7 Ideas From a Native Expat

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Are you staying in Southern Spain and in search of some new locations to discover round Seville? In that case, you’re in the fitting place!

I’ve been dwelling in Southern Spain, for over 3 years now and visited plenty of stunning locations and locations which can be inside simple attain from Seville. On this article, I’ve chosen seven simple day journeys from Seville that tick all of your journey containers – stunning places, simple attain from Seville, and loads of time and issues to discover in simply in the future.

Earlier than we get to them, I’ve shared some suggestions for choosing the fitting vacation spot for you beneath, and on the finish of the article, you will discover some bonus suggestions that may make your journey far more handy and hassle-free. Take pleasure in! 

Planning Your Day Journey from Seville

Planning your day journeys from Seville is fairly simple – town is nicely related to plenty of different locations in Southern Spain by means of high-quality highways, prolonged rail connections, and even frequent bus providers. 

So even in the event you’re not eager on driving a automobile, there are many locations you’ll be able to discover very simply with only a prepare or a bus journey.

On this article, I’ve compiled among the finest choices for cities and locations to go to inside a brief attain from Seville. I attempted to maintain the journey time beneath two hours, so there’s sufficient time to discover town with out feeling such as you spent more often than not within the automobile or commuting someplace.

There’s a huge combine of various measurement locations so everybody can discover one thing they may like – greater and extra identified locations and a few smaller native gems thrown in between.

For ease of reference, I’ve additionally added notes on every possibility whether or not it’s simple to do this particular vacation spot with a prepare or bus, do you have to not wish to hire a automobile when you’re staying in Seville. 

In the event you’re unsure how one can resolve on a spot the place you want to go, there are a number of questions you’ll be able to ask your self:

  • Do you like hassle-free journey and wish to use a prepare or a bus? In that case, the larger cities that are higher related by rail community are a greater possibility for you (Granada, Cadiz, Cordoba)
  • Would you like a quick journey time and extra time exploring the vacation spot? In that case have a look at the cities closest to you by automobile or prepare, like Cadiz (sufficiently small that you just see every part in in the future) or Jezer de la Frontera
  • If you wish to spend a while on a seaside when you’re staying in Seville, I might suggest heading to Cadiz or Tarifa (in Tarifa you get to expertise the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea on the identical time)
  • Are you a historical past fanatic and wish to see all of the gems of Southern Spain? In that case head in the direction of Granda, or Cordoba!
  • If you wish to see a bit extra genuine aspect of Southern Spain, locations like Jerez de la Frontera or Tarifa will probably be an excellent match for you
  • If you need to tick off among the ‘bucket checklist’ locations for Southern Spain, a good selection is both Ronda or Gibraltar (technically not Spain, however nicely well worth the journey)
  • For wine fanatics, you’ll love the Sherry triangle city of Jerez, and those that like good meals will love the free tapas custom in Granada (free small tapas served with each drink almost wherever within the metropolis)

So right here they’re, my high picks for Seville day journeys!

High Day Journeys from Seville

1. Cadiz

Cadiz is a coastal city on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, and it’s stated to be one of many oldest cities not simply in Spain, but additionally in Europe.

Cadiz is sort of a singular place – to begin with, it’s positioned by itself island, related to the mainland with two bridges and a stretch of lengthy seaside. Cadiz is usually favored by native Spanish vacationers who love town’s white sandy seashores and conventional southern hospitality. Cadiz certainly seems like a small village, though it’s a fairly well-known metropolis.

Whereas in Cadiz, you’ll have loads of time to see the outdated city, the market, the Cadiz Cathedral and among the different monuments across the shoreline, just like the Fort of San Sebastian with its stunning promenade stretching into the ocean, and Castillo de Santa Catalina, ruins of an outdated fortress with attractive views throughout.

You’ll be able to drive to Cadiz fairly simply from Seville (about 1.5 hrs), or take a neighborhood prepare which is able to get you there in 1 hour and 45 minutes.

2. Jerez de la Frontera

Jerez de la Frontera is a phenomenal conventional Andalusian village, about midway between Seville and Cadiz. In the event you want a brief and fast journey out of town, to see one of many prettiest white villages, Jerez is a good possibility for a day journey.

Identified primarily for its sherry manufacturing custom (a part of the Sherry Triangle), Jerez could also be a small place, however there’s a lot to be found, and every part may be seen in simply in the future. 

One of many highlights of the journey could be visiting the native Alcazar, a Moorish fortress from the eleventh century, adopted by a go to a neighborhood taverna to see a Flamenco efficiency. There may be additionally a devoted museum for sherry manufacturing known as Bodega Custom, and Jerez Cathedral can also be price a go to.

To get to Jerez, you’ll be able to simply drive there from Seville, or take the prepare in path of Cadiz, which ought to take round 1 hour. 

3. Tarifa

Tarifa is the southern scorching spot for water sports activities and delightful seashores. In distinction to many of the coastal locations in Southern Spain, in Tarifa, you will discover extra pure, pristine seashores that supply a way more enjoyable technique to get pleasure from some sunbathing and swimming within the sea.

Tarifa is a well-liked resort for windsurfers and kitesurfers, and in addition for many who love to observe stunning sunsets. In Tarifa, there are additionally a number of corporations providing whale-watching and dolphin-watching boat journeys on high of ferry crossings to Morocco, a rustic with plenty of issues to do you possibly can additionally add to your itinerary.

