13 Fascinating Excursions and Day Trips from Sevilla
Sevilla is undoubtedly a marvellous city to visit at any time of the year. One of my very favourite things about the city though is what a great base it is for exploring the rest of Andalucia and its gorgeous cities, towns, and natural spots. Seville, as a major tourist hub, of course, has hotels and hostels for every budget. So, as you plan your next Sevilla trip please check out my 3 day itinerary for Seville and if you’re coming to Sevilla with kids, know there is plenty in the city for them too. But don’t forget to include time for day trips from Sevilla.
Since arriving in Andalucia I’ve been diligently exploring and getting to know the region. Here’s a list of the (non-beachy) best day trips from Sevilla, including some of Andalucia’s wonderful white towns, compiled just for you!
If you’re looking for specific itineraries for exploring Andalucia, I deal with those elsewhere.
📌 A 5 day trip to Seville will give you the perfect amount of time to really see the city and leave time for at least one day trip.
⭐️ The best beach day trips from Seville are in Huelva and Cádiz provinces.
⭐️ Many of the day trips in this article are great for kids but what if you want to look further and know more about exploring Andalucía with kids? Well, of course I’ve got that covered elsewhere.
⭐️ If you’re feeling unsure about whether you should visit Malaga or Seville, or Valencia or Seville, know that the quality of the day trips available from Seville are a huge part of its draw.
There may be affiliate links in this article. If you click and make a purchase, I may make a small sum at no extra cost to you.
Driving in Andalucia: While most of the day trips from Sevilla outlined in this article are technically possible on public transport, it is always worth considering renting a car if you’re in the area for a little while. Having your own car offers freedom from the timetables of public transport and when there’re a few of you in your group, it can even work out cheaper too. Compare rental car costs on a site like rentalcars.com.
If you can’t face the idea of driving in Spain, then there are plenty of tour options out there, I’ve added links to some great ones below. You’ll notice that one or two of my suggestions don’t have tour links – that’s because these places simply aren’t on visitors’ radars, but of course, that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be!
Day Trips from Sevilla: Sevilla Province
Since Sevilla is the capital of Sevilla Province, the four delightful small towns offered here are easily accessed from Sevilla by public transport or by car. Sevilla Province is all about exploring old cities, Roman ruins, and Moorish castles.
Alcalá de Guadaíra
Alcalá de Guadaira is a beautiful small town an easy twenty-minute drive from Sevilla. Historically was of huge strategic importance to Sevilla since both bread and water were supplied by Alcala to Sevilla. Alcalá de Guadaíra is a perfect place to spend a day exploring given the amount of green spaces and the town’s dedication to, and joy of, sharing its history with visitors.
Brief History of Alcalá de Guadaíra
Alcalá de Guadaíra’s name derives from the Arabic, Qalat Chabir. It means “Fortress on the River that Supplied Provisions”. This tells us everything about the strategic importance of this famous bread-making, water-supplying town. Throughout history, since the Roman period, Alcalá provided water to Seville and during the Muslim period, flour mills (molinos) were built along the River Guadaíra. When Fernando III conquered Alcalá for the Christians in the 13th century the flour-milling and bread-making continued under the auspices of the religious orders. To this day, Alcalá is known for its bread, in fact, the town is also known as Aclalá de los Panaderos (Alaclá of the Bakers).
Highlights of Alcalá de Guadaíra
📌 Parque Oromana and the many other parks lining the banks of the Guadaíra River. Come with a picnic and spend the day enjoying the river under the shade of the many gorgeous trees.
📌 Explore the molino (old flour mills) trail along the river banks. There are nine mills in all to find.
📌 Castillo de Alcalá de Guadaíra and the Church of Santa María del Álguila. These two imposing buildings stand proudly overlooking the town.
📌 Museo de Alcalá de Guadaíra.
📌 Harinera de Guadaíra. This is both a museum of the town’s flour milling past (it’s actually really interesting) and the tourist office.
