15 Awesome Day Trips from Seville You Should Take

written by local expert Jane Elmets

Jane always knew she wasn't destined for a desk job... She has travelled all over the world and is passionate about noodles, sloths and her hiking boots! When she isn't busy adventuring around the world, you can find her reviewing travel gear and dishing out travel tips to all the places she's visited.

While Seville is an enchanting place in itself, one of the best parts about the city is that it’s in such close proximity to some of Spain’s most unmissable destinations. It’s in an ideal position for exploring Andalusia, as well as cities outside of the region. 

Plus, most of these towns and cities can be visited in a single day from Seville!

Taking a day trip from Seville is generally quite easy as there’s a plethora of public transportation to choose from, as well as the option to rent a car and explore on your own or take a full guided tour to a city nearby.

Hit the beach, explore other famous Spanish monuments, or cycle through a natural wonderland. Anything is possible on a day trip from Seville!

Quick Answer: Top 15 Day Trips from Seville

Here are 15 of the best day trips from Seville that need to be added to your itinerary immediately! Read on to find out more about the highlights of each place, as well as the best ways to get there from Seville. 

  • Cordoba
  • Cadiz
  • Arcos de la Frontera
  • Ronda
  • Jerez de la Frontera
  • Granada
  • Italica
  • Antequera
  • Carmona
  • Donana National Park
  • Sierra Norte Natural Park
  • Osuna
  • Tarifa
  • Gibraltar
  • Tangier, Morocco

Tip: Most of these day trips are accessible via train or bus, but for the ultimate freedom to explore, you may want to rent a car while in Seville. Click here to compare car rental prices. You’ll be surprised at how affordable it is!

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Cordoba

things to do in cordoba

Highlights: Mezquita | Alcazar | Jewish Quarter & Synagogue | Calleja de las Flores

Just a quick 45-minute train ride from Seville, Cordoba is the perfect place for a day trip as it’s pretty small and can be fully explored in a single day! 

While in Cordoba, the Mezquita can’t be missed. It’s the most famous and the most beautiful place to visit in the city. Dating all the way back to 785 AD, it’s one of the largest mosques in the world and the striped arches create a dizzying effect as you wander the great hall.

The Alcazar de Los Reyes Cristianos is also an intriguing place to visit in Cordoba. Pop over to see it after you’re done with the Mezquita as it sits right in the historic center of town. Round out your day trip with a walk through the Jewish Quarter and a visit to the Cordoba synagogue to see one of the best preserved houses of worship in Spain!

If you’re looking for more than religious monuments, stroll along Calleja de las Flores and stop for a coffee among the whitewashed, flower-adorned houses.

Need tips for the perfect day in Cordoba? We’ve got you covered! But if you have more time to spare, check out our full list of the best things to do in Cordoba.

Getting There: It’s only a 45-minute trip on a high-speed AVE train, which runs every 50 minutes. The train is definitely the best way to get between the two cities as driving or taking a bus can take between one and a half to two hours!

If you did want to drive, it’s a straight shot up A-4 to E-5 and takes an hour and 40 minutes. And for a hassle-free day out, choose a guided tour to Cordoba that will cover all the highlights of the town and transportation to and fro!

Cadiz

Highlights: Costa de la Luz | Old Neighborhoods | 100 + Watchtowers | Cathedral | Delicious seafood

To break away from landlock and enjoy the ocean a bit, take a day trip to sunny Cadiz which sits on the southern coast of Spain. Cadiz is one of the most picturesque places in the country, with its whitewashed houses, hundreds of watchtowers, and the expanse of the Mediterranean ocean as far as the eye can see. 

Besides lounging on the beach and sipping cocktails seaside, there’s plenty to do in Cadiz to keep you occupied for a day. Stroll through the narrow cobblestone streets and old Spanish barrios like La Vina to see how fishermen live (and have the best seafood meal of your life). Or visit Santa Maria, aka the Gypsy Quarter which is filled with flamenco dancers and street performers.

There are plenty of cultural and historic attractions in Cadiz as well, like climbing to the top of the Cathedral for stunning views and wandering the port to see Spanish Navy ships and watchtowers. 

Getting There: Both bus and train trips last a bit more than an hour and a half one way. Buses to Cadiz leave Seville from Plaza Prado San Sebastian every two hours and Renfe trains run 15 times a day. Tickets tend to be pretty inexpensive for the bus and the train so you don’t have to worry about breaking the bank for this day trip!

