Cathedral, Giralda and Alcázar
5 h route4 stopsBest: First thing in the morning, especially in summerUpdated July 2026
The cathedral, the Giralda, the Real Alcázar and the Archive of the Indies sit side by side on the same block, and all four are World Heritage Sites. It’s Seville’s unmissable visit and, for that reason, the one with the queues: buy tickets online and go first thing, especially in summer, when midday heat is a wall.
Here the city’s history reads at a glance: the Almohad mosque the cathedral was raised over, the minaret turned bell tower, and a Mudéjar palace still used by the royal family. Block out a whole morning and don’t try to fit anything else in.
The route, stop by stop
4 STOPS- 01
Seville Cathedral
The largest Gothic cathedral in the world, raised in the 15th century over the great Almohad mosque. The chapter left it in writing that they wanted "a church so great that those who see it finished will take us for madmen", and they managed it: it’s colossal inside.
It holds the tomb of Christopher Columbus, borne by four heralds representing the kingdoms of Spain, and a carved main altarpiece that is the largest in Christendom.
Go in early: it’s cool and nearly empty first thing.
- 02
La Giralda
The cathedral’s bell tower, which began as the minaret of the 12th-century mosque: the lower part is Almohad and the top Christian, with the Giraldillo weathervane that gives it its name. It’s the symbol of Seville and is climbed from inside the cathedral. The surprise is how you climb it: no stairs, but 35 ramps, built so the muezzin could ride up on horseback to call to prayer. From the top you see the whole city and the Alcázar at your feet.
- 03
The Real Alcázar
The oldest royal palace still in use in Europe: the royal family still stays here when they visit Seville.
Pedro I had it built in the 14th century in Mudéjar style, with craftsmen from Granada and Toledo, over the foundations of the earlier Almohad fortress.
It’s a labyrinth of courtyards, plasterwork halls and tilework, with vast gardens of orange trees, ponds and free-roaming peacocks. Game of Thrones fans will recognise the Water Gardens as the palace of Dorne. Book a slot: it’s the fastest to sell out.
- 04
The Archive of the Indies
The 16th-century former merchants’ exchange that holds the entire archive of Spain’s administration of the Americas: 43,000 bundles, eight kilometres of shelving with Columbus’s letters, the maps that carved up the world and three centuries of imperial paperwork. It’s a World Heritage Site, entry is free and it’s almost always empty: the quiet counterpoint to the queues next door. Original documents are on display, in a sober, perfect building by Juan de Herrera.
Frequently asked
Do you need to book the cathedral and Alcázar in Seville?
Strongly advised, especially the Real Alcázar, which caps numbers by time slot and sells out ahead. Buy tickets online and go first thing to dodge the queues and the heat.
Why do you climb the Giralda by ramps?
Because it was the mosque’s minaret: 35 ramps were built instead of stairs so the muezzin could ride up on horseback to call to prayer. Today you climb them on foot to the best views in the city.
Is Columbus buried in Seville?
Seville Cathedral holds a tomb with the remains of Christopher Columbus, borne by four heralds. His remains travelled between continents for centuries, but DNA testing confirmed at least part of them is here.