Our guide to things to do in Seville with a toddler, or children, contains affiliate links and was last updated June 2024.
Is Seville Toddler Friendly?
As any parent of a toddler knows, travelling with young children can be (very) challenging.
From short attention spans to nuclear-scale tantrums, toddlers don’t always make for the easiest – or most enjoyable – travel companions.
When booking a winter’s family trip with my own toddler, Olive, I was therefore keen to find a city that was suitable for a two-year old. Fortunately, having visited Seville a few years prior, I knew that it would make for the ideal city break for not only my daughter, but for the whole family.
Compact and walkable, with plenty of open spaces, parks and large courtyards to roam, Seville is a great place for a child-friendly vacation – and definitely a city I’d recommend to anyone wondering where’s best to travel to with young kids.
Read on to find the best things to do in Seville with kids.
11 Fun Things to do in Seville with a Toddler
To make the most of your stay in Seville, here’s a list of the top things to do in Seville with kids. Including beautiful city parks, fountain-filled palace gardens, aquariums and even a theme park, here’s my round-up of things that’ll please both parents and children in this beautiful city in Southern Spain.
1. Visit Maria Luisa Park and Plaza de España
A return to Maria Luise Park and Plaza de España was first on our list once we landed in Seville. With particularly fond memories of this picture-perfect park, having got engaged here in 2014, I couldn’t wait to show my toddler this special spot.
What makes Maria Luisa Parque (Parque de Maria Luisa) such a great spot for a toddler is its wide open spaces, ice cream trucks and pretty parks. Filled with duck ponds, shady spaces and a 200m wide Spanish Renaissance-inspired plaza – complete with rowing boats and colourful bridges – this the perfect place to bring a busy, curious toddler who refuses to do anything other than run.
And the best bit? It’s completely free to visit for the entire family.
We enjoyed an entire afternoon here at Plaza de Espana, letting Olive stroll the plaza, ice-cream in hand. She was fascinated by the large fountains and danced alongside a flamenco dancer and guitarist who were playing here. Another performer was also blowing giant bubbles out across the terraces, which quickly gathered a crowd of children, including the very eager Olive.
Having gotten engaged in Parque de María Luisae, it felt extra special to be collecting more memories in this beautiful spot, with a new addition to our little family.
2. Visit Seville Aquarium (Acuario de Sevilla)
If you’re unlucky enough to visit Seville during a rainy period, then fear not. The city boasts an excellent aquarium, which makes for one of the ideal things do in Seville with a toddler and a great way to pass the time on a rainy afternoon. Admittedly, it was my husband who took Olive to the aquarium during our visit, as I was busy floating in the ancient Aire Baths in the city. However, the feedback was that Olive had the time of her life here – so much so that she didn’t want to leave.
Seville’s Aquarium boasts 700 sea creatures and reptiles, and over 400 species. Divided into various zones, including Atlantic, rainforest and Info-Pacific, there is plenty here to fill an afternoon with a frantic toddler. Olive’s favourite spots were (apparently) the tunnel and the shark tank, containing two females sharks.
3. Head to Seville Alcazar (Real Alcázar de Sevilla)
One of my favourite things to do in Seville with a toddler is to visit Seville’s Alcazar, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
I had incredibly fond memories of visiting here (child-free) in 2014 and my return visit with Olive was just as enjoyable (honestly).
Alcazar of Sevilla is royal palace, built for Christian King Peter of Castille. Packed with colourful gardens, enchanting courtyards and Moorish-inspired buildings, the Alcazar of Seville is incredibly easy to visit with a toddler. We decided to give the inside of the buildings a miss (having visited before), to allow Olive maximum opportunity to explore the gardens and courtyards (and to wear herself out, obviously).
Still used as the Seville residence for the Spanish Royal Family, the Alcazar feels full of life and beauty. Olive ran around under the early afternoon sun having a great time; smelling flowers, dipping her hands in the fountains and pointing enthusiastically at the peacocks and ducks that are dotted around.
A visit here is, I believe, is definitely one of the best things to do in Seville with children.
