More about: Seville Cathedral and Giralda Tickets and Visits
The Cathedral of Seville is the second largest cathedral in the world, surpassed only by St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It is also the largest Gothic structure and one of the most recognized churches in Europe. A key visit if you go to the city of Seville that you have to complement, without a doubt, with the Alcazar, a monument declared a World Heritage Site in 1987, which dates back to the early Middle Ages.
Regarding the Giralda, is the Tower of Seville and from its top, you will get panoramic views of the entire city of Seville. This enclave, consisting of the three monuments, is impressive and does not leave indifferent to all who visit it. Do not miss it! I tell you the best options for your visit to this monumental complex:
Seville Cathedral and Giralda Tickets
Discover the Cathedral and the Giralda at your own pace
Get your tickets to the Cathedral of Seville and access without queues to avoid wasting time in the dreaded crowd that visits every day this monument. Climb to the top of the Giralda and enjoy the spectacular views of the city from there.
With these tickets to the Cathedral and the Giralda of Seville, you will know the largest Gothic cathedral in the world and the emblematic tower that escorts it. An ideal option to guarantee you direct access without queues to one of the most visited monuments in the world and so you do not lose time that you can devote to the visit. In addition, you can climb inside the Giralda until you reach the top to contemplate the panoramic view offered by the historic tower of Seville.
Why choose this option: Ideal to avoid the long queues that characterize this monument and take a trip to the past.
Recommended if... You have little time to visit the city of Seville and you want to know two of the essential monuments of the city: the Cathedral and the emblematic Giralda tower.
Seville Alcazar Tickets
Discover the marvelous monumental complex of the Alcazar of Seville.
Enter the Real Alcazar of Seville with these skip the line tickets. In this visit to another essential of Seville you will travel back in time and learn about all the cultures that passed through the city over several centuries.
With these tickets to the Alcazar of Seville you will enter one of the most important monumental complexes in the world and you will know every corner of this emblematic place that dates back to the Middle Ages. You will be able to visit all the rooms, the beautiful gardens and the different palaces where you will discover the architectural styles that were used in the complex, from Islamic to Baroque, Mudejar and Gothic, among others.
Why choose this option: Ideal to visit the Alcázar of Seville, know all its corners and not miss any detail.
Recommended if... You have little time and do not want to miss the essential of this unique monumental complex.
Seville Alcazar, Cathedral and Giralda guided tour
The Cathedral, the Alcazar and the Giralda. The best of Seville, in a guided tour.
This is the perfect option if you want to visit the best of Seville with an expert guide and for a very reasonable price, as it includes the necessary tickets for the three monuments.
Seville has many points of interest to see and sometimes it is difficult to dedicate the same amount of time and attention to all of them. If during your trip to Seville you have to choose to highlight one visit over another, my advice is to do it with this guided tour of the Alcazar of Seville, the Cathedral and the Alcazar.
This tour, besides covering the two most important monuments of the city, is a perfect summary of the history and culture of Seville. The price of this joint tour, with tickets to both monuments included, is $55 and the total duration is about 3 hours and a half ending at the Alcazar. A tip: soak up the explanations and ask your guide everything you want to know about the history of the city.
Why choose this option: This is, without a doubt, the option that will allow you to discover the essentials of Seville and will save you the inconvenience of having to buy tickets separately or queuing to access the monuments.
Recommended if.... You are looking for the most complete option to know the history and the best of the city in a short time for a tight budget.
How much does it cost to visit the Cathedral, the Giralda and the Alcazar?
Tickets to the Cathedral and the Giralda are priced at about 18 euros, while visiting the Alcazar on your own costs about 20 euros. In both cases you will have guaranteed access without queues.
The most complete option to visit the Cathedral of Seville with the Giralda and the Alcazar can be found in Hellotickets for about 50 € and also includes tickets.
If you want to save on the visit and stay only with the guided tour of the Cathedral or the guided tour of the Alcazar you can book them for 34 € each, but they are not the most recommended options, as you will be left without knowing La Giralda. With these three monumental jewels you will know the best of the city, its history and its relevance.