To drive to Cadiz from Seville takes a little less than an hour and a half.

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Arcos de la Frontera white washed houses on hill side with river running through

Highlights: Beautiful whitewashed houses and cliff views | Basilica of Santa Maria de la Asuncion | Church of San Pedro | Moor Castle

Speaking of whitewashed, there’s no better place to see this stunning scenery than Arcos de la Frontera. Located about one and a half hours away from Seville, this day trip will reveal a different side of Andalusia. 

This national historic site is the gateway to the Pueblos Blancos (White Villages) that have brought Andalusia such great fame. Arcos de la Frontera sits atop a hill, surrounded by lush greenery and it offers thrilling views of the surrounding areas.

There’s more than just white houses in this historic village, with the massive Basilica of Santa Maria de la Asuncion and the Church of San Pedro being other must-visits. There’s even a giant Moorish castle sitting atop a hill that you can visit! 

Plus, the food is exceptional here, so be sure to eat your fill. 

Once you’ve finished exploring the village, you’ll still have plenty of time to visit other nearby Pueblos Blancos before heading back to Seville. 

Getting There: The best option for visiting Arcos de la Frontera by renting a car because this will allow you the freedom to visit other white villages in the area without any hassle! It’s an hour and 15 minute drive to Arcos de la Frontera and just a quick ride to any of the other villages, too.

You can take public transport to Arcos as well, by taking a train from Seville to Jerez and then a bus from Jerez to Arcos. The entire journey takes about an hour and a half and costs around €20. 

Ronda

bridge spanning between rocky gorge

Highlights: Puente Nuevo Bridge | La Ciudad | Arab Baths | Plaza de Toros Bullfighting Ring

So if we’re being technical, Ronda is one of the Pueblos Blancos but it easily warrants its own day trip due to the size and significance of this town.

Ronda is one of the most famous white villages thanks to its dramatic scenery. The village spans either side of the giant El Tajo Gorge and is connected by the brilliant Puente Nuevo bridge. The area sits atop the gorge on rocky cliffs that offer the most beautiful views you could ever imagine. 

While here, explore the historic Islamic quarter, La Ciudad, and visit the Arab baths from medieval times. 

Ronda is most well-known for bullfighting, and its ring, Plaza de Toros, is an epic place to visit. There’s a bullfighting museum to learn about the history, and in September there’s a Goyesca bullfight!

Getting There: Ronda is about an hour and 45-minute drive from Seville and about two hours and thirty minutes by train.

Another great option is to take a full-day tour. It includes round-trip transportation to and from Seville, as well as entrance to Ronda attractions like the bullfighting ring, wine museum, and other unmissable sites in the city. 

Jerez de la Frontera

large cathedral and tower next to it

Highlights: Sherry | Real Escuela Andaluza del Arte Ecuestre | Alcazar | Old Town

A prestigious aristocratic town, Jerez is the place to be for old-time Spanish tradition.

Jerez is known for two things: horses and sherry.

Equestrian lovers will feel right at home in this city as it’s the horseriding capital of Spain. Besides an annual horse fair (which has more than 500 years of history behind it), Jerez is home to the Real Escuela Andaluza del Arte Ecuestre, which is where the most prestigious of Andalusian horses are trained and perform.

Besides horses, Jerez is where you want to be for all things sherry. The oldest wine in the world, sherry actually originated in Jerez, so it’s best tasted right at the roots. 

Besides the dozens of bars and bodegas serving up tapas and sherry, visit the 11th century Alcazar, wander through Old Town, and enjoy some Andalusian sunshine here!

Getting There: Buses run frequently from Seville to Jerez as it’s on the same line as Cadiz. The trip takes about an hour and 20 minutes one way. If you’re traveling by car, the trip only takes about an hour!

Insider Tip: There’s not too much to see in Jerez, so if you’re really looking to maximize your day trip, combine a stop in this city with nearby Cadiz.

Granada

spain granada

Highlights: Alhambra | Granada Cathedral | Royal Chapel | Alcaiceria | Albaicin

Granada is one of the most popular destinations in Spain, and makes for a great day trip from Seville. The city is positively enchanting and there’s so much to see you’ll likely want much more than a single day here.

