Sevilla with Kids: Our Real Guide
We came for three months and stayed for three years. This guide is our way of handing the city to someone else before we go.
This is not a list of the top ten things to do in Sevilla that will tell you to go to the Cathedral and the Alcázar. Those are beautiful, and you should go if that makes sense to you. But what you will find here is where we actually went, what we actually ate, the stores where I buy my clothes, the bookstores we visited many times, the ice cream that made Noah want to write a love letter to the owner, the pharmacy where I got my ears pierced for under €30.
Sevilla is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. The streets are made for wandering. The culture is alive, not curated. Kids are welcome everywhere, including at dinner at 9pm. The city has a pace that is completely its own, and once you find it, you fall in love.
Hi, I’m Mariliana. I’m the founder and creative director of Stylish Hip Kids Photography, a New York City family photography studio. I photograph families in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and beyond, with an incredible team shooting year-round in New York while I visit twice a year for the spring and fall seasons. The rest of the time, I live in Spain with my partner Noah and our two kids, Anaya and Joaquin. This guide comes from three years of real life in Sevilla. Hidden cultural art centers, plaza afternoons, and long dinners that started way too late. We wrote it for our NYC families visiting Europe, and for anyone in the world who wants to see Sevilla the way we saw it.
Enjoy it!
ART & CULTURE
Not the obvious ones. Every space here is interesting for kids and adults equally. Nothing overwhelming. All of it is worth it.
Casa de la Provincia
Plaza del Triunfo 1
One of Sevilla’s best-kept secrets. Free entry, consistently excellent exhibitions. Right by the Cathedral, and almost no one goes in.
Centro de Arte Contemporáneo Andaluz
Calle Américo Vespucio 2
Our favorite. A contemporary art museum with the most gorgeous garden in the city, big enough to get lost in. Kids run free while you breathe. We always end at the café with a colacao. Kids’ entrance is free.
Espacio Santa Clara
Calle Becas s/n
Founded in 1289. Royal palace, convent, cultural space across the centuries. Ceramic tile walls, carved wooden ceilings, and a garden that feels wonderfully imperfect. The exhibitions are worth it.
Palacio Marqueses de la Algaba
Plaza Calderón de la Barca s/n
One of the finest Gothic-Mudéjar buildings in Sevilla. The central patio is immaculate and quietly stunning. Come for the architecture.
CaixaForum
Calle López Pintado s/n, Torre Sevilla
Consistently good programming for families with exhibitions that actually engage kids. Check what’s on before you go; it is always worth it.
Teatro Flamenco Sevilla
Calle Cuna 15
The 5pm show is the one to catch. One hour of real flamenco in a beautiful old theater. Buy your tickets at the toy store directly across the street for €19.
Basílica de la Macarena
Calle Bécquer 1
If you visit one church in Sevilla, make it this one. Home to the Virgen de la Esperanza Macarena, the most beloved image in the city. The basilica holds a weight that is hard to explain until you are standing inside it.
PLAZAS & OPEN SPACES
Sevilla’s real living rooms. No reservations needed.
Alameda de Hércules
Two Roman columns topped with Hercules and Julius Caesar mark the entrance. A long, wide promenade where locals walk, kids play soccer, and nobody is in a hurry. Two playgrounds in the middle of it. We always end up at Café Piola, sitting outside, drinking coffee, and chatting while the kids play in the open space in front of us.
Plaza de Alfalfa
Small, lively, very local. Good tapas bars around the edges. We love the mini burgers from Catalina. That kind of easy plaza that has a fun vibe, even if nothing is going on.
Plaza de Elvira
Barrio Santa Cruz
One of our favorite corners in Barrio Santa Cruz. A beautiful fountain, orange trees, and a handful of tables spilling out from the restaurants around it. You really feel in Andalucía here.
Plaza del Cabildo
Calle Almirantazgo, Casco Antiguo
One of the most beautiful and tucked-away plazas in the city. On Sunday mornings, it hosts a collectors market where kids trade barajitas and adults browse coins, stamps, and vintage miniatures. Go around the corner to Mito for ice cream and come back to eat it in the plaza. One of those Sunday mornings that feels exactly right.
PLAY & EXPLORE
A different way to explore Sevilla.