How long the guided tour lasts
The complete guided tour lasts 3 hours and a half and you will have enough time to walk with the guide inside the Cathedral, climb the Giralda and visit the highlights of the Alcazar. In addition, when the tour ends you will have the opportunity to stroll around the interior at your leisure and explore the entire interior of the Cathedral a little more.
If you enter the Cathedral at your own pace and you are going up to the roofs and the Giralda on your own, reserve at least a couple of hours to be able to see the place without rushing and enjoy the views.
How to get to the Cathedral of Seville, the Giralda and the Alcazar
The monumental complex of the Cathedral, the Giralda and the Alcazar is located in the historic center of Seville, so you will find it easy to reach from anywhere in the city. If you use the metro or bus you can get off at the Puerta de Jerez stop and walk from there (you will find signs that will guide you and you can orient yourself perfectly by the Giralda Tower that can be seen from all over Seville).
There is also a streetcar, called Metrocentro, which has a stop at the door of the Cathedral. You can see the location on Google maps to check the route that suits you best from your accommodation.
Recommendations for your visit to the Cathedral of Seville, the Giralda and the Alcazar
- Best day to visit: The best thing to do when visiting any place in Seville is to avoid the hours of maximum heat (something that will be difficult in summer). Holidays and weekends, logically, there is also usually a greater influx of visitors.
- Where to eat in the center of Seville: Avoid eating around the Cathedral. The places you will find will be expensive and of low quality. Move away towards Plaza Nueva or wander through the Santa Cruz neighborhood if you want more authentic restaurants.
- Take this guided tour with children: The monumental complex of the Cathedral of Seville, the Alcazar of Seville and La Giralda have an enormous historical and cultural value also for the little ones. In fact, you will find brochures oriented to them and educational material for them to enjoy the visit. However, it is not recommended to visit the Cathedral or climb the Giralda with children under 6 years old because of the noise they can cause and the difficulty for them to climb the tower.
- Behavior: Specifically in the Cathedral, do not forget that you are visiting a place of worship, so you should behave accordingly. Photography with a tripod is not allowed without prior accreditation. It is also recommended to wear appropriate clothing and speak in a low tone of voice to maintain respect.
How to visit the Seville Cathedral, the Giralda and the Alcazar on your own
If none of the options with private visit fits you, either by price or conditions, you can also visit the monuments independently. To get the most out of a visit on your own I will give you some tips.
Alcazar of Seville
A must-see is the Real Alcazar of Seville. You can get tickets for the Alcazar on the internet, but the best value for money is to take a combined guided tour that also takes you to the Cathedral and La Giralda, like this one you can find in Hellotickets for 55.
I can tell you that the visit is as worthwhile as the visit to the Cathedral; inside you will see some palaces that will leave you speechless and some gardens that will evoke the wonders of the Alhambra. Do not overlook this visit on your trip to Seville regardless of what you have to sacrifice in exchange.
However, if you want to know more about what you will see in the Alcazar of Seville and why it is important, you can check this article on Alcázar of Seville Tickets and Tours.
The Giralda
Another essential visit is to La Giralda. If you want to buy tickets for the Giralda you can buy them at the ticket office the same day of your visit, at the door of the Cathedral. They cost 10 € for the general public (there are reduced rates for students and pensioners), but I recommend that you buy them in advance because the queues at the ticket office to visit this monument are quite long and will take time away from visiting other places in the city. In addition, for 18 euros you have the entrance to the Cathedral included.
Seville Cathedral
Regarding the Cathedral of Seville, you can also buy your tickets at the ticket office: open Mondays from 11 am to 15:30 pm, Tuesday to Saturday from 11:00 to 17:00 and Sundays from 14:30 to 18:00. In July and August the opening hours are brought forward by half an hour.
The main problem with buying tickets at the ticket office is the queues and availability. Or you can get them online: they include the ascent to the Giralda and you can buy them in advance so as not to be left without a place. You will also avoid waiting in the sun to access the ticket office and you will enter directly in the time slot and the day you select for your visit.
The general admission price is 10 euros (half for pensioners and students under 25 years). However, if you want to access the roofs or masterpieces, the entrance fee is 16 euros and you will have to do it in organized shifts and not on your own.
