the same rules as Bellas Artes: free for EU citizens, about €1.50 otherwise. The Museo Arqueológico opposite has been closed for a long renovation; check before you go.
12. Churches
Many of Seville’s churches are free to enter outside mass. Three that matter during Semana Santa:
- Basílica de la Macarena: home of the Virgen de la Macarena (the museum costs about €5)
- Basílica del Gran Poder: on Plaza de San Lorenzo, home of Jesús del Gran Poder
- Capilla de los Marineros: in Triana, home of the Esperanza de Triana
Dress modestly and keep quiet during services. Some bigger churches, like the Iglesia del Salvador, charge entry (the Salvador is included in the cathedral ticket).
13. The Setas, at street level
The rooftop walkway of the Setas de Sevilla costs about €15, but walking under the giant wooden canopy and around Plaza de la Encarnación is free, and so is the market on the ground floor (mornings, closed on Sundays).
14. Free viewpoints
- Calle Betis and the Puente de Triana: the classic view of the Torre del Oro and the old town
- The upper gallery of Plaza de España
- The river walk from the Torre del Oro to the Puente de Triana, best at sunset
- Plaza Virgen de los Reyes: the Giralda from below, lit up after dark
15. The old tobacco factory
The Real Fábrica de Tabacos, where Bizet set Carmen, is now the main building of the University of Seville. On weekdays you can usually walk through its courtyards and corridors.
16. Palacio de San Telmo
The Baroque palace by the river, now the seat of the Andalusian regional government, offers free guided visits on some days. Book online well in advance.
17. Contemporary art at La Cartuja
The Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo, in a 15th-century monastery on La Cartuja island, has free entry at certain times each week. The monastery, where Columbus often stayed, is as interesting as the art.
18. Free walking tours
A guided walk of the centre, Triana or the legends of Santa Cruz, paid with a tip at the end. See free walking tours in Seville.
19. Flamenco for the price of a drink
Entry to La Carbonería, a bar in Santa Cruz with live flamenco most nights, is free: you just buy a drink. Street performers also dance around Plaza de España (leave a tip). See flamenco in Seville.
20. Semana Santa and the Feria
Watching the Semana Santa processions costs nothing, and entry to the Feria de Abril fairground is free, although most of its tents (casetas) are private.
If you only have one day
Morning: Plaza de España and the Parque de María Luisa, then the Archivo de Indias. Lunch: tapas in Triana (about €3–5 each, see where to eat). Afternoon: the Castillo de San Jorge, Calle Betis and the river walk. If it is Monday, book the free last hour at the Alcázar. Evening: Santa Cruz after dark and a drink at La Carbonería. More ideas in things to do in Seville and one day in Seville.
Where to stay nearby
To walk everywhere and save on transport, stay in the historic centre. Good-value picks are in cheap hotels in Seville and where to stay in Seville. Hotel prices are lowest in July, August, January and February.
FAQ
Is the Alcázar free on Mondays?
Only for the last hour of the day, and you still need to book a free timed ticket on the official website. The slots go quickly.
Is Plaza de España free?
Yes. It is free and open every day. Only the rowing boats on the canal cost money.
Which museums in Seville are free?
The Archivo de Indias and the Castillo de San Jorge are free for everyone. The Museo de Bellas Artes and the Museo de Artes y Costumbres Populares are free for EU citizens and about €1.50 for others.
Is the cathedral in Seville free?
Not usually: a ticket costs about €13. There is a limited free slot bookable online, and you can attend mass for free.
Is Seville expensive to visit?
Less than most Western European cities. Many of the best sights are free, tapas cost €3–5, and the two big monuments cost about €15.50 and €13.