📌 Enjoy traditional Alcalá bread and pastries as you stroll through the narrow streets and gorgeous plazas of this old town.
How to get to Alcalá de Guadaíra from Seville
🚘 an easy journey on the A92 between Sevilla and Alcalá de Guadaíra
🚍 M122 or M121 from Calle Cantiana in Sevilla.
Carmona
Carmona is a small town with a very long history. Enjoy strolling through the narrow streets, gazing at impressive buildings and the fabulous views of the surrounding countryside.
Carmona is 33km northeast of Seville on a ridge overlooking the central plain of Andalucia. It is fairly close to the Seville airport, which makes it a great final stop if you’re leaving by plane.
Brief History of Carmona
Carmona is considered to be one of the oldest settlements in Spain. The Tartessian and Turdetani settled here, as later did the Phonecians and the Romans. During Julius Caesar’s reign, the town was known as Carmo. The Moors erected the city walls and various Moorish caliphates held Carmona but in 1247, Fernando III of Castille captured the town, leaving a Christian minority ruling over a Muslim majority.
Highlights of Carmona
📌 Puerta de Sevilla. This striking gate stands at the entrance to the old town of Carmona delighting the many visitors who enter the city this way.
📌 Alcazar de la Puerta de Sevilla, Carmona’s most famous site. It is known that there has been a fortress at this location since the 14th century BCE and Julius Caesar apparently called Carmona, “the strongest city in Betica”. Today, you can climb the ramparts for fabulous views of the region.
📌 Puerta de Cordoba is a well-preserved Roman city gate. It is permitted to climb to the top of the of the gate.
📌 Plaza de Abastos. This once bustling marketplace is today a delightful square that is a good option for a coffee or cold drink in the shade as you explore Carmona.
📌 Necropolis and Amphitheatre – the Roman cemetery and amphitheatre are located next to each other a short walk from the old town of Carmona. The necropolis has hundreds of tombs including a few you can climb down into, which is fun. The most well-known tombs are the Tomb of the Elephant and the Tomba de Sevilla. There’s also a small museum on site. Next door is the amphitheatre, which is not open to visitors but can be seen through the railings.
📌 Museo de la Ciudad is a small and interesting museum of the town’s history beginning as a Copper-Age settlement and bringing visitors to the modern day.
📌 Plaza de San Fernando is a great place to stop for lunch in one of the many excellent restaurants here. I read somewhere that the plaza was originally square but a restoration error means it is now round.
📌 Parador de Carmona, while this is officially a luxurious government-run hotel, it’s always mentioned as a great place to head for a coffee, or lunch and to marvel at the views. The parador was built in the ruins of the Alcazar del Rey Don Pedro and as such, it has a mudéjar style (mix of Gothic and Moorish architecture).
How to get to Carmona from Sevilla
🚘 40 minutes on the A4 between Sevilla and Carmona
🚍1hr15 on bus M124 from Nervión, Sevilla
Itálica and Santiponce
Santiponce, just seven kilometres north of Sevilla, is home to the Roman ruins of Itálica.
Brief History of Santiponce and Itálica
Itálica was founded in 206 BCE by Publius Cornelius Scipio for soldiers returning from the Second Punic Wars. It was the first Roman city to be built in Spain and apparently also the first Roman city outside of Italy. The amphitheatre is one of the largest ever built, with a capacity of 25,000 spectators, making it even larger than Mérida’s incredible amphitheatre. There are two parts of Itálica, Vetus Urb, the old city, which is under the centre of modern-day Santiponce, and Nova Urbs, the new city, created by Hadrian.
Highlights of Santiponce and Itálica
📌 Itálica. The section that’s open to visitors is Nova Urbs and it’s really very impressive. When you enter the site, the amphiteatre is more or less in front of you and the remains of the town are to your left. Be sure not to miss the Casa del Planetario and the Casa de los Pajaros. Apparently, the amphitheatre appeared in a couple of seasons of Game of Thrones so if you’re a fan, be sure to check it out.
