Winter in Seville is not as cold as winter in a lot of other cities in Europe. There is usually an average temperature of 16 degrees Celsius during winter in Seville. Coupled with the fact that it still gets about five to six hours of daily sunshine, Seville is one of the best cities you can travel to in winter to get your vitamin D fix and also to enjoy yourself. During winter, there is still the rain at times in Seville, although they are pretty rare.
In my opinion, as good as Seville is as a vacation or holiday destination, the summer sun and intense heat make it difficult to enjoy one’s stay in the city. In case you don’t know this already, Seville is referred to as “Europe’s Frying Pan” by a lot of tourists, which is a testament to the torrid heat. However, during the winter months, the intense heat is low, which means one can explore the city and enjoy every bit of it without quickly getting tired. Even though the city is much more relaxed during the winter months, you will expect to see lots of tourists in the town exploring as much as they can daily. The truth is, there are usually fewer tourists in winter, which means you have a lot of space to not only explore the city but also to see the main attractions.
Seville is an excellent destination if you want to escape the cold, rainy, and gray weather you have in your city. You only have to hop on a plane to Seville, Spain, and in no time you will be enjoying a sunny winter with your family!
There are a lot of attractions and things to do in Seville, apart from taking pictures of Orange trees (Orange trees are very common in the city). The things discussed below are things that a lot of people who travel to Seville in winter do.
Let’s explore things to do in Seville in Winter
1. Walk around the Plaza de Espana
The Plaza de Espana is a lovely place to be in Seville. There are lots of brightly colored ceramic tiles around that showcase the beauty of the Spanish traditions. It is also the right spot for taking pictures.
The Plaza de Espana is semi-circular, and about 48 different alcoves are lining its sides. The alcoves were designed so that tourists exploring the area will see and know some of the different cultures in the country as well as the local food people that are specific to different cities in the country. The view is so mesmerizing you will find yourself standing for hours admiring every detail of the cubicles.
The main reason why this is on top of the list is that it makes you want to explore and see more of the things and attractions different regions of the country has to offer.
2. Visit the Seville Christmas Markets
It is a common thing to see during winter in most of the countries or cities in Europe. It is not new to Europeans, and so most of them will know what to expect in the market.
However, if you find yourself in Europe, you should go to the Christmas Market in the city you are in. Seville has its own Christmas market, and there is a stronger tradition backing the market in Seville compared to other cities. Also, having the sunshine on you while you shop in the Christmas market is not something you can have in a lot of European Countries.
There are a lot of amazing Christmas markets in Seville, where you can buy just about anything. From the small, expertly handcrafted kids’ toys to delicious mouth-watering treats, needless to say, you will have a wide variety of things to pick from. Before you travel to Seville, make sure you get ready to do very serious shopping!
3. Enjoy the Weather
This is something a lot of people might overlook, but it is also crucial. Seville has a sunny winter, which means it is pleasant and looks like a typical summer day in other countries. The temperature averages about 12 degrees on a good day that someone can think summer is not over yet in Seville. This is because the temperature feels the same way the heat of summer and spring in some other countries feel like.
That aside, the combination of the sunshine as well as the pleasant temperature means you can go for a walk or stroll through the neighborhood your hotel is. You can even decide to stroll to a Christmas market and browse the items up for sale if you visit during the Christmas period. You can also wander or walk around any of Seville’s beautiful parks.
4. See Seville from the top of a monument or a rooftop
Words cannot be used to describe just how stunning Seville is, especially when the whole city is lit up at night. This is not strange as Seville is labeled one of the cities that can be considered an architectural paradise where there are both old iconic as well as new impressive buildings and structures. Most of the former iconic buildings, apart from serving as attractions for tourists and visitors in Seville, also help to give you a better view of the city at night.
The views from a rooftop or the top of any of these iconic buildings give you a feeling that the city was pulled out of a fairytale movie! The opinions are long-lasting and not something you will forget even when you leave the city.
5. Pick up a food souvenir at Patio de las Banderas
If there is one thing you should not even think of missing in Seville, it is the sweet treats or food souvenir that has become a tradition for some bakeries in the city. One thing about this tradition is that it is not limited to only pastry shops or bakeries alone. These treats are also sold by Convents (made by nuns). Some tourists even believe the best place one should pick up a foodie souvenir is at the Convents.
