15 Things to Do in Seville in December

Along with Granada and Cordoba, Seville is one of the most important cities in Andalusia. Here, architecture, art, history and tradition go hand in hand, making you feel so at home that you will definitely want to come back.

Owner of a particular stamp, you will find many things to do and see in Seville: its culture, its exquisite gastronomy and the enjoyment of its streets, just to name three attractions apart from its wealth of monuments. Visiting the city in December has an added bonus: you'll be able to see all the Christmas decorations and feel the festive atmosphere floating in the air.

One of the highlights of December are, without a doubt, the Christmas markets. With the city dressed in festive attire, you can find gifts of all kinds, from clothes and home decor to beautiful handmade wooden toys.

Among the best known and busiest markets in Seville are the Christmas Craft and Christmas Market in the Alameda de Hércules, the Christmas Market in Nervión, the one in La Setas or the one in Plaza Nueva.

Enjoying an open-air atmosphere, you can buy directly from the artisan, guaranteeing you a unique and original gift.

These markets tend to be very popular with locals, as well as with tourists who choose to spend the holidays in this beautiful city.

The Alcázar of Seville is one of the most beautiful palaces in Spain and has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

If you have not yet visited the Real Alcázar, this is an ideal time to do so, especially if you have children, since, as well as touring the imposing building and enjoying its beautiful Mudejar-Renaissance style, the little ones can give their letters to the Kings of the Alcázar, namely Isabel the Catholic, Charles I and Al-Mutamid, who will then personally deliver them to the Three Wise Men of the East.

These dramatised visits are an excellent way of getting in touch with the history of Spain in general and, more specifically, of the Andalusian region.

Practical information

• Where: Puerta del Apeadero gate (by Patio de Banderas).
• Price: children can hand in their letters free of charge.
• When: 23, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30 December and 2, 3 and 4 January, between 11:00 and 15:00.

The weather in Seville will probably allow you to book a sightseeing bus tour at this time of the year, with the possibility to do it on the top deck, in the open air. The Seville City Sightseeing bus takes you on a tour with free stops at the most important sights such as the Plaza de España and the Torre del Oro... and you will have up to 24 hours to use it and get on and off whenever you want.

But not only that, with these tickets you can take advantage of many other promotions, including tickets to various attractions in the city and guided walking tours.

The Museum of Fine Arts is another of the options we suggest during your visit to Seville, as it is considered one of the most important art galleries in the country. By booking a guided tour of the museum, you will be able to contemplate the most outstanding works of artists such as Murillo, Velázquez, Zurbarán, El Greco and Valdés Leal.

A professional guide will accompany you throughout the tour of more than 14 rooms dedicated to naturalism, Mannerism, Renaissance art, 8th century art and many works of Sevillian Baroque painting.

To really get to know the culture of the country and, in particular, the art of flamenco that permeates this city, we recommend that you book a typical tapas tour and flamenco show.

You'll taste a variety of tapas and local wines, accompanied by a local expert guide who will take you to the most famous bars in the city. And you'll wander the streets of Seville for around 4 hours, which is the estimated duration of the tour, and enjoy a flamenco show at the Casa del Flamenco.

One of the most typical attractions you can do in the city of Seville is to hire a horse-drawn carriage ride to visit the centre and the old town of Seville in one of these carriages. The ride lasts about 45 minutes with a professional driver who will also act as a guide to visit historic sites such as the Plaza de España and the Cathedral of Seville.

Without a doubt, there is no more typical and special way to get to know a city as beautiful as the capital of Andalusia.

If your idea is to stay several days in the city you can also take the opportunity to visit some of the nearby towns and villages that are worth seeing. Here are some of our recommendations:

Excursion to the Doñana National Park

This is undoubtedly one of the biggest attractions in the area. The Doñana National Park is one of the most beautiful and spectacular in the area and is home to a great biodiversity with unique species, the breeding of European and African birds, endangered animals such as the Iberian lynx... for which it is worth booking an excursion. The one we propose is done in 4x4 and on the way, you will also stop in the village of El Rocío, where the Pilgrimage of El Rocío takes place, which worships the Virgin of El Rocío.

Excursion to the white villages and Ronda

Another of the most typical things of Andalusia are its whitewashed villages. With this excursion to the white villages you will visit Zahara de la Sierra, Grazalema and the city of Ronda. These three villages are considered some of the most beautiful and touristic of the area for their culture and tradition and, of course, for their picturesque landscapes.

Hiking excursion to Caminito del Rey

Finally, if you are more of a thrill-seeker, we suggest you set aside a day to go hiking and visit the Caminito del Rey. What is this? It is a route that is located in the province of Malaga and which was considered one of the most difficult and adventurous trails in the world.

It is an excursion to do this complicated, but fun, route in which you will have to cross a suspension bridge 100 meters high. Are you ready for it?

The tradition of going on a nativity scene route is very old, and it can be a very good plan to do if you are looking for things to do in Seville with children (and, by the way, learn a bit of tradition).

Throughout the city you can see all kinds of nativity scenes, such as the one in the town hall, the one in the Hospital de la Caridad, the one in El Corte Inglés, or even one recreated with Playmobil figures in the Iglesia de la Misericordia. Some of them are true works of art and year after year they attract large numbers of people who want to see them.

Far from recreating only the moment of the birth of Jesus Christ, the vast majority also narrate other biblical scenes. We are talking about real stagings, with one person in charge of the assembly and another in charge of the costumes of the different miniature figures. A unique experience that will bring you even closer to the spirit of Christmas.

As December approaches and the weather gets colder, four ice rinks are set up in different parts of the city. Everyone, adults and children alike, enjoy skating tirelessly for hours on end.

