To better answer the question of where to stay in Seville, it’s easier to begin with where not to stay. In short, avoid everything that is outside of the historic center.
Pretty much all of the things to do and see in Seville are located within this area and it is where you will undoubtedly want to be spending all of your time (with the exception perhaps of Triana, but we will get to that later).
TOP HOTELS IN SEVILLE CHEAP HOTELS HOTELS WITH POOLS HOTELS IN SANTA CRUZ APARTMENTS IN SEVILLE
The buildings and streets outside of Seville’s historic center are just like any other that could be found anywhere else in Spain. They aren’t particularly charming and they definitely don’t warrant visitors.
If you are traveling to see Seville, you are going there to see all the beauty and culture that the old part of the city has to offer – and there is a lot of it.
Especially if you are only in the city for a few days, it doesn’t make much sense to waste time in the newer parts of Seville. And who wants to spend 20-30 minutes on public transportation one-way just to get into the old town?
It’s true, there are a lot of hotels outside of the center that are cheap. But there are so many accommodations in the centro historico and tons of good deals to be had. So if you can stay for the same money in a better location and don’t have to take a bus to get to the attractions, then why do it?
Seville has a lot of really awesome hotels, but the best ones are the first to get booked out. April and May are the busiest months, especially around Easter and the Feria de Abril. Unless you plan to take part in those celebrations, avoid the city at all costs when they are taking place – especially if you want to get a good deal on a hotel.
Understand that Seville’s old town is flat and easy to navigate on foot. If you arrive with a car, the first thing you should do is either park it at your hotel or find a public parking garage – and leave it there for your entire stay.
You won’t need it and you will lose time trying to find parking spaces while getting stressed out trying to navigate the narrow, one-way streets of Seville’s center.
If you are unlucky enough, Google might even send you down a road that becomes so narrow that your car literally won’t fit between the buildings on either side. We’ve done it, and trust us, it’s not fun getting out of that situation.
In any case, to get an idea of the size of Seville’s historic center, it takes about 30 minutes to walk from one end to the other (north to south) and a maximum of 20 minutes from east to west.
So in theory, if you were to stay in the very center of the old town, you wouldn’t need more than 15-20 minutes to get to any of the attractions in the city on foot.
And the great thing about Seville’s center is that it is gorgeous. Just walking its beautiful streets is one of the highlights of any visit.
The majority of Seville’s attractions are actually located in the lower half of the old town. As a rule of thumb, we think that anywhere between the Setas de Sevilla (in the middle of the old town) and the Alcazar (in the south) is the sweet spot for having a perfect location.
If you stay in this zone, you will be able to reach almost everything in tops 15-20 minutes. It is also the prettiest zone of the old town and the best preserved.
But to be even more specific, we think the Santa Cruz neighborhood is the absolute best spot to base yourself in Seville.
We always recommend staying in Santa Cruz for first time visitors to Seville. Yes, it is true that this neighborhood is the most touristy in the city, but it’s for good reason – it’s close to everything! That includes the Alcazar de Sevilla, the cathedral and the Plaza de España - the three most visited attractions of Seville.
But not only that, this former jewish barrio is one of the oldest in the city and wandering through its narrow pedestrian-only streets is pure bliss. Even if you don’t stay in Santa Cruz, it is definitely an area you will want to explore.
Santa Cruz is full of old moorish architecture, Spanish tile work, convents and patios full of brightly colored flowers in clay pots. There is a slew of bars and restaurants serving tapas and it’s a great place to sample the local cuisine. Although the neighborhood has plenty of tourists, it has still managed to retain its quiet and laid back atmosphere.
The hotels that are found in Santa Cruz are also one of the big reasons why this area is so popular with visitors. A good majority of them are historic palaces with mudejar architecture. The mudejars were a group or muslim moors that remained in Spain after the reconquering by the Christians in the middle ages.
The Moorish architecture was so beloved that many artisans continued to build in that style for Christian patrons. The most notable example in Seville can be seen in the palace of King Peter I in the Alcazar.
Today, it’s possible to stay in one of these renovated mansions in Santa Cruz and we can’t recommend that experience enough. In addition, many of the hotels in Santa Cruz have rooftop bars (some even have a pool) where you can take in the views to the cathedral and the Giralda tower. This is another experience that really makes Seville special in our opinion.
Santa Cruz also offers a wide variety of accommodations, no matter what your budget is. And if you book in advance, you should be able to get a good deal.
Triana is the gypsy neighborhood full of flamenco tradition and tasty tapas bars. It’s located on the opposite side of the Guadalquivir River and was previously its own village before it was incorporated into the city. It’s a very charming and colorful barrio that still maintains its authenticity.
The downside is that it is separated from the rest of the historic center. You can count on about 15-20 minutes to get across the bridge and back to the old town. Although the walk is enjoyable, if you are staying in Seville for only a few days, we generally wouldn’t recommend Triana, just because of the extra time needed to get to the main things to see.
With that said, there are a few hotels in Triana that offer great value for your money.
Another part of Seville that offers an authentic experience is around the Alameda de Hercules in the northern part of the old town. The Alameda is the heart of local nightlife in Seville. It offers a huge selection of restaurants, bars and dance clubs. It’s a neighborhood that’s full of character with a bohemian vibe that’s away from the hordes of tourists.
Hotels in this area tend to be less expensive than those further south in the historic center. Alameda de Hercules is still very centrally located in Seville, but considering that there aren’t really any attractions in the area, it means you will have to do a fair amount more of walking to reach them.
The one place that Alameda is closer to however, is the Isla Magica theme/water park. So if you have kids and plan on visiting there, this neighborhood might be the perfect middle ground for your Seville escapade.
Holiday apartments like those found on Airbnb and booking.com can be a great alternative to hotels if you are traveling as a family or group of friends. Even if you are a couple or traveling solo, you still might want to consider an apartment.
The historic center of Seville has a lot of new apartment-hotels that cater to those who want a kitchen with a living room and even additional rooms. The prices are often surprisingly affordable and it’s not uncommon to find a full apartment for the same price as a hotel of equal quality.
For a list of great options, make sure to check out our selection of the best apartments in Seville.
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