The centerpiece of the city is the Alhambra, an iconic Moorish palace sitting at the top of a hill. Crowds here can be extremely intense, so if you’re hoping to visit on a day trip, you’ll need to buy skip-the-line tickets in advance.

If you prefer to admire the Alhambra from a distance and maximize your day in Granada, visit places like the Granada Cathedral, the Royal Chapel, Alcaiceria (aka the Great Bazaar), and the whitewashed neighborhood of Albaicin.

Getting There: It’s pretty easy to get between Granada and Seville as ALSA buses run 10 times a day starting at 8.00am. It’s a three-hour trip which is short enough for a day trip, but long enough to make you wish you had a little more time in the city.

You can also take a train operated by Renfe which runs 5 times a day. The train can take a little longer than the bus because of frequent stops, but both cost the same at about €20 per ticket.It’s an equally long drive, coming in at about 2 hours and 40 minutes on the road.

Since it’s a reasonably long journey and crowds are inevitable once arriving, the best way to take a day trip to Granada from Seville is with a guided tour. This tour includes round-trip transportation, entrance to the Alhambra, a guided tour of Albaicin, and a local guide fluent in English and Spanish to lead the tour. 

Italica

rocky ruins in grass surrounded by trees

Highlights: GoT Filming Location | Roman Mosaics | Baths | Museum

A quick 20-minute drive from Seville lies ancient Roman ruins that date back to 206 BC! Italica was once a settlement ruled by Emperor Augustus and was the birthplace of several other influential Roman emperors, making it a forgotten town steeped in ancient history.

Italica is an awesome day trip from Seville because it’s such a quick drive, but also because there’s plenty to explore here. It has the third largest amphitheater of the entire Roman empire, and what’s more, it was actually used as the Dragon Pit in Game of Thrones

Besides the amphitheater, you’ll find Roman mosaics, baths and plenty of archaeological remains at this site, and there’s even a museum to explain it all! Just keep in mind that both the site and museum are closed on Mondays.

Getting There: Driving is the best way to get to and from Italica as the ride only takes 20 minutes. However, you can also take a bus to Italica from Plaza de Armas. The stop is Santiponce, which is the town that Italica is located in. By bus, the ride takes an hour each way.

If you really want to maximize your time here, consider taking a guided tour which includes transportation, tickets, and a full tour of the site. 

Antequera

view from top of his with rock formations and mountains and towns in background

Highlights: Dolmen de Menga | Lovers’ Rock | Iglesia del Carmen | Flamingo Lake

Antequera is a lovely little town to visit for a day from Seville. There’s plenty to see, do and eat so it will be a day well spent!

The most famous site in Antequera is the Dolmen de Menga, an ancient stone construction  with a deep history. It’s similar to what you can see at Stonehenge — bet you’d never guess you can see it in Spain too!

Another popular place to visit is Lovers’ Rock, or Pene de los Enamorados, which is a giant rock that looks like a person’s face. As legend goes, two lovers, a Moor and a Christian, ended their lives at this rock because of their forbidden love. Lovers’ Rock is located a little outside of town and is best visited by car.

Other places to see in Antequera are the Iglesia del Carmen, and a flamingo lake that’s a short ride from the center of the city.

Getting There: Driving to Antequera is the most convenient option since some of the most popular attractions are outside of town and only accessible by car. It takes between an hour and 45 minutes to two hours to travel between cities. 

If you wish to take public transportation, your best bet is the ALSA bus which runs from Seville to Antequera for about €15. It takes between an hour and a half and two and a half hours (each way) but it’ll drop you in the center of the city, so you’ll be able to hit the ground running when you arrive! There’s also a train station, but it’s far outside of the city and it’s an expensive taxi ride in.

Carmona

cityscape with blue sky and large tower

Highlights: Puerta de Sevilla Gate | Church of Santa Maria la Mayor | Alcazar | PLaza San Fernando

To transport yourself out of Spain and into ancient Roman times, take a day trip from Seville to Carmona.

Here, you’ll be met with the Puerta de Sevilla, a massive and splendid gate which dates all the way back to 900 BC. It’s really a lavish structure, surrounded by ancient Roman walls and it makes a cool place for exploring.

While in Carmona, you should also pay a visit to the Church of Santa Maria la Mayor from the 15th century, the massive Moorish Alcazar, the Church of San Pedro which looks just like Seville’s Cathedral, and of course Plaza San Fernando for a coffee or a cocktail.

