Seville, Spain: Flamenco Streets, Hidden Courtyards & Midnight Dinners

Arrival in Sevilla: Settling Into the Casco Antiguo

The drive from Granada to Sevilla took around three hours, and somewhere along the way the landscape softened. The mountains fell back, the air warmed again, and Andalucía opened out into wide plains.

Sevilla is Andalucía’s capital, a city built up in layers. Roman foundations, centuries of Moorish rule, then the wealth of the Spanish Empire flowing in through the Guadalquivir. You feel all of it straight away, not as something preserved or put on display, but as part of daily life.

Churches sit beside bars. Apartment blocks rise next to old courtyards. History isn’t separated or spotlighted it just exists, woven into the streets people still live on. Sevilla doesn’t pause to explain itself or point things out. You notice it by walking through it, by sitting down for a drink, by paying attention.

Living Inside the Casco Antiguo

I based myself right in Sevilla’s Casco Antiguo, at Jesús del Gran Poder. This part of the city feels immediate and textured with cobbled streets, facades painted in warm yellows, terracotta and soft pinks and corners marked by graffiti. 

Christmas was threaded through it. A tree stood in the square. Lights were strung overhead. Temporary ice rinks and market stalls appeared where streets opened out, folding into daily life.

From the apartment, wandering felt instinctive. Streets curve and narrow, opening onto record shops, vintage and antique boutiques, hand-painted doors, posters layered in windows, flashes of colour everywhere you look. Dogs move confidently through it all. People slow down, stop to talk, browse, linger.

The days shift naturally. Mornings pull you towards markets, cafes and small shops. I stopped for cakes at Horno Nueva Florida. Afternoons are for walking with no plan at all, just following streets until they lead somewhere else. By evening, bars glow from inside, conversations spill outward, music drifts through open doors. After a dog walk with Roly, I grabbed a quick drink at Las Columnas Sevilla and watched the street settle into night.

Nothing here feels staged. It’s layered, interesting, colourful, and magnetic. A place you don’t tour so much as slip into and stay with.

Christmas Eve in Sevilla

Christmas Eve morning started on Calle Baños, a short walk from the apartment and already buzzing by mid-morning. This stretch of street is all about food: butcher shops, fishmongers, bakeries, cheese counters, fruit stacked high in crates with every doorway busy, every counter lined with locals working through last-minute lists.

In much of Europe, Christmas Eve is the main event: the late dinner, the wine, and the main family gatherings. It’s a different emphasis to the UK, where the 25th has most of the Christmas celebrations. 

I stopped into Carnicería El Origen and ordered steaks and sausages, then picked up eggs and Iberian ham from neighbouring shops so I could put together something simple on Christmas Day. I already had dinner booked for that evening at Alcázar Andalusí Tapas, so this was about preparing for the quieter day that followed.

The rest of the afternoon unfolded on foot, wandering without urgency, letting the streets lead the way.

By early evening, the city had shifted gears. I headed out for Christmas dinner and took a seat on the heated terrace at Alcázar Andalusí Tapas, facing the street. Around me, Sevilla was buzzing, locals lingering over pre-dinner drinks, groups greeting each other mid-street, laughter carrying between tables before everyone peeled off home for long family nights ahead. There was a joyful energy in the air.

Dinner stretched easily into drinks, with the terrace glowing against the night. From there, I crossed the road to Café Hércules, already packed inside and spilling out onto the pavement. I got chatting with a few people, which quickly turned into a small group, and we decided to wander to the nearby square and continue drinks at Copa 66, where music drifted out onto the street. We sat outside on the terrace as new faces joined, conversations overlapped, songs were sung enthusiastically, and laughter bounced around the square. 

It was an easy, joyful night. My first European Christmas, shared in a city I was already starting to fall for. 

Christmas Day in Sevilla

Christmas Day arrived bright and sunny. I was tired, a little foggy from the night before, but Sevilla doesn’t allow for staying in. By afternoon, I was back out on the streets, drawn towards the centre for a slow wander and a proper lunch.

I stopped at Maestro Marcelino, a place that instantly felt grounded and impressive. Inside, rows of hanging jamón framed the bar and bottles lined the shelves. I grabbed a table by the window, perfectly placed to watch the street unfold.

Outside, the city moved at an easy pace. Pedestrians wandered past in no hurry, and at one point several horse-drawn carriages rolled through. The view alone felt like part of the meal.

The food matched the setting, classic tapas done properly. Thoughtful, well-executed dishes with attentive service. This felt like the kind of place you would return to because it delivers without trying too hard.

