What to visit in Seville with a child or a teenager?

Ideas for historic places to visit in Seville with a child

You can’t come to Seville without visiting the must-see places like the Cathedral, the Giralda, the Alcazar and the Plaza de España.

Seville Cathedral and the Giralda

So, even if religious places do not initially attract children, the Cathedral has a few tricks up its sleeve. Starting with the Giralda. A vestige of the city’s old mosque, it is magnificent and a great playground for little sports enthusiasts. Because yes, you have to go up to the top to admire Seville and hear the bells ringing. Funny fact, there are no steps to go up but a slope. It hurts your legs less and above all it goes down on its own.

To be honest, the Cathedral itself is majestic but does not attract children (at least mine who is 12 years old). But he remained in awe in front of the tomb of Christopher Columbus. It was an opportunity to talk again about the discovery of the Americas. He was also impressed by the height of the ceilings and the global beauty of the place. We stayed for around 1 hour in the Cathedral and its gardens.

Several information to know

• You have to dress well to enter
• Children under 13 pay only €5 for entry with loan of an audio guide (compared to €17 for an adult)
• You can book online and choose your arrival time. Stick to it because they are strict to avoid congestion.
• If you purchased your tickets in advance, go to the right side of the main entrance and wait in line.
• Once you have passed the bag check, if you have booked a tour with an audio guide, ask the ladies at reception desk for an audio guide in your language.
• The Cathedral offers a visiting slot which is free (often early in the morning or late in the evening). Visit the Seville Cathedral website for more information.

The Real Alcázar of Seville

If we continue in the historical places, right next to the Cathedral is the royal castle or Alcazar. Here again, it is advisable to book online to avoid queues. Arrive at the main door 5/10 minutes before the scheduled time of your visit. You will see a sign that indicates the next entry time. Here, plan for more visiting time because the castle is very large including its gardens (2h-2h30).

For information, I’ve paid €16.50 for a child under 13 and an adult. I could have booked an audio guide but we did without and it was still ok. Be careful because there are even more people than at the Cathedral (despite the entry slots every 30 minutes). As for the visit, different types of architecture coexist because the castle is very old. The Moorish-style rooms with their numerous decorated arches are the most popular. For our part, we really liked the basements where it was cooler than outside. My son’s big favorite is the gardens with the ducks and peacocks.

The Plaza de España, nice place to visit in Seville with a child

Here is another emblematic and historic place in the city: the Plaza de España. Location of several films, it attracts a lot of people. We didn’t do the short boat trips but:

• We wandered under these arches;
• Went upstairs to admire the square;
• We listened to a flamenco show;
• Went for a walk in the gardens of Maria Luisa which face the square;
• …

In case of hot weather, come before 10 a.m. because as it is oriented and built, the place heats up very quickly. A little advice if you don’t speak Spanish: don’t take the sprig of thyme that the gypsies hand to you. Because then, they will read your hand and ask you for €10. For Spanish speakers, talking with the gypsy women is an experience. Don’t pay €10 but give them €1-2 and they will move on to another tourist. It’s part of folklore for the tourists.

The private palaces of Seville

Honestly, I didn’t set out to visit the city’s private palaces. But in July 2024, there was a historic heatwave even for Sevillians. So, we changed our plans and looked for shade.

Palacio de la condesa de Lebrija

The first palace we visited was right next to the old university and the Setas district. This is the palace of the Countess of Lebrija. To be honest, it’s old. But the real interest is that it is full of Roman collections discovered in the surrounding fields. The visit lasts 1h30; including a 45-minute guided tour of the countess’s apartments upstairs.

Palacio de las Dueñas

Regarding to the second palace, this place is clearly more worth the detour (from our point of view). This is the Palace of Las Dueñas. It is a private palace too but is best maintained by the descendants of the original owners. It also hosts public or private events throughout the year. This does not prevent you from visiting it during the day. Its gardens are very pleasant but I must admit that the central patio is magnificent. Bullfighting enthusiasts will be delighted to discover Sevillian posters which date back, for the oldest, to the end of the 19th century.

For information, private palaces are more expensive (around €25 for both per palace). As much as I found the price excessive for the Countess’s Palace, I had nothing to say for the Palace of Las Dueñas. Especially since we had an audio guide for the second palace. For his part, my son was impressed by the Roman relics in the first palace but found the visit to the upper floor too long. In the second palace, we could see ourselves living there ! He really liked the patio as well as the gardens. He also preferred the free visit and therefore time management as we wanted. We stayed there for 1.5 hours but because we were sitting in the gardens and admired the central patio several times… Otherwise, an hour is perfect with younger kids.

The bullring square (Plaza de Toros)

This place is clearly my son’s favorite historical and tourist site. Not so much for the museum which is located under the arcades but for the beauty of the arena, the stone stands, the period armchairs, the saffron-colored sand, etc. But yet, it was excessively hot in the arena! A word of advice: avoid coming at midday! The visit itself takes barely 30 minutes. We paid €16 for both. Few people visit so you can manage your time as you wish.

The Navigation Museum and the Museum of Optical Illusions

The navigation museum is very accessible because it is located on the quays along the Guadalquivir. It explains the history of Spanish navigators very simply and in a fun way. The real highlight of this museum is the replica of one of the boats that crossed the Atlantic to discover the Americas at the end of the 15th century.

But what my son really liked is the boat which is located on the quay in front of the museum. But he also liked the interactivity of the museum, the fact of being able to hold maps (replicas of course), of having all the planispheres and of seeing explanatory videos. We’ve spent an hour taking our time to visit the museum and the boat.

So new change of scenery: the museum of optical illusions which is hidden in the shopping streets of the center of the town. Small disappointment because we did the ones in Barcelona, ​​London, Edinburgh (special mention) which are super nice. This one is small and expensive for what it is. But, my son has always loved the research, the illusions, the activities…. In short, a good time to spend in less than an hour.

Enjoy the neighborhoods : visit in Seville with a child or not

Honestly, what I like during the holidays is exploring the cities and being in contact with the locals. Morning is the best time for this. But not all kids are as cool as mine when it comes to getting up at 7 a.m. during the summer. I won’t have one neighborhood to highlight more than another. Because everyone has their own charm.

On the last day of our vacation, I let my son sleep in and went for a walk at dawn (I should point out that we were in a great hotel, that he knew I was leaving and that he had his phone to call me if necessary). I met the Sevillians who were running along the river, who were having a coffee in the fresh air, who were taking a break for the outdoor workers, who were lounging on the benches of the town hall before the strong heat, … It was by far my favorite moment because it was the most real to me.

Must see neighborhoods to visit in Seville

Of course, the Cathedral and Alcazar district has incredible charm. But the area around the Plaza de Toros is also very authentic. The paseo along the river is calm in the morning but vibrates in the evening. The Triana district which overlooks the original Guadalquivir (not the new commercial arm on the other side) is also very nice to do (by bike because it is so big). In short, Seville is a city that is lived and felt.

Little tip : if you speak Spanish, approach the Sevillians, they will be delighted to chat with a tourist who speaks their language. I am lucky enough to speak Spanish fluently and it was a passport for my son and I during our stay. With the key, moments of complicity with the Sevillians, smiles and kindness that you no longer know what to do with. We felt like home. And the Spanish are always so kind to children (I say always because I still remember my first trip to Andalusia where everyone was so kind and caring towards the 7 year old little girl that I was).

There is still a lot to say and to do with a child in Seville. So see you in a future article which will talk about kayaking, cycling, concerts and ice cream of course :)