Suggestions for Seville

There is no best way to order the sights. It will depend on how you’re feeling when there. If you haven’t been there before it’s difficult to gauge how much time you’ll need in the Alcázar and Cathedral/Giralda tower. You can visit the Plaza de España, María Luisa park and walk along the river past the Torre de Oro in the evening after it cools down a little. I’m sure things have changed since my last visit to the city in 2011, but at that time (in late September) there was no line at either the Alcázar or cathedral. We arrived earlier in the day, bought tickets, and walked in.

It may all depend on where you are staying as to how to organize the time. I tend to cluster activities to their proximity to each other. I was there i November 2017 and don't recall any prebooked tickets, but as I was only a few blocks away, I do remember lining up in the rai before opening to see the Alcazar. I like gardens, so was there a few hours. If I recall, however, my timing didn't mesh with the Royal Suites opening so missed those. I picked up my joint ticket for the Cathedral, roof top and Church of El Salvador, at the El Salvador location as lines were shorter. I didn't do the roof top so timing wasn't required.
Casa de la Memoria is a one hour Flamenco presentation. For me, an hour was sufficient. No need for a touristy meal and a show approach.
There are numerous things to see further out from Old Town....the Basilica de la Macarena, Palacio de Las Duenas (which I particularly liked because of the celebrity of the last Duchess...she was a pistol), the Seta de Sevilla.
I like the suggestion to wander through the Parque de Maria Luisa and the old Pan Americana expo sites and buildings before crossing the river to Triana. Plan on dinner there, or a drink, at a riverside restaurant to watch sunset.

Thank you both for the suggestions! This will be our first time in Seville. We’ll be staying near the Church of El Salvador…hopefully a convenient location.

I found Seville pretty walkable, and there is a small mini bus from old town up to the Basilica. Take it early and walk your way back one day. Do old town a second day

Church of El Salvador Was a surprise delight if my trip to Sevilla in November. And I think that’s a fine choice of area for accommodation. It’s central, but not exclusively touristy. (Quite local, in fact)

All the places mentioned previously were very enjoyable to me. You should book the Alcazar ahead of time and get the Cathedral ticket at El Salvador, because both those lines are likely to be very long, and they are outdoors and uncovered. They'd be miserable on a hot day (quite possible in September) or rainy day. And what a waste of precious sightseeing time!

I just spent 4 nights in Seville (left this morning). I booked nothing far ahead - but I did buy my tickets on line a couple of days before. It’s a waste of time to stand in a longer line than you have to.

My top sights for such a short visit: Cathedral, Alcazar, Plaza de España. I spent about 3 hours for each - mainly because my brain gets overloaded at about 3 hours. Triana (ceramics and market) is also very nice and could be a 4th half-day activity.

In addition to visiting the cathedral, the Alcazar (which is amazing!), and exploring barrio Santa Cruz and Triana, I highly recommend visiting Casa de Pilatos, a small Andalusian palace. Not only is it beautiful, but it was not crowded when we were there in 2017. When I was doing my research and trip planning, many travelers referred to Casa de Pilatos as a hidden gem that was not well known. I hope it is still that way. It's a nice respite after visiting so many crowded places.

We were in Seville last May for 5days. Agree with Royal Alcazar and Catedral de Santa María de la Sede. Would recommend first morning to take the RS selfGuided audio walk early to beat the heat and crowds. A couple of hours with a stop for a cafe and churros in the old Jewish quarter…wonderful!

Thanks everyone for all of the great suggestions and tips. Much appreciated!

those who are tell me that the Museo De Bellas Artes is Spain's second best gallery after the Prado.

Hey Nick, I'm sure it's very nice in Seville, but are you sure your friends weren't talking about Bellas Artes in Madrid? I'd give that ranking to the one in Madrid.

Just returned from Seville and thought I'd add a few tips. Overall, it's a really great place to visit, but...

It's extremely difficult to find your way around. In general, Andalucia doesn't do street signs, so the best map may be of little help. Of course, getting lost is part of the fun. Until you need to find a specific place such as your hotel. Your best bet is to get clear verbal directions before heading out. And the locals are quite accustomed to straying tourists.

As a lover of European cathedrals, I must say I found the Seville Cathedral an especially dreary, uninviting place. The entry process was a mess and the staff unhelpful and way too exasperated with simple questions.

A note to "Game of Thrones" fans: Although many scenes were filmed in the Real Alcazar, these are extremely hard to find, generally due to the usual movie magic and its inherent ability to change the look of things. To its credit, the Alcazar focuses on history and does not "cash in" on the movie aspect at all. So if you're if you're into this stuff, I'd strongly suggest either a focused guide or a close reading of the many online sources.

To clarify what pemuth stated about street signs. It is correct that street signs are not the same as in the U.S., but they are there. In most cities, towns, villages, etc, the street name can be found on buildings between the ground and first floors. The signs might not be on every building or at every intersection, so might take a couple blocks to find. Most are ceramic tiles. Some are very fancy, others look like they could be a building name. If driving through a town, by the time you see a street sign, you’re past it.

The main tourist sites in the city, cathedral/Giralda, Alcázar, Plaza de España, Torre de Oro are close together; within a 10 minutes walk of each other.