This weekend I got to put my tour guide hat on because my best friend, and freshman year roommate, came to town! Natalie is studying abroad in Italy this semester so she was able to take a quick weekend trip to Seville. Since we had just over 48 hours together I had to condense all my favorite things about the city into one whirlwind tour.
Check out our itinerary for how to see Seville in just one weekend
Friday
5:00 PM
As soon as Natalie got settled I set out to meet her at her AirBnB in the city center. Time for the fun to begin!
The city center of Seville is the best place to stay if you only have two days in Seville. There are great hostel, AirBnb, and hotel options in this area so its possible to stay in this location on any budget.
7:00 PM
Sunset
La Terraza de EME was the first destination on Natalie’s world wind tour of Seville. I love going to rooftops back in the States and it turns out Sevillanos appreciate a good rooftop view as well. It’s a great way to catch the sunset and take in the beauty of the skyline no matter what city you’re in.
9:00 PM
Dinner
Don’t even get me started about El Pinton.
The moment you step inside the restaurant you know you’re somewhere special. The decor is reminiscent of an Andulasian patio complete with hand painted tile backsplashes, large houseplants, wooden tables, miniature succulents, fun mirrors, and colorful turquoise accents.
It only gets better once you order. You really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, but since I’ve been here 3 times now (yes 3) I have some recommendations.
What to order at El Pinton
National burrata with tomatoes from the garden, avocados and arugula
Tempura egg with truffle parmentier and quinoa
Seasonal mushrooms with truffle cream and yolk from the corral
Iberian Ribs with Chef’s BBQ
Brioche French toast with orange blossom gel and nougat mousse
Cheesecake
Saturday
Saturday morning Natalies’ friends from Florence arrived. Now it was really time for my tour guiding to begin.
10:00 AM
Breakfast
I sent Natalie and co. to Milk Away for a quick breakfast bite. Milk Away is a cute takeaway spot with lots of healthy options from acai bowls to salads and sandwiches.
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Alfalfa & Soho Benita
Alfalfa is a super cute area in Seville’s city center with lots of cute cafes to pop into during the day and bars to head out to at night. Nearby is what Sevillano’s call Soho Benita. The area is supposed to replicate New York City’s SoHo neighborhood and has lots of cute clothing boutiques and art galleries as well. Let’s just say Natalie and her friends left with a few shopping bags in tow.
Special Mentions
El Gato en Bicicleta – cafe and bookstore
Delimbo – contemporary art gallery
Isadora – clothing boutique
Las Setas
The next stop on our tour was Las Setas de Seville (the mushrooms of Seville). Las Setas, otherwise known as Metropol Parasol, is the world’s largest wooden structure and gets its name from its resemblance to mushrooms. The iconic structure was the winner of an architectural competition held by Seville’s city council in an effort to revitalize the neighborhood in 2005 and they have been a hot spot destination for visitors ever since.
The structure has 5 levels in total; including a roof deck with a panoramic view of the city as well as a Tapas bar and event space. You can get access to the roof deck for just 4 euros!
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Scooter Time
Seville is a very walkable city, but we were on a schedule! So naturally I had everyone hop on a scooter so we could buzz down to the Plaza de España before grabbing a quick bite to eat for lunch. Natalie and her friends were blown away by Plaza de España. It was so much fun to experience it with the wonder of fresh eyes. Check out my article Actually I’m in Seville to read more about Plaza de España!
Bird and Lime scooters are scattered all throughout the city and available to use with the quick download of their apps on your phone. I highly recommend them as a fun alternative to getting around the city.
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Lunch
The Festival of Nations in Prado de San Sebastian is a month long event and the perfect spot for a quick bite to eat. There are booths with food from countries all over the world, which means you will be able to find something for everyone! My favorite is the Mexico booth for tacos and enchiladas!
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Siesta
After all this bopping around I needed a nap. Thank goodness for Siesta.
9:00 PM
Dinner
Tata Pila was our dinner spot. I accidentally made our reservation for the wrong day, but the host was super nice and accommodated us anyway. Lucky us because the food was delish!
Afterwards, we headed to Helados Rayas for the best ice cream in Seville. I got a scoop of the Queso con Frescas aka Strawberry Cheescake and it was absolutely to die for!
Sunday
9:00 AM
On Sunday morning, Natalie and her friends did a guided tour of the Alcazar… this is the part where I plug my previous article again: Actually I’m in Seville. Check it out to read more on this historic site!
12:00 PM
Meet the family
My favorite part of the weekend was when Natalie came to coffee at my homestay. My host family has been such an integral part of my time here in Seville. It was so special to share this piece of my life with her and to introduce my host family to someone so important to my life at home.
Being abroad is amazing. Getting to share it with someone from home made my heart grow three sizes.