Hungover or not, it was exactly how Christmas Day should feel here: unforced, sunlit, and quietly celebratory. Another layer of Sevilla revealing itself and another reason I was already falling in love with the city.

Letting Sevilla Unfold

The rest of the day flowed into wandering, the kind where Sevilla kept presenting itself without asking you to decide where to go next.

Flamenco surfaced in the open. A dancer held a small square in complete focus, her movements sharp and deliberate, the rhythm carried by guitar and voice close behind her. Flamenco belongs to Andalucía shaped by Roma, Moorish, Jewish and Andalusian histories. People gathered quietly, watched for a while, then moved on, as if this were simply part of the city’s daily texture.

Green space cut through the day too. Parque de María Luisa appeared between streets and buildings, its tiled fountains and shaded paths offering a pause without breaking the flow of the city. Built for the 1929 Ibero-American Exposition, locals and tourists walked dogs, crossed through on errands, stopped briefly on benches. 

At some point the scale shifted upward. The Catedral de Sevilla came into view. Built on the site of a former mosque and finished as a declaration of imperial confidence. Standing beneath it, the detail reveals itself slowly: carvings softened by time, stone warmed by late afternoon light, shadows pulling texture out of the façade.

Around it, the city carried on. Horse-drawn carriages moved at an unhurried pace. Streets filled and emptied without urgency. Christmas lights threaded through the architecture. The celebrations folded neatly into everyday life.

Sevilla continued to reveal itself in layers with movement, sound, history and light. You just keep going, and the city keeps meeting you where you are.

Leaving Sevilla

Boxing Day arrived quickly. I checked out of the apartment, loaded up the car, and felt that familiar mix of readiness and reluctance that comes with short stays that land well. Sevilla had been brief, but it left its mark. It didn't need much time to make itself felt, and one I know I’ll come back to.

Before heading south, I stopped for breakfast at Restaurante El Paseíllo. After that, one last slow wander through the city in the winter sun. Familiar streets, golden light on stone, the city moving at its own pace.

I passed beneath Las Setas de Sevilla, officially known as the Metropol Parasol, one of Sevilla’s newest and most debated landmarks. Modern, bold, and slightly surreal against the surrounding streets. 

I ended with a glass of wine in the courtyard at Café Santa Marta Bar, sitting in the sun, letting the moment stretch just a little longer. Then it was time. Southbound again.

Seville's Neighbourhoods At A Glance

Seville is a city of distinct pockets, each with its own mood. Once you understand where you are, the city becomes easy to navigate and even easier to enjoy.

Casco Antiguo

The historic core and the emotional heart of the city. Narrow streets, churches, small plazas, bars, shops, street art, and everyday life layered tightly together. Lively from morning to late night, especially around food, drinks, and wandering without a plan.

Santa Cruz

The old Jewish quarter and postcard Seville. Whitewashed lanes, orange trees, quiet courtyards, and historic landmarks like the Cathedral and Alcázar nearby. Beautiful, atmospheric, and busier during the day.

El Arenal

Set between the historic centre and the Guadalquivir River. Close to bullring culture, traditional tapas bars, and river walks. Central but slightly more open, with a mix of locals, visitors, and long-standing institutions.

Triana

Across the river and proudly its own thing. Known for flamenco roots, ceramics, local bars, and strong neighbourhood identity. Less polished, more personality. One of the best places for traditional food and evening atmosphere.

Alameda de Hércules

Social, alternative, and relaxed. A wide square lined with bars, cafes, and terraces where locals gather day and night. Younger energy, less traditional, very lived-in.

Macarena

Residential and authentic, with historic walls, local markets, and fewer tourists. Good for seeing everyday Seville away from the main sights, while still staying walkable to the centre.

Los Remedios

Calmer and more residential, across the river from the centre. Broad streets, local shops, and daily routines. Not a sightseeing area, but a good snapshot of modern Sevillian life.

Nervión

More contemporary and practical. Shopping centres, offices, and transport hubs. Useful rather than atmospheric, but well connected.

Why Seville Stuck With Me  💌

Seville stayed with me in a way I didn’t expect, not because of one standout moment, but because of how the city felt as I moved through it.

It carries its history lightly. You sense it in the architecture, the rhythm of the streets, and the way people gather without rushing. Mornings are unhurried, afternoons stretch long, and evenings feel made for wandering with no destination in mind. There’s an undeniable cool to Seville; effortless, confident, and completely unforced. And long after leaving, it lingers.

Now, it’s time for the next route.

Next route: Tarifa.