📌 Roman Theatre. Sadly this site is closed to visitors but you can walk around the outside and get a good idea of its impressive size.
📌 Monastery of San Isidoro del Campo – this was declared a national monument in 1872. It comprises two Gothic-style churches and two cloisters built in the Mudeejar style.
How to get to Santiponce
🚘 SE-30 ring road towards Mérida until exit 808 and then enter the N-630.
🚍 M170A from Plaza de Armas Bus Station in Seville.
🚉 Line C5 from Santa Justa Station in Seville and get off at Valencina-Santiponce. You can then take a taxi to your destination.
⭐️ There are a myriad of excellent reasons to visit Spain, keep reading to learn more about this magnificent country ⭐️
Osuna
This rural town rarely sees large numbers of visitors but is absolutely worth a day of your time. If you’re a Game of Thrones fan you’ll be excited to know that some of it was filmed here. If you couldn’t care less about where Game of Thrones was filmed (like me) then just know this is an utterly gorgeous small town that doesn’t need the help of big production tv shows to make it worthy of your time.
Brief History of Osuna
Osuna is not quite as old as some other towns in Andalucia, clocking in at around a mere 3,000 years old. The earliest inhabitants were the Turdetani and when the Romans made it their own it was called Urso. Of course, like everywhere else in southern Spain, Osuna has a long Moorish history too. The Moors called the city Oxuna. Fernando III of Castile and his army captured Osuna in 1239 and in 1264 the town was handed to the Order of Calatrava. The town’s strategic location meant it became a crucial point for the defence of Castile against Granada’s Nasrid Kingdom.
Highlights of Osuna
📌 Wander the streets – my favourite thing to do in Osuna is stroll around and marvel at all the gorgeous architecture. There are many plazas where you can enjoy a caña (small beer) and watch the world go by and Osuna is full of churches worth sticking your head though the door.
📌 Calle de San Pedro was declared one of the most beautiful streets in the whole of Europe by UNESCO. Knowing this, you just have to visit to see for yourself, right?
📌 Collegiate Church of Our Lady of the Assumption is a pretty spectacular Renaissance church with a crypt where the dukes of Osuna are buried. It sits on a hill above Osuna so the views are great, too.
📌 Palacio de Govantes y Herdara is one of, in my opinion, the most amazing buildings in Osuna. I was mesmerised by the wonderful spiral columns.
📌 Museo de Osuna – including two rooms dedicated to the Game of Thrones filming.
📌 Quarry and Coto de las Canteras – this is a fascinating and confusing place that, truth be told, I haven’t visited yet (but will soon). In the quarry, which by the way, has been in use for thousands of years, you’ll find monumental sculptures that bring to mind the Egyptian Valley of the Kings although they have nothing to do with Egypt. They are actually rare copies of Turdetani art (remember, the Turdetani were the original inhabitants of the Iberian Peninsula) but at least five times bigger. The originals are in the Archaeological Museum in Madrid.
📌 Turdetani Roman Necropolis – the necropolis is just there at the edge of the road, completely free to be explored. You’ll find a number of caves built into the soft sandstone walls but there’s little else to see. We spent a joyful half an hour poking around the muddy caves here.
How to get to Osuna from Sevilla
🚘 60 minutes on the A92 from Seville.
🚉 From Sevilla San Bernado, 2 hour journey.
Day Trips From Sevilla: Cádiz Province
Cádiz Province is considered to be home to all that is truly Andalucian: beaches, history, sherry, and flamenco. With that list in mind, none of these day trips can steer you wrong.
Cádiz
Cadiz is a gorgeous seaside town to visit and is easily accessible as a day trip from Sevilla. A day trip to Cadiz offers romantic walks through narrow streets and along the Atlantic Ocean sea-front walkways. The town is jam-packed with history, beauty, great food and there’s even a city beach to enjoy.