Before leaving, stop by the Roman burial ground to see where some of the earliest Roman rulers were buried.

Getting There: Carmona is easily reached by bus from Seville. It only takes between 20 and 40 minutes to get here, and busses depart from the Prado de San Sebastian bus station. To drive, it takes about 30 minutes, making it a quick and easy trip.

If you are interested in combining Carmona with other stop, consider taking this full-day tour of Cordoba and Carmona!

Donana National Park

family of deer walking through park

Highlights: Migratory Birds | Huge range in environment | Playa de Matalascanas | Splendid Natural Beauty

If you wanted to take a day trip from Seville for some nature, it doesn’t get much better than Donana National Park. This area, protected by UNESCO, features wetlands, forests, and huge sand dunes.

This is the place to be for all things outdoors as you can spend your day hiking, biking, or bird watching. This is a hot spot for migratory birds, so you may catch glimpses of birds like flamingos and eagles!

There are even beaches in Donana, so you can spend your day lounging on the warm sand, sipping beer, and getting some sun. 

Whether you’re seeking relaxation or blood-pumping activity, Donana National Park is the place to be. 

Getting There: If you have a car, you can reach Donana on your own in just 50 minutes from Seville. 

Alternatively, you can take one of the many tours available to cut down on the hassle of getting there yourself. This tour includes transportation and a 4WD tour from Seville, along with your own local guide. For more adventurous travelers, you may be keen on having an off-road adventure through the Donana park which takes you off the beaten path. 

Sierra Norte Natural Park

gorgeous view of natural park at sunset

Highlights: Old Villages | Farm Animals | Beautiful Scenery

For a day trip full of sheer, wild beauty, Sierra Norte does the trick.

This Natural Park is home to ten small, charming Spanish villages that have settled at the foot of the mountains surrounding Seville. It’s a lovely place to spend a day cycling around as you’ll see villagers going about their daily life, farm animals galore, and plenty of nature trails for enjoying.

The trails in this park take you through villages, along rivers and through forests, too. It’s a great way to see a less visited part of Spain, even for a single day.

Be sure to bring a picnic to stop at one of the lush green spots for lunch because there are no restaurants or stores in the area.

If you are interested in seeing the park through a local’s eyes, take this park and village bike tour to make sure you see the best that the area has to offer!

Getting There: This park is exceptionally easy to get to as it sits in the north of Seville, not too far from the city center. It’s about an hour and a half drive by car, but there is also a train that runs from Seville. It’s worth taking the train because the scenery on the way up is out of this world!

Osuna

aerial view of city with blue sky behind

Highlights: Ducal Pantheon | Collegiate Church of Santa Maria de la Asuncion | GoT Filming Locations | Semana Santa Celebrations

Another town that was important during Roman times, Osuna is an interesting place to visit if you’re looking for a unique day trip from Seville.

There are some fantastic monuments in the city that are worth visiting, all built in different styles according to the time period they were erected in.

You’ll find great contrast but lovely harmony between places like the Ducal Pantheon and the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria de la Asuncion that stand proudly in Osuna. These monuments are so interesting and aesthetically pleasing that they’ve even been used in Game of Thrones as the fictional cities of Dorne and Mereen. 

Besides the monuments and TV recognition, Osuna is known for its annual April celebration during Semana Santa, or Holy Week. The streets really come to life with decorations and giant religious carvings being paraded through the streets.

It’s such a spectacle that it draws people in from far and wide to celebrate and has been dubbed the “Fiesta of National Tourist Interest in Andalucia!”

Getting There: Osuna is only an hour drive from Seville and is a straight shot, making it extra convenient to reach if you have your own car. 

You can also reach this city via Renfe train, leaving from San Bernardo in Seville. The trip takes just slightly longer than an hour and trains run regularly for an inexpensive price.  One last option to get to Osuna is by ALSA bus which runs twice a day. It takes an hour and 15 minutes to get between the two cities. 

Tarifa

view of beach in tarifa, spain

Highlights: Water Sports | Beautiful Beaches | Old Town | Nightlife

If you’re looking to spend your day by the sea, take a day trip from Seville to Tarifa to enjoy the beautiful beaches!

Tarifa is a huge hub for watersports and is one of the best places in Spain for the likes of kitesurfing, windsurfing, and regular surfing as well. This is the place to take a lesson or show off your skills! 