The event that allows you to pick up food souvenirs usually comes up around December in Seville.
6. Visit the third largest cathedral/church in the world
Seville, almost all other cities in Europe, has a Cathedral, which is nearly as old as the city. Seville, in this case, has one of the three largest churches in the world. There are several things to admire about the cathedral itself. For instance, there are about 80 chapels in the simply massive cathedral! The cathedral also has a very high nave, which measures about 42 meters.
There is also an iconic altarpiece in the area which a lot of locals will be willing to tell you about. The reason for this because the altarpiece was a life-long work of the sculptor who carved it.
Another reason to visit the cathedral is Christopher Columbus. This another reason why the cathedral is famous. Christopher spent quite some time at the cathedral during his life. Seville is also the place where Christopher was born.
Note: This does not necessarily mean that the vast building is the biggest in Seville. The cathedral is well dwarfed by quite a few buildings in the area. One of these buildings is Giralda, the magnificent bell tower of Seville. The bell tower serves more than telling you the time. It also serves as a Landmark, which you can use to trace you back if you get lost when exploring the city on your own.
7. Get coffee in a Seville café
This might look like a no brainer, but it is also something you should consider doing in Seville during the winter months. Even though the weather in Seville is usually warm and not like typical winter temperatures like the one in other European countries and cities, chilly morning can still be experienced in the city.
During mornings like this, there are two cozy and impressive coffee shops you can visit. The first is the Virgin Coffee café, and the other is the Naima Café Jazz. These two are quite charming as well as a couple of different cafés. One way to better enjoy the coffee is with a book. You will see a lot of people doing this too. You can also sit back, sip from your cup, and people watch.
8. Taste Seville’s exceptional traditional dishes
Seville has some delicious cuisine, and regardless of the time or season you visit the country, you have to have a taste of it. of course, during the winter, there is even more reason to relish the dishes. This is because, on chilly days, you can drop at any tapas bar or restaurant to get something hot to eat.
There are a lot of dishes to try out, but getting a plate of spinach served with tender pork or chickpeas should be on your bucket list of recipes to try out.
9. Learn about the Belen Tradition
As earlier stated, there are a lot of impressive things and events to do in Seville in winter. There are even more things to do during the last few days and hours that lead to Christmas i.e., December 25.
One of these things is the Belen Tradition, and it is done mostly by the locals in the city. In an understandable explanation, Belen is a Spanish means a depiction of Bethlehem, which is a trendy place in the bible.
By the tradition, every year, a lot of people go to a marketplace the foot of the Cathedral in Seville. The main things you can buy in this market include decorations, figurines, etc. which are used to depict a nativity scene.
The best way to learn about this age-long tradition is by moving around and listening to the local’s comments about the culture. Belen Tradition is one of the reasons why the city is extraordinary in Spain.
10. Enjoy a day in Real Alcazar
There are two reasons why Real Alcazar is a place you have to be. One of these is that it is the most famous building compared to some other buildings in Seville. It is also considered a landmark because it can be seen from just about anywhere in the city.
The Real Alcazar was initially a fort where Seville’s Governors stayed or lived during the 8th century. After the eight century, the control of the Real Alcazar has switched between a couple of people, each with his or her traditions. One fantastic thing about the building is that even though the various people who had control of the Real Alcazar added a few bits of their culture, the building is still a place to be.
Note: Game of Thrones fans will love this building. This is because the building was one of the various locations used by one of the most popular and hit TV shows – Game of thrones.
The real Alcazar still serves as a home for Royal families when they are in Seville. However, only a small part of the building is used by the said royal family. The rest of the building is open to the public to tour. There is a fantastic courtyard as well as a stunning garden in the Real Alcazar. There are also fountains in the garden, all of which are worth the visit.
11. Visit the insane famous mushroom building – Metropol Parasol
Apart from the fact that this building looks like a building that was created from the future, it also has one of the best spots for viewing the city of Seville in the night.
Check out other places to visit in Winter?
- Things to do in Malmo in Winter
- Things to do in Sweden in Winter
- Things to do in Norway in Winter
The post 11 Best Things to Do in Seville in Winter appeared first on Stunning Journey.