Tips for visiting the Cathedral, Giralda and Alcazar of Seville
Here are some useful information for your visit to the Cathedral, the Giralda and the Alcázar of Seville.
Free admission
Like most of the historical monuments and museums, the Cathedral, the Giralda and the Alcazar of Seville have a free admission day:
- The Cathedral: on Mondays you can enter the Cathedral of Seville free of charge. In addition, unemployed, disabled and children under 14 years old enter for free every day (which does not mean that they do not have to either queue at the ticket office or book the ticket online).
- The Alcazar: On Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays you can access the Alcazar of Seville for free.
- La Giralda: Mondays from 4 pm and Sundays until 2 pm you can access for free.
Avoid the hot hours
I recommend you to choose the first hour of the day and, if possible, avoid weekends; with this you will get rid of the heat and the crowds. Regarding the Cathedral, I recommend that you consult the mass schedules that are usually posted on the side door.
Use a map
I recommend that before your visit, especially in the Cathedral and the Alcazar of Seville due to its size, get a map so that you do not miss any corner to visit.
What to see in the Cathedral, the Giralda and the Alcazar of Seville
Cathedral of Seville
To explain all the history and importance of the Cathedral of Seville in just a few lines would be an impossible mission. Each corner has behind it a meaning rich in nuances that is worth stopping at.
How you will get more out of everything you see in the Cathedral of Seville is with a guided tour or with a good art guide in your hands; as this article is not intended to replace either of these two alternatives, I will just point out what, in my opinion, you can not miss to make your visit complete:
- The visit of the roofs: For me it is a must. You will have to reserve a time to go up, but it is worth it for the view you will have from there of the details of the architecture and the Giralda itself.
- The exterior: Exactly; it seems a bit obvious, but the visit to the interior should not prevent you from turning the cathedral on the outside, look at its architecture and look at it from different angles.
- The courtyard of the orange trees: It can only be accessed from inside the Cathedral through the Puerta del Lagarto, although the curious peek from the outside to guess the beauty of this small garden.
- The Central Nave: Arranged in a rectangular shape, its ceilings will catch your eye. Do not fail to notice the stained glass windows and works of art that surround it.
- The tomb of Christopher Columbus: A particularly interesting stop if you visit the Cathedral on a guided tour, as your guide will tell you the different versions of the birthplace and burial place of the navigator.
- The Main Altarpiece: This work of art is considered the largest altarpiece in Christianity and it depicts different religious scenes.
- Royal Chapel: It keeps the remains of Alfonso X the Wise and his mother and in its crypt are buried Pedro I of Castile and his wife.
Alcazar of Seville
The Alcazar of Seville is a magical monument that will make you travel back in time. For this reason, it is one of the most visited in Seville and the world. A palace in which styles and arts are mixed due to the passage throughout history of different cultures. In your visit you can not miss:
- Patio de las Doncellas: It has a wonderful gallery of poly-lobed arches, typical of the Almohad dynasty.
- Cuarto Real Alto: Object of numerous reforms throughout history, it is the official residence of the Kings of Spain in Seville.
- Palacio del Yeso: One of my favorite spaces for its "sebka" decoration, typically Almohad and Sevillian.
- Gothic Palace: Let yourself be dazzled by its ribbed vaults and the two rectangular halls.
- Palace of King Don Pedro: It was built by craftsmen from Toledo, Granada and Seville itself on the initiative of King Pedro I in the mid-fourteenth century.
- Hall of the Admiral: It is one of the parts of the "Casa de Contratación de las Indias".
- Gardens of the Alcazar: It is a wonder to walk through these gardens. I recommend that, once the visit is over, you take the opportunity to enjoy some quiet time in this wonderful place.
Giralda
With a height of 60 meters, the equivalent of a 25-storey building, the Giralda has 34 ramps and 17 steps that will take you to the top from where you will have spectacular views of the city. Don't miss a single detail of this breathtaking panoramic view. Make sure you are in good physical condition before starting the climb. Keep in mind that the climb is not recommended for people with vertigo, dizziness or low physical fitness, but if this is not your case I recommend you to do it.