The beaches here are absolutely stellar, albeit a bit packed with adrenaline junkies, but you can escape the chaos with a quiet stroll through Old Town or a drink on a sunny terrace.

What Tarifa is best known for is its vibrant nightlife and massive party culture. You may find yourself spending the night after getting roped in by one of the lavish bars or nightclubs… 

To plan your day in Tarifa, check out our guide on the best things to do.

Getting There: To drive from Seville to Tarifa takes a little more than two hours each way. There are also buses run by TG Comes that run five times a day. It takes about three hours by bus, depending on the service, so be sure to catch an early one to enjoy a full day in Tarifa!

Gibraltar

large rock in front of ocean and seaside towns with blue sky

Highlights: Unbelievable Views | British style city | Barbary Macaques | Historic city center

Lying all the way in the south of Spain, nearly touching the tip of Africa, is Gibraltar, the last British colony existing on mainland Europe. 

A visit to Gibraltar is like taking a trip to historic England, complete with English pubs, fish and chips, and of course, the iconic red phone booths. It’s almost like stepping into a British theme park, but instead it’s a city that’s actually a real place.

The scenery here is truly out of this world, with gigantic looming rocks that overlook the entire sea and city below. If you look hard enough, you may even see Africa on a clear day!

Gibraltar’s past is enough to lure any history buff to this city, but if the long and winding yesteryear isn’t enough, come for the Barbary macaques (local monkeys)!

Getting There: Getting to Gibraltar via public transportation is next to impossible even though it’s only two hours away, which is why it’s necessary to have a car to take a day trip from Seville. The drive is three hours each way.

That said, keep in mind that Gibraltar actually isn’t in the Schengen Zone, so you’ll need to go through a full border crossing before reaching the city. Don’t forget to bring your ID or passport with you!

To avoid huge delays at the border, you have two options: The first is to park your car on the Spanish side and then walk across the border so you aren’t held up by everyone having their car searched. 

An alternative option is to take an organized day trip which includes hotel pick-up and drop-off in Seville, a local guide, entrance fees to the most notable monuments in Gibraltar, and free time to explore on your own. That way you can forget about the logistics and just focus on enjoying your day in the gateway to Africa from Europe!

Tangier, Morocco

white washed city in front of the sea with blue sky behind

Highlights: 17th Century Sultan Palace | Museum of Moroccan Arts | Medina | Grand Mosque | Petit Socco

Bet you didn’t see this one coming… But yes, it is actually possible (and pretty easy) to take a day trip from Seville to Tangier, Morocco. Take advantage of the opportunity to visit one of Morocco’s most vibrant cities while on holiday in southern Spain.

Tangier is one of the most interesting places to visit as it’s a true mix of North African, Spanish, Protugese, and French influences. It’s no wonder why people call this city the European gateway to Africa!

On a visit to Tangier, you must visit the lavish Dar el Makhzen, a 17th century palace filled with marble courtyards and gorgeously carved ceilings. In the palace, you’ll also find the Museum of Moroccan Arts and the Museum of Antiquities, making it a center for art, history and culture in Tangier. 

The palace overlooks the entire city, so you get views along with all of the other goodies at this stop.

Spend the rest of your day getting lost in the labyrinth-like Medina (Old Town), strolling around Petit Socco (a city square), and visiting the Grand Mosque.  

Getting There: Logistically, getting to Tangier from Seville on your own is inevitably going to be a headache as you have to take a mix of transportation modes (including a ferry!) to cross over into another continent entirely. You don’t want to waste precious time that you could be enjoying the city arguing with immigration officers… 

So, the most convenient way to get to Tangier on a day trip is via a guided tour from Seville.

There are many daily tours that get you from Seville to Tangier, so you’ll have your fair pick to choose from. This tour includes transportation to the ferry in Tarifa, ferry tickets, meals and a guided tour of Tangier. 

Whatever you do, just remember to bring your passport!!!

After seeing all the places you can visit on a day trip from Seville, the possibilities must seem endless! They practically are with all the cities, towns, and villages in such close proximity to Seville. 

Whether you want to visit some of the most important religious sites in the world, spend your day lounging on the beach, or even travel to another continent entirely, it’s all possible on a day trip from Seville!

For more tips and information for visiting Spain, check out our full guide: Spain Travel Tips.


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15 Day Trips From Seville | If you're visiting Seville, leave some room in your itinerary for some of these awesome day trips around Spain!

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