Sevilla in 5 DAYS: Where to Eat, What to See & How to Fall in Love With Spain’s Most Magical City

Sevilla was the final stop of a three-country tour I took in October 2024. 

Yes. I'm not calling in Sevilla because that’s her government name that her mom gave her, and not ‘Seville’.

I stayed at a very very nice vacation home in Sevilla called Santa Paula Pool and luxury, and it was honestly a perfect stay. 

It was in a central enough location for me and the most fabulous things about it was the Flamenco bolero wallpaper as the backdrop to the bed.I stayed for four days and would 100% stay again.

Sevilla, the foodie paradise

It really bothers me that, until my trip to Sevilla, I wasn't hearing the streets talk about how the city is a top destination for foodies. Whoa, every single meal that I ate in Sevilla was incredible. In fact, I didn't eat a single bad meal. And honestly, that is probably what this blog is (mostly) going to be about. So let's just jump right into it. We'll start with food first, okay? 

Every single day in Sevilla, the thing I was most excited about was eating breakfast.

On my first day, I had breakfast at La Mala Brunch. I believe they have two locations in Sevilla. 

The food was incredible at La Mala brunch. I didn't have a reservation or anything, I just walked in. I had a vanilla chai latte with freshly squeezed orange juice. (Also, a side note, during one of my tours, I found out that because of how fertile the soil is and the region of Andalusia where Seviila is located, citrus grows really well, and I could tell because every single orange juice that I had was delicious.)

I also had an egg hollandaise; my goodness, the food was incredible. The customer service at every single place I visited in Sevilla was also a ten out of ten, and I was excited to practice my Spanish when ordering my meals.

I only wish I had more days in Sevilla so I could go back to eat another breakfast here.  

The second breakfast spot you need to try while in Sevilla is Billy Brunch, which also has two locations in the city. This is another top-rated breakfast spot. On the day I was leaving, I woke up extremely early in the morning just to eat breakfast one more time, because I had enjoyed every single one I had had. 

So I dragged my luggage to Billy Brunch. The food here was all so great. One thing about me is that my typical breakfast always includes a hot beverage, orange juice, and a glass of water. But because I knew it was my last day, I was trying to drink as much as I could. So I had a chai latte, a hot chocolate, a glass of water, and an orange juice, cheers!

Billy Brunch gets packed quickly, even though it opens at 8:30, so I recommend going early. It’s a walk-in only, and I remember that a good number of people were waiting outside for a table, which is one of my least favorite things to do.

The potatoes were a little dry, but that didn't even taint how good the entire meal was. So definitely check out this place as well. And at the end, your check comes in a cute little empty egg crate. Plus, just look at the decor of the place. When you walk in, there’s a bicycle hanging on the roof, and their brand color is yellow, so you see a lot of yellow around the place. Honestly, just being in the place was a mood lifter. 

The third spot you need to eat at for breakfast/brunch is La Cacharrería, oof! This was another gem. I had the yogurt muesli, one of their specialty gourmet toasts made with Japanese milk bread, featuring cheeses, smoked ham, and an egg, of course. I also had two cups of hot chocolate and an orange juice; my goodness! What a meal!! And the customer service was just as memorable.

When I say I was eating good in Sevilla. I was eating reallllll good!

Another breakfast spot I enjoyed was a cute spot called FILO. The decor was also really cute, and I believe they also have two locations. Filo is a counter-service cafe, where you order at the counter and they bring your meal to you. I had multiple hot chocolates, because they tasted excellent (I’m still sad that I didn't bring back packets of the hot chocolate to enjoy back home). I decimated the butter ham and cheese sandwich I had for breakfast because it was that good!

Now, let's move on to dinner time. My first dinner in Sevilla was at a place called Picanton. I believe it’s a restaurant chain with two locations in the same building, but I went to Picanton.

You need a reservation to get in. The first thing I noticed when I walked in was the decor, it was stunning! The ratings on the internet did not disappoint, because when the food arrived, I was blown awayyyy. Oh, and the customer service? Stellar!!

Just look at the presentation of the food. I couldn't eat a whole quarter of a chicken, so I took the rest to my vacation home to finish it later.

Think of it like a cross between French toast and bread pudding. Mine was soaked in milk and covered in dulce de leche, with crushed Biscoff and a delicious spoonful of vanilla ice cream on top. Just look at the material. Oh my goodness, it tasted amazing!!! So, if you're visiting Seville, you need to find a place that serves Torrijas.