Las Setas
Plaza de la Encarnación, El Centro
One of the most iconic places in Sevilla. Just the fact that it looks like giant mushrooms is enough to make kids love it. It sits above the Mercado de la Encarnación, and the whole structure is impossible to ignore. There is a playground underneath, and next to the steps, there is a ledge that was never intended to be a slide, but every single kid in the city uses it as one. We have spent hours sitting on those stairs watching our kids go up and down ten thousand times.
Mercado de Triana
Calle San Jorge 6, Triana
Our favorite market in the city. Colorful, full of local produce, fun restaurants around the edges, and the tastiest desserts. It feels alive with tourists and locals buying side by side. Definitely check it out.
El Jueves Rastro
Calle Feria, Thursdays 8:30am to 2pm
A flea market that has been running for centuries. Old magazines, vintage posters, religious objects, handmade jewelry, and so much more. There is a woman who sells real coral necklaces that is worth finding. Most of what you see you won’t want to buy. Just go for the experience.
Cerámica 1920
Calle Alfarería 22, Triana
Tiles tell stories in Sevilla. At some point you start wanting to make one yourself. This family workshop has been doing exactly that since 1920. Kids and adults paint their own tiles using traditional Sevillian techniques. Book in advance.
Parque María Luisa
Avenida de María Luisa s/n
Walking in feels like stepping into a movie set. Horse carriages, wide shaded paths, and the Plaza de España with a monumental fountain. Rent a rowboat on the moat, let the kids run the full length of the tiled alcoves. Give yourself a full morning or afternoon here.
Guadalquivir River Walk
Along the river from Puente de Isabel II
Empty in the morning, busy in the afternoon. Stroller-friendly. Walk from the Triana bridge in either direction. Stop by the replica of the nao Santa María, the ship that set sail with Columbus. Ask for the posters of bestiarios and the monsters that medieval sailors believed lived in the deep water. Kids are completely fascinated by it.
Cines Avenida 5
Plaza de Armas, El Centro
A vintage cinema showing films in their original version. When the heat becomes too much and everyone needs a moment to rest and reset, this is the move. Check the schedule before you go.
Torre Sevilla
Calle López Pintado s/n, Triana
Modern, clean, genuinely good playground right on the river. A natural stop after CaixaForum next door.
EAT
No chicken fingers, no laminated menus. These are the places we actually go.
Salsamento
Calle Jerónimo Hernández 19
The first restaurant we went to when we arrived in Sevilla, and we have been going back ever since. Order the montadito de choco con guacamole always. Somehow both delicious and incredibly cheap.
El Pintón
Calle Francos 42
Beautiful courtyard, tables outside, calamares a la parrilla worth coming back for. Cute and stylish, gets everything right without trying too hard.
Maravilla Social Club
Calle Maravillas 1, San Julián
Slow food, fusion tapas, tiny terrace outside. We love this place. It fills up fast, better to make a reservation if you can.
Los Claveles
Calle Capataz Manuel Santiago 1, San Julián
Traditional, and exactly the kind of bar that makes you feel like a local. Lovely tables outside in a super nice San Julián street.
Alcázar Andalusí
Kitchen open all day. No closing between lunch and dinner. Delicious and varied menu, tables outside, and a small plaza right there for kids to run around.
Café los Dardos
Plaza del Pozo Santo 5
Outdoors, local, unfussy. Good for lunch when you want to sit outside and not pay tourist prices. Tall tables and stools make it feel like a proper local bar.
La Tradizionale
Calle Feria 96, Casco Antiguo
Super reasonable price, thin crust, delicious pizza. Always packed in the best way.
Obrador La Osa
Mercado de Triana, Triana
Outstanding. Vegetarian options, real twists on traditional recipes. We have sent friends here who loved it so much they went back before their trip was over.
Bar Santa Ana
Calle Pureza 82, Triana
The definition of a family outdoor restaurant in Sevilla. Unpretentious, always busy, always good. Order whatever is on the board. The kitchen is open all day.
COFFEE & SNACKS
For the long mornings, the afternoon breaks, and the moments in between.
La Cacharrería
Calle Pérez Galdós 22
Order a café con leche with condensed milk; it is incredibly good. The waiters are some of the friendliest people in the city, and the decoration is funky and fun.
La Gata en Bicicleta
Calle Santa María de Gracia 1
Come for the cheesecake. And while you are there, look at the walls. They sell original prints and posters by local illustrators. We have picked up a few pieces here over the years.
