Alcazar, Seville, Spain

The Real Alcazar of Seville is the oldest royal palace in continuous use in Europe. The Spanish royal family still use it as the official Seville residence, which means on certain dates the upper apartments are closed to visitors – check before booking. Built primarily by King Pedro I of Castile in the 14th century on the foundations of a Moorish fortification, the palace is a specific architectural achievement: Mudéjar style, which means Islamic craftsmen employed by a Christian king building in the aesthetic tradition of Moorish Andalusia. The contradiction is the whole point. Pedro I was not confused about his religious identity; he was a pragmatist who wanted the most skilled craftsmen available, and they happened to be Muslim.

The result is a palace where the arches, tile work, carved stucco, and geometric patterning are in the Nasrid tradition (similar to what was simultaneously being built at the Alhambra in Granada), while the building functions as a medieval Christian royal residence. The Patio de las Doncellas – the central courtyard, its name meaning “Courtyard of the Maidens” – is the visual centrepiece: a rectangular pool surrounded by intricately carved arcades and horseshoe arches, the whole thing reflected in shallow water.

The Visit

Entry runs around €13-15 for adults; book online to secure a timed entry and avoid the queue. The site opens at 9:30am and the first hour is the least crowded. Allow 2-3 hours for the palace, apartments, and gardens.

The gardens are an unexpected highlight that many visitors underestimate – 17 acres of formal Moorish-influenced layout with fountains, orange trees, a labyrinth hedge section, and pavilions that gave access to views across Seville before the city grew up around them. In spring (April and May) the orange blossom is heavy in the air.

The television series Game of Thrones used the Alcazar as the filming location for Dorne. This fact is now embedded in how the site is discussed, which is unfortunate: the palace has 700 years of history that is considerably more interesting than its role as a TV location.

Seville Beyond the Alcazar

The Alcazar is adjacent to the Cathedral of Seville (the third-largest cathedral in the world, containing the tomb of Christopher Columbus) and the Barrio Santa Cruz, the former Jewish quarter with white-painted lanes, orange trees in courtyards, and tapas bars that range from very good to tourist-facing – the distinction requires two minutes’ observation of who is eating.

Tapas bars: Seville has a strong tapas tradition, and the better ones are in the back streets of Santa Cruz, La Macarena, and Triana (across the Guadalquivir). A glass of fino sherry with a plate of ham or anchovies is the specific combination that encodes Seville’s food culture.

The best time to visit Seville is September through November or March and April: warm enough for outdoor eating, cool enough for walking, and outside the punishing summer heat that makes July and August genuinely challenging for extended sightseeing.

Practical Notes

Seville airport (SVQ) has connections from most European hubs. The centre is compact and largely walkable; a metro and excellent bus system handles longer distances.