In any case, and going again to Tarifa, whereas the city itself nonetheless very a lot seems like an outdated village that hasn’t been too touched by mass tourism, it’s a breath of recent air to have the ability to nonetheless discover a little bit of genuine Spain even on the shoreline.

4. Gibraltar

When you’re staying in Seville, it might be a disgrace to overlook out on the expertise of visiting Gibraltar, the British sovereign territory south of Seville. Listed below are some very attention-grabbing Gibraltar info to know earlier than you go.

From Seville, your finest wager is to drive there by automobile as there are not any native connections that may get you on to Gibraltar. Give your self loads of time because the crossing of the border and the safety checks can take fairly a very long time – alternatively, you’ll be able to park the automobile on the Spanish aspect on the city of La Linea, and use the a lot quicker pedestrian crossing (I might suggest this feature).

Whereas in Gibraltar, guide a tour of the character reserve to get pleasure from some fairly spectacular views of the Mediterranean Sea, and on a transparent day you’ll be able to see the African continent – Morocco – within the distance. You too can stroll to the outdated city and the excessive avenue to get pleasure from some duty-free procuring.

5. Granada

One may positively get used to waking as much as this view, the one we acquired from our Alhambra Palace Resort’s room in Granada.

Granada is among the three cities that kind the Andalusian golden triangle (along with Seville and Cordoba), and it’s one to not be missed.

The crowning glory of Granada is the traditional Moorish palace complicated known as Alhambra, with the Palace of Charles V, ruins of the outdated Alcazaba, and gorgeous nicely preserved Generalife Gardens as a part of it.

Whereas Granada’s Alhambra is a fairly spectacular place to go to, the sights don’t finish there. The outdated a part of the city known as Albaicin is a phenomenal genuine place to find, and you can too stroll to the district of Sacromonte, identified for its cave homes and Flamenco performances. Proper up within the hill above Sacromonte, you will discover Sacromonte abbey with stunning views, and the one underground cave church I’ve ever seen.

Granada needs to be one among my favourite Andalusian cities to go to and also you received’t remorse including it to your day journey locations wishlist. There’s a common prepare service from Seville to Granada (2 hours 20 minutes), however you can too drive there most likely quicker with a automobile.

6. Ronda

Ronda is a kind of locations that you would be able to’t cease speaking about. An historical metropolis divided in half by the El Tajo gorge, with the historic Puente Nuevo bridge towering over it, Ronda is a real magnificence that also feels very genuine Spanish.

Ronda has one of many oldest bullrings in Spain, and the historical past of bullfighting is seen in almost each restaurant you go to, with bull heads hanging over you when you get pleasure from your tapas. 

Ernest Hemingway was an enormous fan of Ronda and spent a number of time right here, amongst many different authors. 

Ronda is the proper one-day journey vacation spot as you’ll be able to squeeze all of its highlights right into a single journey – visiting Puente Nuevo bridge, the gardens that stretch proper behind it resulting in the outdated Roman Baths, the Bullring, and in case you have time, I extremely suggest a go to of an outdated villa known as Casa don Bosco, from the place you get among the finest views of Puente Nuevo.


Due to its location, Ronda is finest reached by automobile. 

7. Cordoba

Cordoba is house to some of the spectacular cathedrals in Southern Spain – the Mezquita Cathedral. What was an Islamic mosque was later transformed right into a catholic Cathedral, which resulted within the distinctive architectural piece of labor it’s right this moment.

The doorway to the cathedral is thru a phenomenal courtyard coated by orange timber, and similar to with different historic monuments, the tickets will not be out there on the day, so get them early earlier than your journey. Whereas in Cordoba, you can too squeeze in a go to to the Alcazar (full title Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos), with gorgeous gardens and delightful water options.

To get to Cordoba, you’ll be able to simply drive there from Seville, however there’s additionally a quick prepare connection out there with low cost prepare tickets. 

A Few Further Ideas

Earlier than I allow you to off planning your journey, listed below are a number of suggestions that may make your journey far more fulfilling:

  • In the event you’re planning to go to among the widespread historic websites like Alhambra in Granada, it’s nicely price reserving your tickets on-line prematurely. Particularly, Alhambra tickets are inclined to promote out weeks prematurely, so that you could be upset in the event you arrive pondering you may get them on the gates
  • In the event you’re touring in the summertime, it will get tremendous scorching in Andalusia. Plan your journey accordingly and attempt to spend the most popular time of the day commuting to your vacation spot as an alternative of climbing steep stairs on some historic monument.
  • In the event you’re planning to make use of the prepare to your day journey, the identical as above applies – prepare ticket costs fluctuate relying on the day and season, so you’ll avoid wasting cash in the event you guide them prematurely. And also you’re additionally eliminating the possibility that the prepare you wished to take will probably be totally booked. 
  • Driving in Southern Spain is fairly simple, however there are some street tolls you’ll have to pay, they’re at all times marked. You should utilize a Spanish street toll calculator equivalent to Through Michelin the place you enter your journey and it’ll let you know the price of the tolls (normally just some euros). 

I hope you loved a number of stunning locations inside simple attain from Seville. Tell us within the feedback which of them are your favourite and which of them are you probably including to your journey itinerary.

Lucia is a Slovak expat dwelling in Southern Spain. On her weblog Viva la Vita, she shares her insights about stunning places, hidden gems, and genuine experiences from Costa del Sol and past.




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