Brief History of Cádiz
Cádiz was founded by the Phonecians around 1100 BCE and is thought to be the oldest continually inhabited settlement in all of Europe.
Highlights of Cádiz
📌 Walking along the Campo del Sur, this boardwalk that follows the curve of the coast offering spectacular views as it meanders through gardens (Parque Genovés) and past old forts.
📌 Explore the narrow streets of the old city, exploring plazas, shops and old buildings on a walking tour, segway tour or by bike.
📌 Teatro Romano – a first-century BCE Roman theatre that is partially visible from the street. There is a museum but entrance must be booked online and in advance.
📌 Playa de la Caleta, don’t miss this small and popular city beach flanked by forts. Be sure to check out the enormous trees on the plaza opposite the beach, too.
📌 Explore the tapas bars and culinary delights on a food tour of the Cádiz.
📌 Catillo de Santa Catalina – entry to this fort museum/gallery is free.
📌 Walk to Castillo de San Sebastian, an island castle 400 metres offshore. The castle is closed to visitors but the walk there is a lot of fun.
📌 Torre Tavira Camera Obscura. Enjoy real time viws of Cádiz in this old camera obscure.
📌 Yaciemento Arquelogocio Gadír – a free archaeological museum about the Phonecian settlers in Cádiz.
📌 Museo de Cádiz
Getting to Cádiz from Sevilla
🚘 1hr40 on the E5
🚍 there are regular daily buses between Sevilla and Cadiz. Estacion Prado de San Sebastian in Sevilla.
🚉 trains run between Sevilla Santa Justa station and Cadiz. It takes 1hr40.
Tarifa
Tarifa is a small town on the Cadiz Costa de la Luz. Tarifa’s location is one of the things that makes it so special: it sits at the confluence of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, is the southernmost point in mainland Europe and is just 14km from the African coast.
Brief History of Tarifa
Tarifa’s name comes from a Moorish General, Tarif ibn-Malik, who took the city in 710 AD. Sancho IV of Castille took the city for the Catholics in 1292. Tarifa’s strategic location at the entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar made it one of the most important ports during the Maghreb empires.
Highlights of Tarifa
📌 Take a windsurfing or kitesurfing class
📌 Explore the incredible beaches and the national parks along this section of Spain’s southern coast
📌 Take a boat ride to see dolphins and whales in the Strait of Gibraltar
📌 Experience standing between two bodies of water – the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean while seeing two continents – Europe and Africa
📌 Stand on the southernmost point on the European continent
📌 If you have longer than a day, take great day trips including to Tangier in Morocco
📌 Visit Baelo Claudia, one of Spain’s best preserved Roman towns
Getting to Tarifa from Seville
🚗 2h10 230km
🚌 3hr10 direct. Check schedule and prices here
Zahara de la Sierra
Zahara de la Sierra is a small mountain town ninety minutes to the south of Sevilla. Originally a Moorish outpost, today it is famous for being one of the most beautiful ‘white villages’ (pueblos blancos) in Spain. It sits atop a craggy outcrop, which adds to its splendour. Do note that since this small town is located on a mountain its streets are steep and there are many steps so it may not be the best day trip from Sevilla for anyone with mobility concerns.
Brief History of Zahara de la Sierra
Zahara de la Sierra was taken by the Christians in 1407 but retaken by the Emirate of Granada in 1481. This event was the catalyst for the Castilian war against Granada. The town was recaptured by Castilian troops after a two-year battle, in 1483.
Highlights of Zahara de la Sierra
📌 Walking aimlessly around Zaharah de la Sierra is one of the true highlights of this cute little town. Don’t forget to visit the Santa María de la Mesa Church, the San Juan de Letrán Chapel, the Torre del Reloj and the Palominos Bridge.
📌 Find all the miradors with their striking views over the Zahara-El Gastor Reservoir.
