The popular southern Spanish city of Seville is a beautiful destination in its own right. A lot of people often don’t realize that there are some incredible day trips from Seville too. Even if you’re looking to go on day trips from Seville without a car, many unique places in Andalusia are easily accessible using public transportation. Having only spent a day in Seville, I had a lot of time to explore the surrounding area.
The most popular day trips from Seville include Cordoba and Granada. However, before you plan a trip to either of these locations, consider looking further afield. Here’s my alternative list of unique day trips from Seville. Hopefully a few of these catch your attention!
Day trips from Seville
1. Italica
If you aren’t able to travel far from Seville, Italica is a fantastic option. This archaeological site can be seen in just a few hours and is very budget friendly. It’s located in the small town of Santiponce so arrive early if you want to park near to the site. It’s free to enter for EU citizens, and only around €2.00 for other visitors.
Italica was built in the 3rd century BC. It was the birthplace of many historical Roman figures such as emperors Hadrian and Trajan. The site is fairly large to walk around, and has much more to offer than the famous Amphitheatre, which was a filming location in Game of Thrones. We came across a number of gorgeous tiled mosaics on display that archaeologists had recently pieced back together. There was also ongoing archaeological digs and restoration projects that we were able to watch which was very exciting.
2. Castillo Almodovar del Rio
The great thing about planning some day trips from Seville is that the city is located between some really interesting places. One of my favourite castles in Andalusia is located in the small town of Almodovar del Rio, just outside of Cordoba.
Castillo Almodovar del Rio dates back to the 8th century, and has been heavily restored to its medieval glory. Its position at the top of the hill overlooking the surrounding landscape made it an important strategic castle. This also meant that it was the ideal Game of Thrones filming location. You can go on a self-guided tour using the free downloadable audio guide. Another option is to join one of the guided tours led by an actor dressed in medieval clothing. The castle costs around €10 to enter, and in my opinion it’s one of the best day trips from Seville.
3. Medina Azahara
While taking a trip to Castillo Almodovar, you can also visit an interesting archaeological site, only 22 minutes away. Medina Azahara was once a 10th century palace-city which took over 3 decades to complete. Although only a ruin now, as you walk around the complex you can see how wealthy this city once was.
We visited Medina Azahara shortly before it was due to close, and had a member of staff following us around. It wasn’t the nicest experience, but the site is beautiful and worth stopping at if you’re looking for unique day trips from Seville. The complex is free to enter, but you’ll need to pay €2.50 for the bus to get to the complex.
4. Olvera, Ronda, and Setenil de las Bodegas
When people come to southern Spain, they usually want to visit some of its famous pueblos blancos (white villages). If you want to get off the usual tourist trail, I would recommend visiting the charming village of Olvera. There are only a few attractions in this village but you can easily spend a couple of hours walking around.
And with that extra time you can take a short drive to a couple of other incredible locations in Andalusia. Ronda is only 45 minutes away, and from there you can drive to Setenil de las Bodegas, a village built into the rocks. By doing this route it’s very easy to pack a few day trips from Seville into just one day.
5. Arcos de la Frontera
One of my favourite white villages in Andalusia makes for a really easy day trip from Seville. Arcos de la Frontera is a gorgeous place to walk around. It’s made up of very narrow streets that lead you to interesting historic sites and quaint restaurants. The village is located at the top of a hill, so you get some pretty incredible views of the surrounding area from the viewing platforms.
The main attractions, such as Basilica de Santa María de la Asunción and Castillo Ducal, are all within walking distance of one another too, making it a very easy village to navigate. My biggest recommendation for visiting Arcos de la Frontera is to wear comfortable shoes – or else you may twist your ankle walking down the hill back to the car.
6. Bonanza Salt Flats
There are a lot of really interesting locations to visit south of Seville, in the Province of Cadiz. On our day trip to Sanlucar de Barrameda, we came across the Bonanza Salt Flats. The salt flats are located inside the very popular Doñana Natural Park, and can easily be accessed by car. We spent a couple of hours here, walking along the various paths and taking a look at the rare bird species. If you have time, I’d recommend staying until sunset to see some really beautiful colours dance across the salt flats.
7. Jerez de la Frontera
If you’re looking to visit a larger city as part of a day trip from Seville, I would put Jerez de la Frontera at the top of your list. There are plenty of beautiful places to see within the old town. If you’re a fan of sherry, Jerez is one of the 3 corners that make up the famous Sherry Triangle.
After a busy day of exploring the historical sites in Jerez, you take a relaxing dip in the Arab baths before hitting up some of the regions most popular restaurants. This is one of the best day trips from Seville you can go on if you want somewhere that’s relatively close and offers a lot of things to do.
8. El Puerto de Santa Maria
The coastline along the Province of Cadiz has some truly beautiful towns and cities to visit. Many of these places have a rich history and played an important role during the age of exploration. El Puerto de Santa Maria is one of these cities, and once hosted Christopher Columbus as well as the cartographer who drew the first world map that included the New World.
It’s also home to a very impressive 13th century castle which has its own winery attached to it. El Puerto is known for its beautiful beaches too, which are very popular during the summer months. So if you happen to be in the area during the peak season, and want to head to the beach, make sure you arrive early.
9. Beaches in Cadiz
If you’re visiting Seville, you’re going to be very disappointed to learn that it doesn’t have a beach of its own. Luckily, there are a lot of beaches in the Province of Cadiz to choose from. I would recommend heading to the southern tip of the province and visiting Playa de los Alemanes. This white sandy beach with crystal clear water is the perfect little oasis for escaping the heat of Seville. Parking is extremely difficult here, so arrive as early as you can to avoid a very tiring trek back up the hill with all of your beach gear.
There are so many places near Seville to explore, and this list only touches the tip of the possible road trips in southern Spain you could take. But hopefully these locations give you a bit of inspiration if you’re planning some day trips from Seville. From UNESCO World Heritage sites to hilltop white villages, you really can’t go wrong when choosing where to plan your trip. Take some time and research the more off the beaten path locations in southern Spain before diving head first into the more touristy locations – it’ll be the best decision you make on your trip to Andalusia.
If you have any questions about these day trips from Seville, feel free to leave a comment below or get in touch via email. And remember to follow my travels on Instagram as well for more unique travel destinations!
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