4. Jardins de Cristina
Maria Luisa Parque aside, the Jardins de Cristina also make for one of the best things to do in Seville with a toddler.
We stumbled across these beautiful gardens completely by chance as we were making our way to the narrow streets of the Santa Cruz district – and Olive was immediately mesmerised. The gardens contain giant hicus trees, which completely dwarfed Olive’s tiny frame. While we sipped coffee on a nearby bench, Olive loved running between the tangled roots of the trees and playing ‘peekaboo’ from behind the huge tree trunks.
It’s the little things.
The gardens also boast an excellent playground for children, and in the shade of the trees, it makes for an ideal place to bring a toddler (or child) if the sun gets too warm.
5. Metropol Parasol (or Las Setas)
During our recent stay in Seville, we were located just a few minutes walk from the iconic Metropol Parasol structure. Known locally as ‘Mushrooms of La Encarnación’, the Metropol Parasol is a giant wooden structure, built in the city in 2011.
There is a viewing platform at the top of the structure and a fantastic panoramic path to walk. A stroll along this path should come high on your list of things do in Seville with a toddler, as Olive absolutely loved the novelty of running along it, high above the city.
We visited Seville during the Christmas period in Spain and by night the Metropol Parasol really came alive. The whole area, in fact, was full of colourful stalls and fairground rides for children. Olive had the night of her life in this area, riding the merry-go-round, playing with giant balloons and dancing to music with flashing glow sticks.
6. Isla Mágica Park
As far as things to do in Seville with kids go, there’s no better activity than a trip to Isla Magica Park. A surprisingly extensive theme park, which includes a water park, Isla Magica was made famous by Tom Cruise, when he rented it out for his daughter while filming in Seville.
As well as white-knuckle rollercoasters, there is also an area here for smaller children. This includes a merry-go-round and mini ferris wheel, alongside a boat ride around the park.
7. Visit Seville Cathedral and Giralda (Tower)
Climbing a tower might sound a bit of an ambitious suggestion when it comes to things to do with a toddler in Seville, but please bear with me.
Seville’s famous Giralda (bell tower) looms over the city and was once the tallest building in the world. At 343ft tall, it provides picture-perfect views out over Seville and is, surprisingly, a brilliant place to bring a toddler.
Unlike most European bell towers, Seville’s Giralda doesn’t have steps, but instead has one continuous slope that travels up 35 floors. This makes travelling up the tower much easier with a toddler and to our surprise, Olive walked the entire way up. There were many look-out windows on our way upwards, which provided us with the opportunity to stop and rest, while Olive looked out across the increasingly pretty views.
We booked our tickets to climb the Giralda for the very end of the day, which did make it particularly busy. I would say that although it was manageable at the top of the tower, it was very busy and did begin to feel a little overwhelming. My advice would therefore be to book for the earliest morning slot, to avoid the crowds.
Having said this, Olive managed the whole thing like a pro and didn’t seem bothered by the throngs of people. She was far too caught up in ecstatically pointing at the miniature frames of horses and people below.
After Olive’s triumphant climb up the tower, we then explored Seville’s Cathedral (the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world), at a more leisurely pace. In terms of visiting the Cathedral with a toddler, Olive’s favourite part was the orange trees courtyard. Indeed, Patio de los Naranjos, is a quiet and relaxed place for a little person to explore in the city – and Olive thoroughly enjoyed collecting fallen oranges and splashing her hands under the many fountains. For parents and older children, make sure you stop by the Tomb of Christopher Columbus, which is located inside of the Cathedral.
If you’re looking for an alternative panoramic view of the city, head up Torre del Oro (also know as the Golden Tower) for views out over the Guadalquivir river.
8. Enjoy Churros (Calentitos)
We all know that the key to a toddler’s heart is chocolate and sweet treats, and there are plenty of those to be found in Seville. In fact, Seville is famed for its crispy, sweet Churros (or known as Calentitos by locals), with creamy chocolate sauce – perfect toddler fodder.