📌 Visit the castle and medieval town ruins at the top of the mountain.
📌 Walk in the surrounding Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park.
How to get to Zahara de la Sierra
🚘 Take the A375 from Sevilla
Arcos de la Frontera
Arcos de la Frontera is another of Spain’s most beautiful towns and it’s just ninety minutes from Sevilla, making it a perfect day trip from Sevilla. Arcos de la Frontera sits atop a peña (monolith), which adds to its charm and is famous for its ten church bells.
Brief History of Arcos de la Frontera
The name Arcos de la Frontera refers to the fact that this was a frontier town during Spain’s Moorish period. For a short while during the eleventh century, Arcos de la Frontera was an independent Berber kingdom but in 1255 it was claimed by Alfonso X for Sevilla. It served as a border between Moorish and Christian Spain until the fall of Granada in 1492.
Highlights of Arcos de la Frontera
📌 Begin your amble through town on Plaza de Cabildo (the main square) with the mirador (viewpoint) and parador (hotel and restaurant). Enjoy the views from the mirador and then head to the parador’s terrace for a coffee or a beer so you can relax while really taking in the gorgeous views. The town’s castle is on this square but it’s privately owned so isn’t open to visitors. As you stroll around town remember to look up. Note the beautiful churches, the alleyways, and the steps everywhere.
📌 Mirador de Abades – the second mirador in town also provides gorgeous views.
📌 Jardín de Andalusí – a peaceful Spanish-Moorish garden.
📌 Guadacantones – these are the buttresses on the old buildings. Don’t miss Callejón de las Monjas where the buttresses prevent the walls of the church from buckling. If you stand around long enough you may get to watch locals drive merrily through this tiny space or tourists nervously edge through.
How to get to Arcos de la Frontera
🚘 Take the E5 from Sevilla. When you arrive, park in the municipal carpark (Plaza Andalucía) outside the old city otherwise you’ll struggle to find parking.
Olvera
Olvera is a very small town that is also on the ninety-minute radar from Sevilla. It is home to one of my very favourite castles in Spain and is worth visiting just for this. Olvera was declared a protected area of artistic and historical importance in the late twentieth century.
Brief History of Olvera
Olvera already existed long before the Romans got to Spain and its castle may have begun life as a Roman fortress.
Highlights of Olvera
📌 Olvera Castle offers incredible views over the surrounding countryside. Buy your tickets in the tourist information centre. They include entry into a small but informative museum as well as the castle. The castle is reached via the steep steps alongside the church. Once inside the castle compound, there are many more steps to climb.
📌 Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación – this is an enormous church that stands next to the 12th-century Muslim castle towering over the small town.
📌 Plaza de Andalucía – this plaza looks like a lovely place to sit.
📌 Peñon del Sagrado Corazon – another climb, this time for views of the castle, church and town.
How to get to Olvera
🚘 Ninety minutes on the A92 from Sevilla
Day Trips from Sevilla: Cordoba Province
The most frequently visited places in Córdoba Province is Córdoba city itself and luckily for visitors to Sevilla, it’s just about within range of day trip distance.
Córdoba
Córdoba is a large city, unlike the pueblos mentioned above. It’s also a little further from Sevilla at 140km or 1hr45 minutes from Sevilla. It’s absolutely doable for a day trip but there’s also enough to see and do in Córdoba to keep you busy for a good few days should you so wish. And if you did decide to take longer exploring Córdoba then you could also make time to visit Zuheros, one of my favourite places in the whole of South Spain.
Cordoba is an incredibly beautiful city but of course most people who just visit Córdoba for one day head straight to the most famous, and UNESCO-world heritage site, site, the Mesquita, Córdoba’s mosque-cathedral. If you arrive early though, there’s plenty of time to fit in more activities and sites, I promise.