Located in very central places, such as the Muelle de las Delicias, the Alameda de Hércules, the Setas or the Prado de San Sebastián, the ice skating rinks are among the favourites of the Sevillians.

In addition to the traditional ice rinks, for those who love games and the cold, year after year, a winter amusement park called Sevilla On Ice is set up, full of icy attractions, such as an ice slide, a giant Ferris wheel and a smaller one for children, bouncy castles, bumper cars, etc.

There is also a food area where you can enjoy, for example, some churros accompanied by a cup of delicious, steaming chocolate, ideal for warming up.

Practical information

• Where: Muelle de las Delicias and Prado de San Sebastián.
• Price: Free
• When: from the end of November to 6 January, between 11am and midnight.

From the first days of December the city turns on its Christmas lights, dressing up for the occasion. The streets, the parks, the buildings, everything seems to sparkle in anticipation of Christmas.

While the image may seem similar to that of other cities around the world, Seville has a magical charm. Walking under that fantasy starry sky, seeing the huge Christmas balls in the middle of the street, as if they had fallen from a giant Christmas tree, the big luminous tree in Plaza San Francisco, will not leave you indifferent.

Stars, angels, wreaths and a myriad of other figures arrive every year to show that Seville celebrates Christmas like no other city in the world.

At this traditional fair you can buy all kinds of figurines, clothes, animals and miniature decorations so that you can put together your own nativity scene at home.

The custom of recreating the atmosphere of the birth of Jesus is typical of the Catholic religion, and goes back several centuries.

Many of the pieces you can buy here are handmade, carved, engraved, with a surprising level of detail.

As it is so famous, it is very common to see people from all over the world buying figures, either to make a nativity scene or as a souvenir of Christmas in Seville.

Practical information

• Where: right next to the Archivo de Indias, on Avenida de la Constitución.
• Price: free
• When: from mid-November to 23 December, from about 10:00 in the morning to 21:00 at night.

At night, with the city lit up, there is no better plan than enjoying a few drinks (or tapas) in a bar located on one of the city's rooftops.

The famous rooftops, which allow you to enjoy the spectacle of Seville at night, have become a must for nightlife lovers. There are quite a few (and there are more and more!), usually located in the heart of the city centre, which offer a different view of Seville's architecture, lights and Christmas decorations.

As the sun begins to set behind the buildings, the spectacle of the city lit up becomes decidedly unique.

Some of the best rooftops are at the Doña María hotel, Level 5th, overlooking the Triana bridge, and Casa Romana, located on the rooftop of the boutique hotel of the same name.

Although the biggest discounts start in the first days of January, some shops have already lowered their prices in December, precisely because of the festive season.

So, if you haven't bought your presents yet, this could be a good opportunity to do so. In the pedestrian streets of Sierpes and Tetuán you will also find a good number of top shops, such as H&M, Zara, Mango, Massimo Dutti, Bershka, among others. The general atmosphere is a bit bustling, but very pleasant.

There is no better feeling than doing your Christmas shopping, be it in the craft markets or in the traditional shops, as everyone seems to have something special, or so we all choose to believe, because, come on, you always deserve a pile of presents, don't you?

Another of the sweet Sevillian traditions that takes place every year in December is the traditional exhibition of sweets, jams, pastries and traditional confectionery made by the cloistered nuns.

There are currently 34 cloistered convents in Seville, with a population of more than 400 nuns. During the first few days of December, a group of them exhibit some of their handcrafted delicacies in the Gothic Palace of the Real Alcázar.

During the rest of the year, in each of the convents, you can also buy some of these sweets and jams, which, they assure us, are made with very old recipes, handed down from generation to generation and made with a lot of love and total dedication.

These sweets are a holiday classic, and undoubtedly represent an important part of the gastronomic-cultural heritage of the Andalusian region.

You will have already realised that visiting Seville in December is an excellent idea, but is it very cold?

Well, in the months of December and January, temperatures range between 9 and 17 or 18 degrees Celsius, so... yes, it is cold, but in general it is quite pleasant, ideal to enjoy some of these outdoor activities.

Also, although many people decide to visit Seville at this time of year, the crowds are not unbearable at all.

You will even be able to enjoy many of the city's traditional attractions without having to queue too long. Visit the magnificent Cathedral of Seville, for example, with its Mudejar-Renaissance style, or the Real Alcazar and La Giralda.

At other times of the year you would have to book your ticket online well in advance, in December, however, things flow much more naturally.

Seville is not an overly expensive city, many of its attractions are free or very cheap, such as the skating rinks, which range from 5 to 7 Euros.

You can also visit emblematic and photogenic places such as the Plaza España, the Torre del Oro, the Cathedral or the Plaza de Toros, without spending a single euro.

As for the food, you can eat quite well from 10 euros per person, or drink a coffee for less than 1.50 euros.

Of course, if you're looking for something a little more exclusive, or with a view of the Triana Bridge or the Alcázar, that's going to cost you more, but no more than anywhere else. Seville is a fairly reasonable city, despite its reputation as an expensive city.

Let me now give you one last piece of advice, if you want to get to know a little more than the city of Seville, bear in mind that, nearby, and still within the province, there are some incredible villages that are well worth a visit.

About 85 kilometres from the city of Seville is the picturesque town of Osuna. Considered one of the prettiest villages in the region, with its beautiful architectural and cultural heritage and the charm of its narrow streets, you won't regret a trip to visit it.

Much closer, just 30 minutes from Seville, is Santiponce, a place you must visit. With its Roman ruins, the Amphitheatre and the archaeological site of Italica, this town is a real gem. If you decide to visit it, here you have information on how to get there from Seville.