Sevilla, I was not familiar with your game. I'm so sorry. Shout out to all the chefs here because yes, chef!  Every single meal was incredible, exceptional, and memorable.

I wasn't eating out every single day because I had a vacation rental, and I wanted to cook some of my own meals, but these were all the places I ate at during my short stay. 

So now that we've covered the foodie paradise, let's get into other top highlights of Sevilla.

All the places I visited during my visit to Sevilla.

I've always wanted to visit Seville, as I’m fascinated by cities that were once under Islamic rule and still have cultural and historical references to that time. Seville happens to be one of such. 

Two, Sevilla is the filming location for the kingdom of Dorne in Game of Thrones, and if you’re new here, one of my things on my bucket list is to visit all the Game of Thrones filming locations. 

Let’s start with Sevilla’s Islamic/Arabian/Moorish connection and influences.

Around 700 AD, Sevilla was part of the Islamic territory of al-Andalus (Andalucia). It was, in fact, the first Islamic capital in Spain, and it was then known by its Arabic name, Isbiliyya, from which the name Sevilla comes.

In the heart of the city, it's hard to miss the architectural marvel and the largest Gothic church in the world, the Sevilla Cathedral. You can admire this behemoth from the outside for sure, but I highly recommend seeing inside the cathedral. 

Fun fact: the now-cathedral used to be a mosque, the Almohad mosque, from when Sevilla was under Islamic rule. 

When the Catholic King Ferdinand III reconquered Seville during the Reconquista, the mosque was demolished, and a cathedral was built in its place. However, when you visit the Cathedral, you can still see elements of the mosque that remain, such as the minaret (where the Imam performs the call to prayers), which is now the La Giralda bell tower. You can actually walk up the ramp all the way to the top of that little bell tower over, and you get to see a panoramic view of the city. It's really beautiful.

Additionally, the minaret also resembles the one in Morocco's Koutoubia Mosque, which I saw on my 2023 Thanksgiving trip. This style of multicultural architecture, known as Mudejar, is evident throughout Seville.

Words and pictures alone cannot do justice to the cathedral's stunning beauty. It’s stunning, so stunning! I know I've said that so many times, but there's literally no other word to describe it. The carvings, the sculptures, the design, the pipe organs —everything was absolutely stunning.

Some of the bones of Cristóbal Colón (AKA Christopher Columbus) and his son are interred in the Cathedral. You can see many references to the Virgin Mary (of course, it's a Catholic church). You also get to see an enormous altar of pure gold, which was obviously stolen from South America. I highly recommend visiting the cathedral. It turns out that regular people can actually get married in this cathedral too, and not just royalty.

Still on the Islamic/Arabian/Moorish connection, another notable aspect of Sevilla is something called Azulejos. You'll see azulejos everywhere in Seville. They are elaborate, hand-painted ceramic tiles that originated from the Moors of northern Africa. 

Also, if you’ve ever been to Portugal, you’ll recognize the azulejos. I wanted a piece of this history for myself, so I visited a store where the family had been making azulejos since the 1950s, and I purchased a piece right here; it’s truly beautiful. So if you want a really good souvenir from Sevilla, I recommend will visiting Ceramicas Sevilla 1952.

Also still connecting Islamic rule, the Moors, and Azulejos is, Plaza de España. This was, in fact, my first destination once I landed in Sevilla, and honestly, it should be yours too. 

Plaza de España is stunning and the most wonderful example of Mudejar architecture (also covered in azulejos). Oh, it's beautiful. Just look at these photos. I went early, and it was crowded.

Before I dig into Plaza de España proper, let me talk about this. So, around Sevilla and the Plaza de España, included, you’ll probably encounter some women trying to sell you sage/rosemary (I dont remember which) for your protection.  It is a bit of a scam,  so ignore them,dont buy it,  just say ‘no gracias’ and be on your merry way.

The Plaza de España is also one of the best photography destinations in Sevilla, so be excited, because, as I said, it's stunning!

Plaza de España is also a filming location for Star Wars: Attack of the Clones. Look at the photos below, and I was able to recreate some of those scenes as well (I think!).