Brief History of Córdoba
Cordoba was conquered in 206 BCE by the Romans and under their rule it became an important commercial centre and seat of learning and culture for the whole empire. Córdoba was captured by the Moors in 711 CE and the city flourished as their capital on the peninsula. In 1236, Fernando III captured Córdoba and after that, according to local (Christian) history, Christians, Muslims and Jews lived peacefully side-by-side. Non-Christian history does not paint quite such a rosy version of events, let’s be clear.
Highlights of Córdoba
📌 Mezquita and Bell Tower – two separate highlights in one place. The famous Mezquita (mosque-cathedral) will blow you away as you explore this incredible building. The Mezquita bell tower has limited tickets every day but the views from the top are well worth it. Avoid long lines and buy tickets in advance online.
📌 Torre de la Calahorra and the Museum of Al-Andalus – this small museum is directly across the Roman Bridge from the Mezquita. The museum houses an interesting display about the history of the city of Córdoba and the views from the roof of the Mezquita are worth the entrance fee alone.
📌 Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos – a world heritage fortress-palace built in the 14th century is worth visiting if you have the time.
📌 Archaeological Museum – home to a large collection of artifacts from the Roman, Visigoth and Islamic periods of Cordoba’s history.
📌 Jewish Quarter – No trip to Cordoba is complete without a walk through the Jewish Quarter and the historic centre of Cordoba.
📌 Patios of Cordoba – May is the best time to visit if you wish to see the Festia de los Patios (Courtyard flower festival). There are also courtyards that are open all year around such as Casa de Andalusi and Palacio de la Merced, both highly recommended by this adventurous and flower-loving human.
📌 Take a food tour or a guided walking tour around the city.
How to get to Cordoba from Sevilla
🚘 Via A4 from Sevilla.
🚉 Cordoba’s railway station is well-served from all the main cities in Spain with over twenty trains a day.
🚍 The main bus station is next to the train station and there are regular intercity buses available.
➡️ Read more about how to take a day trip to Córdoba from Seville.
Day Trips from Sevilla: Huelva Province
Many visitors to Sevilla never even consider Huelva Province as somewhere to visit. In fact, many people don’t even have Huelva Province on their radar. Don’t be one of those people; take the time to get to know Huelva because it’s just as deserving of your attention as other provinces of Andalucia.
Aracena
At just 1 hr 20 minutes drive, Aracena might be your perfect day trip from Sevilla. Despite being named a Tourist Municipality of Andalucia, this historic city barely registers on the radar of overseas tourists. People visit Aracena for its natural beauty and for good food. It is famous for its gorgeous hilltop castle, La Gruta de las Maravillas, the incredible cave system that runs under the castle hill and for the wild mushrooms that grow around the town between November and March. Aracena is a truly beautiful town.
Anyone wanting to visit all the sites of Aracena should purchase the Tarjeta Aracena Turistica as it offers discounts to the sites.
Brief History of Aracena
The Romans were drawn to the region of Aracena for the mines in the area. The castle we can see today was built in the thirteenth century when the Portuguese ruled the area but there was an older Moorish castle there before.
Highlights of Aracena
📌 Castillo-Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Dolores (Castle and Priory Church) dominates your every moment in Aracena, and you’re unlikely to miss out on visiting this gorgeous combo.
📌 Gruta de Maravillas can only be visited as part of a guided tour that lasts around an hour. The cave system contains underground lakes, stalactites, stalagmites and columns that will utterly wow you. You won’t want to miss the “naked room” – don’t worry, you don’t have to take your clothes off, I promise.
📌 Tourist train. Tickets can be purchased on Plaza San Pedro. This is a fun way to see the city.
📌Walk around town / Explore Plaza de San Pedro and Plaza de la Gruta de Maravillas – this is the busiest area of Aracena. You’ll find plenty of cafes, bars, and shops as well as the Outdoor Museums of Contemporary Andalucian Art and the Laavadero Fuente de Concejo.
📌 Museo del Jamón – a very small museum dedicated to ham.