Olive became something of a churro obsessive during our time in the city and we tried more churros bars than I care to admit. For the purposes of this blog post, however, here are just three of the best places for churros in Seville: Bar El Pilar, La Centuria and Bar Comercio.
9. Watch a Flamenco Show
Before visiting Seville with a toddler, I wouldn’t have thought of booking a Flamenco show. After my five days in the city with Olive, however, I definitely wish I’d booked one for her to enjoy.
Toddlers do like to surprise us, don’t they?
Olive adored the live music in the city and ‘danced’ to a number of free Flamenco performances in the city parks. There are a number of venues in the city that do an early 6pm performance, which is ideal for those visiting with little people and plenty of venues.
Seville’s flamenco shows usually come with dinner and only last an hour, making them manageable for the attention span of a toddler or child. Just be careful when booking a venue, as some require children to be over 6 years old.
If your child is particularly interested in flamenco, be sure to stop by the small museum of Museum of Flamenco Dance. This is an easy to navigate and interactive museum to help keep small minds occupied.
10. Explore the Santa Cruz Neighbourhood
One of my favourite mornings in Seville was spent exploring the Santa Cruz neighbourhood with Olive.
The old Jewish quarter of the city, Santa Cruz is now full of bustling small streets, alive with delicious tapas bars, boutique shops and colourful courtyards.
Olive enjoyed toddling along these streets, peeping into souvenir shops and petting the local cats and dogs. We also enjoyed many delicious tapas meals in the Santa Cruz neighbourhood, all of which are ideal for picky toddlers. With lots of small plates, served quickly, Olive was able to graze as much as she wanted and there was no long wait for food to arrive.
My favourite tapas bar in the Santa Cruz district was by far Bar Las Teresas.
11. Take a Day Trip from Seville
My last suggestion for things to do in Seville with a toddler is to actually explore outside of the city of Seville. During our own five day visit, we took two day trips from Seville by train – and both were incredibly easy to do with a toddler in tow.
Córdoba
Pretty Córdoba is located just a 45-minute train journey (on the fast train) from Seville. We enjoyed a brilliant day here with Olive, enjoying its Mosque-Cathedral, mesmerising flower-filled courtyards and a lazy tapas lunch overlooking the river.
Read our full guide to Córdoba
Jerez de la Frontera
Jerez de la Frontera is a very achievable day trip from Seville, even with a toddler. We left at 9am, taking the one hour train to the city, and were home again by 3.30pm.
One of the main reasons we wanted to take a trip to Jerez de la Frontera is so that Olive could experience the famous Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art. As an animal lover, Olive was ecstatic at being able to watch the horses train, as well as enjoying a tour of the stables, where she could stroke the School’s four-legged residents.
FAQs
How Easy is it to Get Around Seville with a Toddler?
We found navigating Seville with a toddler fairly straightforward. During our visit, we mostly walked to all of our destinations, with a combination of Olive walking or in her pram.
There were a few occasions where we got a taxi (mainly to and from the train station), and this was equally as straightforward. It is important to note, however, that car seats aren’t provided in taxis and so I had to put Olive on my lap, with my seatbelt around her.
We were happy with this arrangement for short journeys, but for our airport transfers, we did book a private car with a car seat – just to be on the safe side.
In terms of public transport in Seville, both the tram and bus system are very comprehensive and easy to use with younger children, or toddlers. In fact, using the tram to get around Seville is a brilliant (and cheap) way to see the city – and most toddlers will love the novelty of it all.
What’s the Best Time of Year to Visit Seville with Kids?
Seville is the capital of Andalucía, located in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula. Due to its location, with North Africa just a stone’s throw away, Seville experiences mild, to extremely hot, temperatures all year round.
We visited Seville at the end of December and were delighted to find blue skies and bright, warm sunshine. During our stay, temperatures were between 18-22 degrees and were ideal for exploring the city with a toddler.
Indeed, visiting Seville in the summer months with toddler would be, quite frankly – horrible, with temperatures creeping to the late 30s and locals leaving on mass for Spain’s cooler coastline.
Pin for later: 11 Fun Things to do in Seville with Toddlers