Collette
Calle San Eloy 13
A French bakery with delicious pastries that are very hard to walk away from. They also do a thick hot chocolate that is worth every sip.
Mariquita
Calle Javier Lasso de la Vega 3
Smoothies, cakes, tostadas, and fresh juices. Everyone will find something they love on the menu.
Café Santa Marta Bar
Plaza Fernando de Herrera 2
First, find the small corridor right next to the plaza and go through it to La Factoría del Arte, an art supply shop where kids can pick up markers and watercolors. Then come back, sit outside, order the tortilla and a beer, and watch the plaza.
Bar El Comercio
Calle Lineros 9. Closed Sundays.
Open from 6:30am. Churros are made fresh, crispy, and served with thick hot chocolate. There is usually a line outside but it moves fast. Just go. You will understand what churros in Sevilla are about.
Jester Coffee & Juices
Multiple locations across the city
Healthy bowls, açaí, and specialty coffee. Go here when you want something that is not fried. You will always find one nearby.
ICE CREAM
Sevilla takes ice cream seriously. So do we.
Créeme
Plaza del Museo 2
The best ice cream we have ever had. The flavors are made by the owner and they are extraordinary. Think mango cardamom, orange and lavender, plátano and maracuyá, or Antonio Machado, cherry and dark chocolate. Noah once told the person behind the counter that he wanted to write a love letter to whoever was making these. We still feel that way every time we go back.
Olmo
Cuesta del Rosario 1
Also really good, and in a different part of the city, which makes it a perfect excuse to explore a new area. Try the horchata flavor.
SHOP
Things worth bringing home.
Isadora Concept Store
Calle Don Alonso el Sabio 11
One of the three shops where I actually buy my clothes in Sevilla. Chic, cool, and full of Spanish and international brands worth knowing. I love SKFK, the Amsterdam brand. I have jackets and dresses from them that are beautiful.
Lamarca
Calle Regina 14
Clothing, accessories, and earrings that are worth the trip alone. I love Compañía Fantástica here. Eclectic and fun, the kind of store where you go in and leave with something new to add to your wardrobe.
Encalada Vejez
Calle Lope de Vega, Barrio Santa Cruz
The third shop in my personal rotation. Beautiful clothes and gorgeous objects, candle holders, pitchers, aceiteras, sunglasses, everything curated and gorgeous. They carry Indie&Cold from San Sebastián, so soft and well-made, it feels so good to wear this brand. Moms will love this one.
Nonna’s Vintage
Calle Feria 10
When you go to El Jueves Rastro, stop in here. Second-hand at its best. Carefully selected pieces.
Flying Tiger
Calle San Eloy 5
Think of it as an elevated version of a dollar store, cheap, colorful, and full of things kids immediately want. Give them 10 euros or less and let them loose. Closed in the United States, which makes this stop particularly satisfying for American families visiting.
Latimore Records
Calle Amor de Dios 4
A record shop with personality. For the parents who still believe in vinyl and the kids who are about to discover why.
Isabel Media Villa
Calle Francos 34
Flamenco flowers, mantoncillos, earrings. The real ones, not the tourist version.
Cordonería Alba
Calle Francos 38
Santos, religious objects, handmade ribbons, and trimmings. Walking in feels like stepping into another century. Even if you buy nothing, go in.
Centro Cerámica Triana
Calle Antillano Campos 14, Triana
The most beautiful ceramics in the city. Something to bring home that will actually mean something when you look at it later.
BOOKSTORES
Because we are obsessed with visiting bookstores.
Rayuela
Calle José Luis Luque 6
A dream of a children’s and young adult bookstore. Picture books, poetry, novels, activity books, and thoughtfully curated games. This bookstore is simply beautiful.
Casa Tomada
Calle Muro de los Navarros 66, Puerta Osario
Named after the Julio Cortázar story. A bookshop and creative writing school in one, specializing in short stories and relatos. They also run kids workshops in creative writing and film. One of the most interesting cultural spaces in the city.
La Fuga
Calle Conde de Torrejón 4
A small bookshop with piles of books everywhere. The children’s section is by the windows, tucked into boxes. A little messy, full of character, and fun to browse. The selection is really good, and finding something feels like a discovery.