📌 If you’re in Aracena during mushroom season then definitely eat all the mushrooms.
📌 Enjoy walking in the pine forests around Aracena.
How to get to Aracena
🚘 1hr20 (90km) on the A66 and A433
La Rábida
La Rábida is a small area at the port just outside Huelva city.
Highlights of La Rábida
📌 Muelle de las Carabelas Museum. Here you can explore replicas of the three ships that Christopher Columbus took with him when he sailed off on his famous voyage across the ocean, La Niña, La Pinta and La Santa Maria. This is a fascinating place to visit if you are interested in the history of Spanish colonialism and in learning about how the Spanish see view their own history.
📌 Monasterio de la Rábida – apparently Columbus prayed here before every journey.
📌 Parque Botanico – the landscaped botanical garden is right next to the Muelle de las Carabels museum and is a lovely place for a stroll. It has small canals, tropical plants and an observation deck.
📌 Paseo de los Escudos – this pedestrianised road is lined with tiled shields for each Latin American country. At the head of it is a monument to Columbus. Whatever our views of Columbus and colonialism, this is a very peaceful place to walk.
Don’t forget to try all the tapas when you’re in Seville
How to get to La Rábida
🚘 1hr15 on the A49 or take a tour from Sevilla.
El Rocío
El Rocío is like nowhere you’ve ever seen before. Located on the edge of the Doñana National Park, at first glance you may think you’re in the American wild west. Of course, you aren’t, you’re in El Rocío, the location of one of Spain’s biggest and most famous annual religious pilgrimages: Romería del Rocío. El Rocío is really a barrio of Almonte rather than a town in its own right.
A Brief History of El Rocío
If like me, you are a bit of a heathen, you may have no idea what this pilgrimage is about. Basically, at Pentecost (seven weeks after easter) every year, El Rocío is the destination of one million pilgrims from across Spain. Apparently, in the 13th century a hunter stopped for a rest under a tree and saw Mary’s image in a tree. He told everyone, they built a chapel and then the pilgrims got involved.
While the pilgrims come to dance and make merry (yes, really) once a year, the rest of the year it is perfectly possible for non-pilgrim visitors to enjoy El Rocío as one of many tourist attractions in the area.
Highlights of El Rocío
📌 Wander around and take in the sandy streets and gorgeous buildings with horse railings outside.
📌 Check out the Ermita de Rocío, the imposing white church at the heart of El Rocío. This incarnation of the church was built in 1964 and is the permanent home of Nuestra Señora del Rocío (the wooden image for which this place exists), which can be seen above the main altar.
📌 Walk the path along the Doñana wetlands, exclaiming over the horses, deer, flamingos and other wildlife congregating there. You never know, you might even see the elusive Iberian lynx, an endangered species that lives here.
📌 People do take horse and carriage rides around El Rocío but I haven’t looked into the health of the horses (I see comments about their treatment during the pilgrimage but not the rest of the year). It costs five euros per person to ride.
📌 You could also pair this with a day trip to the brilliantly named Playa Rompeculos (Ass-Breaker Beach) like we did.
How to get to El Rocío
🚘 1 hr 15 minutes on the A49 and A483 via Almonte
🚍 take a bus from Plaza de Armas. 90 minutes (two buses per day)
Bonus Day Trip from Seville: Gibraltar
I’d long wanted to Gibraltar, the tiny piece of British territory on the edge of Spain. There’s a surprising amount to see and do in this tiny place, enough for one or two days. Gibraltar is such an anomaly of a place I’d imagine it would pique everyone’s curiosity and even if hasn’t until now, please believe me when I promise it’s worth your time.
The Rock of Gibraltar is a Jurrasic Limestone Promontory formed of the shells of tiny sea creatures that were compacted on the sea bed 200 million years ago. Between 60 and 20 million years ago the tectonic plates shifted and caused Gibraltar to shift into the shape we know today.
