Seville’s Cathedral is free on Sundays

Although Seville is a fraction of the size of Madrid and Barcelona, the southern Spanish city is packed with attractions. Seville boasts world-class art museums, historic palaces, picturesque neighborhoods, and an awe-inspiring cathedral.

Conveniently, most of these attractions are located in the city center, within walking distance of each other. And best of all, several have free admission.

We recently put together a list of our “Top 10 Seville Attractions” in our Seville city guide, and found the following attractions offered free admission daily, or at least at some point during the week:

Top free attractions in Seville

1. Catedral de Sevilla/Giralda Tower — The entrance fee is €7 for adults and €2 for children and students, however stop by on a Sunday, when it’s free for everyone.

2. Casa de Pilatos — Admission is €5 for the first floor, €8 for both floors, and an extra €5 for the gardens! However, on Tuesday afternoons the whole shebang is free from 1-5 PM.

3. Archivo de las Indias — Admission to this priceless collection of rare documents is always free!

4. Museo de Bellas Artes — One of Spain’s best art museums, second only to Madrid’s Prado. Admission is only €1.50, and free for visitors with an EU passport.

5. Alcázar — A ticket to the palace will cost €7, but students always get in free.

Want more? See all 10 top attractions in Seville, with complete descriptions, hours, prices, and budget tips for when to get for free!

Also see: Our list of recommended budget hotels in Seville.

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A matador and his bull in Seville, Spain: photo courtesy of bullcreek

Not for the faint of heart, a bullfight in Seville can mean edge-of-your-seat excitement and thrills. For Cheapos, the feeling is similar to finding an inexpensive - or free - European souvenir. So, once you’ve taken in some flamenco and eaten all the tapas you can handle for a day, we recommend you pick up a personalized poster commemorating the controversial Andalusian sport of bullfighting. That ain’t no bull!

Take home prize for bullies-

The violent dance between man and bull has been a custom since prehistoric times, when its beginnings were linked to bull worship and sacrifice. Spain put their footprint on the sport in 1726. Francisco Romero was the first matador (torero) to publicly fight a bull (toro) without riding an animal for assistance. Soon, fancy equestrians were replaced by commoners on foot.

The easiest and safest way to be a bullfighter, without exactly throwing yourself into the ring, is to purchase a personalized bullfighting poster, touting your own name. Stroll up and down Tetuan and Sierpes Streets for a picturesque walk, and to track down posters and flamenco trinkets. Look for the words, Tu Nombre Aqui, on sample posters and put ‘Your Name Here.’ Prices start at €7.

If it’s a real fight you’re after, check out Plaza de Toros’ web site for bullfight schedules.

While you’re at it…

Grab anything with a bull and go. Napkins, beer coasters, pamphlets, ticket stubs. Little items that seem trivial while on the road take on a whole new meaning miles from the bullring. Ole!

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Photo by beurre salé

Flamenco dancing has its roots in the gypsy barrio of Seville. So, if this Southern Spanish city is on your travel itinerary, you’d better take yourself to a baile! Flamenco performances are offered all over Seville and typically take place in tablaos, which are restaurants or bars that charge admission for the show. It is possible, however, to catch a flamenco show for the price of a drink alone.

Free flamenco in Seville (for a drink)

La Carboneria is a hot spot located in the Barrio Santa Cruz, a neighborhood known for its free flamenco shows. Although dismissed by some as a tourist trap, La Carboneria will have you tapping your feet as the dancers stomp to the beat. Its energy is infectious. When the weather is warm, you can take in the free show on La Carboneria’s outdoor patio (tapas and drinks not included).

La Carboneria is open daily, excluding Mondays, from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. For more information, go here.

For 13 more places to catch free flamenco in Seville, including places that welcome you to join the dancing, check out Explore Seville’s article on flamenco.

Also see: our list of recommended budget hotels in Seville.

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Photo by PhillipC

Seville’s Santa Cruz neighborhood can be a daunting maze to navigate, though the risk of getting lost is worth running if you can find Bar Estrella. Opened in 1939, the bar offers up one of the best menus for truly traditional Seville tapas in a setting that does not appear to have changed since the establishment first opened.

The bar is a local favorite that has somehow escaped being inundated by the hordes of tourists that haunt the city’s central district. On Saturday and Sunday mornings, the bar is almost always packed with families.

Stick around if you can handle the wait. We recommend the shrimp served with fresh avocados, the whiskey-cooked beef, and—of course—a chilled glass of local sherry.

Bar Estrella is located at Calle Estrella 3, Barrio de Santa Cruz. Telephone the bar if you get lost: +34 95 422 75 35. Reservations are not accepted.

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Photograph of Aire de Sevilla courtesy of Aire de Sevilla

After a long day spent checking out Seville’s Cathedral and Alcázar and wandering through the Barrio de Santa Cruz tangle, I treated my weary muscles to a soak at Aire de Sevilla, a stunning hamman, or Arab bathhouse.

I recommend taking the thermal circuit after check-in, with soaks in the tepidarium (warm bath), caldarium (hot bath) and frigidarium (cold bath; at 16 C / 60F I only saw one brave older woman spend more than a few seconds in this bath.) We only made it to our ankles before squealing and bolting out.

The hamman also has a jacuzzi bath, steam room, and café. For an extra fee, various spa treatments are available, including massages, facials, manicures, and pedicures.

The baths are especially popular with young Sevillano couples smooching openly and giving one another backrubs. For this envious single traveler, such sights counted as too much foreplay.

A 90-minute session costs €19, with a discounted rate of €15 offered from Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. until noon and again from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. Reservations are recommended. Some English is spoken. Aire de Sevilla is located at Calle Aire, 15. Tel: +34 95 501 00 24.

Wandering Cheapo Diane Schutz is a television producer, writer, and budget traveler based in New York City. She has worked recently as a producer for the Travel Channel’s “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations.”

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