The top top, top, top, top experience that I was most excited for in Sevilla, which is also one with Mudejar architecture and Moorish influences, is The Real Alcazar Palace. This was the filming location for the Kingdom of Dorne, the seat of power of the Martells (shoutout and RIP to Oberyn, a bisexual icon).

The Real Alcazar was also part of my tour package, and it was conveniently located right across the street from the cathedral. It was beautiful to be here and recognize spots from scenes in Game of Thrones. I got to see several Game of Thrones filming locations, and you can see more of my Instagram stories and TikTok.

Another cultural landmark to experience in the city is Setas de Sevilla. Loosely interpreted as 'mushrooms' because of their shape. 

You climb to the top and get yet another great view of the city. Admission was about 15 Euros, and I went at night to avoid crowds, but also to experience the light show which was pretty cool actually.

For October, the weather was perfect, so I went on a boat cruise! It wasn’t a packed cruise; I think there were only 20 of us in total. There were tapas involved, and our cruise down the Guadalquivir River. It was really beautiful.

I got to see a lot of cultural landmarks, including a replica of Victoria, the only Magellan ship that survived his voyage around the world over 500 years ago, sitting on the docks, Torre del Oro, and the Triana bridge.

It was interesting to see the city from the water and still admire the beauty of Sevilla, my goodness, what a beautiful place! 

I wasn't staying as long as I would have loved in Sevilla, but I wanted to see as much of the city as I could, so I did a hop-on, hop-off tour. So, I recommend doing a hop-on, hop-off tour. I booked mine here and will get you a guide. It was a hot, sunny day, but I got to see as much of Sevilla as I could.  I got to see:

• The first school in Sevilla

• The country's pavilions

• The tallest building in Sevilla 

• The International Trade Center 

• This stunning bridge looks like a harp 

Sevilla is a very colorful and ancient beauty of a city. I found myself constantly whipping out my phone at every single moment, just to capture the beauty that is Sevilla. Just look at this photo right here.
I didn't take public transportation at all because Sevilla was extremely walkable. I walked around a lot and enjoyed it; when I got tired of walking, I used Uber a few times. However, I found that hailing a regular taxi was a more pleasant experience, and it also had a more affordable price point.

Sevilla is a Catholic city, and there are churches and monasteries everywhere. In fact, the vacation home I stayed at was right in front of a monastery. 

Sevilla does not let you forget for one second that it's a Catholic city, it lowkey feels like they were trying to scrub out any trace that Muslims once ruled it, and one thing about the Catholics, they build some of the most stunning churches!

Also, If you love Korean skincare, I highly recommend visiting the Miin store. I did a proper haul until I actually visited my first  Asian country and emptied my bank account buying skincare.

So, first of all, I love rocks! I will go across the world just to see a stunning rock formation, so on my last day in Seville, I booked a day trip on Get Your Guide to see some rocks in the towns of Ronda and Setenil de las Bodegas.

The first stop was Ronda, where I got to see the Puento Nuevo bridge and the rocks embedded into the houses built on top of them. The first thing that came to mind when I saw this view was Age of Ultron, the Avengers movie, where Ultron says, “On this rock I will build my church.”

The rock formations really were so beautiful.

I explored the small town a bit and discovered a cultural landmark: a ceramic tile mural of Ronda. It took 900 years to get a clean shot because other visitors also wanted to capture its beauty.

The final stop was a small town called Setenil de las Bodegas, only 25 minutes from Ronda. Also, for rocks!! The tiny, tiny town is pretty much built into the rocks. Just look at these photos.

I jumped at the opportunity to see this in real life, and the images don't even do it justice. I highly recommend this tour.

And for the final thing you need to do when you're in Sevilla, you can't go to Spain without seeing a flamenco show. Flamenco, the music, the singers, the dancers - they are so ingrained in Spanish culture. When visiting Sevilla, you need to see a Flamenco show at Tablao; it’s one of the most popular flamenco venues and is located right under the Setas de Sevilla.

You do need to make a reservation to secure a seat, and this was an incredible experience and the best way to close out my trip.

I cannot wait to revisit Seville, and when I return, I'm going to spend much longer there. I had a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful time in Sevilla.

I’ve made it easy for ya’ll by hyperlinking all the important spots. If you want some more juicy deets on my Sevilla trip, click here. Until I book another flight somewhere… who knows where, follow me on Instagram and TikTok for more travel stories, tips, itineraries, and gist.

xxx

- Summer