Best Time to Visit Seville: Season by Season Guide

The best time to visit Seville is March-May or October-November when temperatures are comfortable for exploring the Alcázar and cathedral, the orange trees scent the streets, and—if you time it right—you might catch Spain's most spectacular Easter celebrations.

Seville is Andalusia's crown jewel.

The flamenco birthplace, the tapas capital, the city of Carmen and Don Juan. The Alcázar alone justifies the trip. The cathedral is the world's largest Gothic church. And the narrow streets of Santa Cruz and Triana contain more atmosphere per square metre than anywhere in Spain.

But Seville has a problem: it's one of Europe's hottest cities.

Summer temperatures regularly exceed 40°C. Visit in August and you'll understand why the siesta was invented here. Time your visit well, and Seville will enchant you. Time it badly, and you'll spend your trip hiding in air-conditioned refuges.

Seville Weather at a Glance

Best Time to Visit Seville: The Quick Answer

Here's what you need to know:

• Best overall: April-May or October-November
• Best for festivals: April (Semana Santa and Feria de Abril)
• Best for flamenco: September-May (Bienal in September of even years)
• Best for budget travellers: July-August or January-February
• Best for tapas crawls: Year-round (but cooler months are more pleasant)
• Avoid if possible: July-August (unless you handle extreme heat well)

The Two Great Festivals

Seville hosts Spain's two most famous festivals within weeks of each other. If you can time your visit for late April, you'll experience the city at its most extraordinary—and most expensive.

Semana Santa (Holy Week)

Semana Santa in Seville isn't just Spain's most important Easter celebration—it's one of the world's great religious spectacles.

For a week leading to Easter Sunday, ancient brotherhoods carry ornate pasos (floats) through the streets, accompanied by hooded penitents, brass bands, and clouds of incense. The atmosphere is intense, emotional, and utterly unique.

Semana Santa is spectacular but challenging.

Hotels charge triple their normal rates. Restaurants are packed. The streets are so crowded you'll queue for everything. Book accommodation 6-12 months ahead and accept that you'll pay premium prices.

Feria de Abril

Two weeks after Easter, Seville transforms again for the Feria de Abril—a week-long party of flamenco, sherry, and Andalusian tradition.

The fairground fills with striped casetas (tents), women wear spectacular flamenco dresses, horses parade through dusty streets, and the city stays up until dawn. It's joyful, excessive, and magnificently Sevillano.

The reality check: Like Semana Santa, Feria means premium prices and crowded streets. But the mood is celebratory rather than solemn—think Spanish wedding party rather than religious ceremony.

Spring in Seville (March-May)

Spring is Seville's finest season—and the city knows it.

The temperatures rise from pleasant (20°C in March) to warm (26°C in May).

The famous orange trees that line every street fill the air with blossom scent. The Alcázar gardens bloom. And the two great festivals bring the city to life.

Why Spring Works

March offers excellent value before Easter crowds arrive.

The weather is already pleasant, the streets are manageable, and prices remain reasonable. This is spring Seville without the chaos.

April is peak season—the festivals, the perfect weather, the atmosphere.

If you can handle crowds and prices, it's unforgettable. If you prefer quieter travel, early March or late May offers nearly the same weather without the mayhem.

May brings warmer days (26-28°C) and the transition towards summer.

The festivals have ended, tourists thin slightly, and the city settles into a pleasant rhythm. Late May starts to feel properly hot.

Spring Highlights

• Perfect sightseeing temperatures
• Semana Santa (date varies)
• Feria de Abril (two weeks after Easter)
• Orange blossom season
• Alcázar gardens at their best

Summer in Seville (June-August)

Let me be direct: summer in Seville is brutal.

This is one of Europe's hottest cities.

Temperatures regularly exceed 36°C and frequently hit 40°C or higher. The streets empty during afternoon hours. Locals flee to the coast. The city that buzzed with life in April feels like a ghost town in August.

The Summer Reality

The Alcázar at noon in August is not a pleasant experience.

The cathedral feels like a furnace. Even the shaded streets of Santa Cruz offer little relief. The only sensible approach is to adopt Sevillano summer rhythms: early morning activity, long afternoon siesta, late evening everything.

The irony is that summer offers Seville's best hotel prices.

With tourists and locals both fleeing the heat, you can find genuine bargains. If you're extremely heat-tolerant and budget-conscious, there's an argument for summer. But for most visitors, it's not worth it.

Summer Survival Guide

Summer Considerations

• Extremely hot (36-40°C+ daily)
• City empties as locals leave
• Many neighbourhood restaurants close in August
• Outdoor sightseeing uncomfortable to dangerous
• Flamenco venues often close for summer

Summer Highlights

• Lowest hotel prices of the year
• Long summer evenings
• Rooftop bar season
• No crowds at major attractions
• Nightlife continues late into cooler hours

Autumn in Seville (September-November)

Autumn is Seville's other golden season—and arguably more pleasant than spring if you want to avoid festival crowds.