🛂 Don’t forget that Gibraltar is not in Spain. You’ll need a passport to visit.
💷 Gibraltar does not use the Euro. It uses Pounds Sterling. Bank of England notes are accepted and they have their own notes too, which cannot be used in the United Kingdom.
A Brief History of Gibraltar
Like everywhere else in the south of the Iberian Peninsula, Gibraltar has a fascinating history and changed hands many times. There were people settled in the area of Gibraltar since the Neanderthals around 127,000 years ago. According to the Gibraltar Museum, Neanderthals were in this area until around 32,000 years ago, long after they died out in the rest of Europe.
We know Phonecian and Carthaginians were also present on the rock and in the 8th century, the Berbers landed by the Rock of Gibraltar, setting off their conquest of the Iberian Peninsula. Gibraltar is actually “Jebel Tarik” – Tarik’s Mountain. The Muslims occupied the Roch of Gibraltar until 1462 when the Catholic Monarchs claimed it for Catholic Spain.
In 1704 during the Spanish War of Succession, the British captured Gibraltar and after a failed attempt to retake it by the Spanish, it was given in perpetuity to the British in 1713 under the Treaty of Utrecht.
Highlights of Gibraltar
📌 Take the cable car up the Rock
📌 Enjoy the views from the Rock of Gibraltar. In one direction you see Spain and in the other, on a good day, you can see the coast of Africa
📌 Cautiously enjoy the Barbary apes (macaques), the only wild ape colony in Africa. Don’t let them steal from you!
📌 Explore the Nature Reserve, taking in St Michael’s Cave, the WWII tunnels, the sky walk, Moorish Castle, Windsor Bridge and more.
📌 Hang out on one of the artificial beaches.
📌 Go into town to see a real British town (pretty much) in Spain.
📌 Eat English food. We ate excellent curry and there are fish and chip shops everywhere too.
📌 Go to M&S or Morrisons to stock up on UK food items (yes, I did).
How to get to Gibraltar
Don’t forget that to go to Gibraltar you’re actually leaving Spain and the EU (spit spit, don’t get me started on how stupid Brexit was) so take your passport.
🚘 Via Jerez de la Frontera – 2hr20 minutes on the A381
🚍 There are no direct buses between Seville and Gibraltar. You need to take a bus to Algeciras and then take a bus to the border and cross on foot.
Day Trips from Sevilla. Málaga Province
Updates Coming in 2024
➡️ If you love walking and exploring then I also highly recommend considering a trip to Antequera in Malaga Province. Here you can visit the Torcal de Antequera, a striking karst mountain range, explore some of Europe’s most important dolmens and enjoy great food.
➡️ Mijas Pueblos, also in Malaga is another gorgeous option for a day trip. This pueblo blanco is more easily reached from the Costa del Sol but it is also possible from Seville.
➡️ Ronda – one of Spain’s most beautiful cities. Great for adults and kids alike
➡️ Málaga City – a beach city full of museums, culture and great food
Frequently Asked Questions
Would you rent a car or use public transport for these day trips from Sevilla? Personally I’m not a huge fan of public transport for short trips. I don’t like being on someone else’s timetable so I always rent a car wherever possible. I find driving in southern Spain to be perfectly easy. Just remember that in some old towns the roads are extremely narrow so it’s preferable to park outside and walk in. Foreign visitors are permitted to drive for six months on their overseas licenses.
If you’re not keen on driving in Spain then perhaps a tour is the best option to remove all the stress?
Would you really do these as day trips or are they better as longer trips? All of the locations mentioned in this article are possible as day trips. Of course they’d be great as longer trips too but when decisions have to be made, decisions have to be made. I’d use Sevilla as a base and pick one or two day trips from this incredible list of days trips.
When’s the best time of year to visit Andalucía? March – May and Sept – Oct are the most delightful months weather-wise. Winter, although cool can be pleasant. Summer, of course, is very hot.
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