FOR YOU
Because it is also fun to get a taste of the city without the kids.
Contenedor
Calle San Luis 50
We celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary here, and it was perfect. I was so emotional that at some point I ended up in tears talking to the waiter, who was the kindest person. The menu is traditional with a modern twist, beautifully presented, and genuinely surprising. This one is special.
Taberna Álvaro Peregil La Goleta
Calle Mateos Gago 22
Stop here before or after the Cathedral. Orange wine and manzanilla, super cheap, and really fun. One of those places that makes you feel like you cracked the city open.
Cañabota
Calle Orfila 19
Go here when you want to get fancy and check out a Michelin-starred restaurant. Exceptional seafood. Make a reservation well in advance.
Corral del Agua
Calle del Agua 6, Barrio Santa Cruz
A hidden patio restaurant in the heart of Barrio Santa Cruz. Beautiful, romantic, and worth every euro.
Gallo Rojo
Calle Madre María de la Purísima 9
For the local music scene. A music venue with soul. Check the program before you go and plan a night around it.
Farmacia Giralda
C.Argote de Molina, 25, Casco Antiguo
I got my ears pierced here for under €30. Yes, really. I couldn’t believe the price.
A note on babysitting
Book in advance, especially for weekends. MissBabysitter and International Babysitters both operate in Sevilla and are set up for visiting families. For longer stays, Sitly has hundreds of local sitters starting at around €9 per hour.
Sevilla Has a Lot Going On. Check These Before You Go.
Festival Circada
A contemporary circus festival that is nothing like what you expect from a circus. Physical theatre, aerial arts, street performances — the program is always surprising and genuinely exciting for kids and adults equally. One of those experiences that reminds you why live performance matters.
Feria Internacional del Títere de Sevilla
One of the best puppet festivals in Spain, with companies coming from all over the country and beyond. Performances happen in theaters, plazas, and outdoor spaces across the city. We have seen remarkable shows here. We still talk about La Bruja Rechinadientes, a company from Galicia that put on one of the best shows we have ever seen as a family. Check the program as soon as you know your travel dates.
Recoveco Market
A beautiful artisanal market showcasing carefully selected independent makers and designers. Kids love walking around with the map collecting stamps that at the end you can submit for a raffle if you got them all. This market is a lovely way to discover the Ruta Artesana del Barrio de San Julián, which is the artsy neighborhood in the city.
In the Park
We love this outdoor party at Parque del Alamillo, one of the green lungs of the city. Always good music, delicious food trucks, kids activities, and an artisan market. This is where you go to check out the local scene.
Electrolunch
An all day electronic music party at Parque Magallanes. We go with friends during the day and dance for a few hours. The vibes are always good and everyone leaves happy. Check their Instagram to see if one is happening while you are in the city.
PRACTICAL TIPS
A few things worth knowing before you go.
When to Visit
Spring and fall are the sweet spot. April and May are beautiful, with purple flowers everywhere, cool mornings and evenings, and hot patches in the middle of the day. Winter gets unexpectedly cold with no real heating systems. Summer is a true oven and August leaves an empty city.
Eating Schedule
Lunch kitchens open around 1:30-2pm. Dinner is after 8pm, often closer to 9pm. Sevillanos actually have two breakfasts, one early and another around 11am. Embrace the schedule. Your kids will adapt faster than you think.
Semana Santa
The most important religious celebration for Sevillanos, a living ritual that takes over the entire city for a week. Experiencing a few pasos is genuinely worth it. But don’t plan your full trip around it, the city runs on a different schedule and many things in this guide will be harder to access.
Feria de Abril
Two weeks after Semana Santa the city switches completely. Most casetas are private and you will not be able to enter them, so don’t plan your visit around it. Go early in the day, take the kids to the cacharritos, and walk through watching everyone in flamenco dress. That is the experience. Late afternoon is impossible and hotels get more expensive this week.
Getting Around
Sevilla is small. You can walk almost everywhere in the Casco Antiguo. For Triana, cross the bridge on foot. For the CAAC or CaixaForum, a taxi or Uber takes five minutes and costs almost nothing. The city also has good bike lanes and renting a bike is a great way to get around with kids.
Sevilla will surprise you, slow you down, and make you want to stay longer than you planned. That is exactly what it did to us. Have fun!