September can still feel like summer (30°C+), but by October the temperature drops to a comfortable 25°C. The tourists thin, the flamenco tablaos reopen for the season, and the city returns to its authentic rhythm.

Why Autumn is Special

October and November offer spring's weather without spring's crowds.

The Alcázar has reasonable queues. Restaurants welcome you without reservations. The tapas bars fill with locals rather than tour groups. This is Seville at its most authentic.

The flamenco calendar also favours autumn.

The Bienal de Flamenco (in September of even-numbered years) brings the world's best performers to the city. Even in odd years, September marks the start of the performance season after summer's closure.

Autumn Highlights

• Perfect sightseeing weather
• Far fewer tourists than spring
• Bienal de Flamenco (September, even years)
• Fresh olive oil season (November)
• Authentic local atmosphere

Winter in Seville (December-February)

Winter in Seville is mild by European standards—and wonderfully quiet.

Expect daytime temperatures around 15-17°C, cool evenings around 7°C, and occasional rain.

You'll need a jacket, but rarely more. This is sweater weather, not winter coat weather.

The Winter Appeal

Winter strips Seville to its essence.

The tourist crowds vanish almost entirely. The Alcázar feels peaceful. The tapas bars buzz with locals. And prices drop to their lowest point—hotels that cost €200 in April might be €80 in January.

Christmas in Seville is authentically Spanish.

The streets light up beautifully, nativity scenes appear everywhere, and the city celebrates with family gatherings and traditional sweets. It's festive without the commercial excess of northern European Christmas markets.

Winter Considerations

• Cool temperatures (layer up)
• Some rainy days
• Shorter daylight hours
• A few attractions reduce hours
• Very few tourists

Winter Highlights

• Lowest prices of the year
• Almost no crowds
• Authentic local atmosphere
• Christmas celebrations
• Perfect tapas weather

Month-by-Month Breakdown

Best Time for Specific Activities

Alcázar and Cathedral

Best: March-May, October-November

Both monuments are stunning year-round, but the Alcázar gardens are at their finest in spring.

Summer makes the stone courtyards uncomfortably hot. Winter offers the shortest queues.

Tapas Crawl

Best: October-May

You can eat tapas year-round, but standing in crowded bars is more pleasant when you're not melting. Autumn and winter evenings are ideal for the classic Seville tapas route.

Flamenco

Best: September-May (Bienal in September of even years)

Many tablaos close in summer.

The serious flamenco calendar runs from autumn through spring. The Bienal de Flamenco (September, even years) is the world's most important flamenco festival.

Plaza de España

Best: Morning (any season), spring for photos

The famous plaza photographs best in morning light.

Spring adds flowers and pleasant temperatures. Midday in summer is punishing.

Events and Festivals

Why Seville's Heat Matters

I keep emphasising the summer heat because it genuinely affects how you experience the city.

Seville was designed for its climate.

The narrow streets block sun. The whitewashed walls reflect heat. The courtyards create shade. The entire rhythm of life—late dinners, long siestas, evening paseos—exists because of the summer extremes.

If you're coming from a hot climate and genuinely enjoy extreme heat, summer Seville can work. If you're northern European or North American, the reality of 40°C+ is probably worse than you imagine.

Practical Tips for Your Visit

Getting There

Seville has an international airport (SVQ) with connections to major European cities. Budget airlines serve it well, especially in peak season.

By train Seville's Santa Justa station connects to Madrid (2.5 hours by AVE high-speed train), Córdoba (45 minutes), and Málaga (2 hours). The AVE is comfortable and reliable.

By car From the Costa del Sol, Seville is about 2.5 hours via the A-92. Parking in the centre is difficult; consider staying outside and using public transport.

By bus ALSA and other companies connect Seville to all major Andalusian cities. The Plaza de Armas bus station is central and convenient.

Final Thoughts

Seville is one of Europe's great cities—but it rewards planning more than most.

Come in spring for the festivals, the orange blossom, and the perfect weather.

Visit autumn for the same temperatures without the crowds. Try winter for extraordinary value and authentic atmosphere. But think carefully before booking summer—the heat is genuinely extreme.

Whatever season you choose, Seville will seduce you.

The Alcázar at golden hour. The cathedral's impossible scale. The sound of flamenco drifting from a Santa Cruz tablao. The taste of jamón and fino at a crowded bar. This is Spain at its most intense and intoxicating.

Just don't come in August expecting to enjoy a comfortable afternoon walk.