Seville Gay Travel
wolfyy’s Seville gay travel guide to hotels & where to stay, things to do, tapas restaurants, & gay bars.
The Gay Travel Experience: Seville, Spain
Seville gay life is wonderfully slow-paced, full of delicious tapas restaurants, and never too chilly. There is a large population of gay men in Seville and these friendly Spaniards are easy to make friends with! The city is without a doubt among the best gay destinations in Spain.
I explored Seville as a solo traveler and met several friends, one of which was a gay guy who showed me around a few local tapas restaurants. I also befriended one of my homestay hosts who was happy to chat in Spanish about my travels. The people of Seville are kind, expressive, and love their local beer!
Seville gay travel is ideal for anyone interested in exploring southern Spain’s Andalucía region, as well as nearby cities like Cádiz, Granada, and the gay resort town of Torremolinos. The south of Spain is very gay-friendly and many establishments advertise themselves as such.
Gay Seville: Hotels & Where to Stay
Seville is a pretty large city. It can take about 45 minutes to traverse the historic area on foot. It’s best to search for accommodations close to the attractions or areas you want to visit.
I stayed in a charming homestay in the Santa Catalina neighborhood for my entire visit to Seville. Santa Catalina has lots of cafés, restaurants, and bars away from the main tourist areas. It’s the fringe of authentic Seville.
Vacation rentals in Casco Antiguo are best for those who prefer to be closer to the tourist center, yet opt for a more local experience.
Casco Antiguo is the general heart of the city. For hotels here, I’d recommend checking out hotels near Plaza del Salvador.
Things become much more touristic as you approach the riverfront. I recommend staying further east as mentioned earlier. You’ll be able to avoid the crowds nestled away in a cozy spot along one of Seville’s quaint roadways.
Luxury rentals in Seville curated by Plum Guide are the absolute best option if you’re looking for unbeatable style. There’s quite a few listings throughout the city and prices are more than reasonable.
Lastly, I would avoid areas around the Santa Justa train station. They’re simply not as pretty and don’t embody the true beauty of Seville. While they might be cheaper, you’ll likely find places to be a bit drab.
Seville Hotels I Recommend
Here are some gorgeous hotels for gay travelers in Seville that are all highly rated, affordable, and centrally located in the Casco Antiguo area.
Seville Gay Travel Experiences
Visit the Archivos de Indias
Spend a couple of hours at the Archivos de Indias, a Seville Museum that shows Spanish Empire documents. The Archivos de Indias is a UNESCO listed historical archive.
The museum is housed in a beautiful Renaissance building. When I visited, there were no lines, it was peaceful inside, and it was completely free to enter!
Las Setas de Sevilla
The Setas de Sevilla are an iconic tourist attraction that all gay travelers should at least pass by. It’s never overcrowded, so you can definitely sit down and peacefully take in the structure’s beauty. There is lots to do nearby. Grab an espresso at a nearby café.
Explore the Real Alcázar
Here in Spain’s Andalucía region, there’s a ton of beautiful Islamic-influenced architecture. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the Real Alcázar is the place to go in Seville to experience it, just like the famous Alhambra in nearby Granada.
The Real Alcázar is a stunning palace featuring architectural elements of both Christian and Islamic styles. The ornate ceilings, tranquil courtyards, impressive arches, and lush gardens will surely make it worth the visit!
Grab a skip-the-line entrance ticket to the Real Alcázar ahead of time. With GetYourGuide, there’s free cancellation up until 24 hours before your visit.
Parks in Seville
The riverfront near Jardines de Chapina is such a serene area, perfect to sit with a view of the water. You’ll probably see a bunch of rowers and canoes racing down the river. It’s a great place to watch the sunset or just listen to the sounds of water.
The Jardin de Murillo was one of the most peaceful spots I visited in Seville. The open pathways and gardens surrounded by tall palm trees and greenery are so relaxing. So relaxing that while laying on a park bench in the sun, I actually fell asleep!
Local Street Art
If you’re a fan of street art, walk by the east side of Puente del Cristo de la Expiración to see tons of graffiti-covered walls. It’s a bit of a spooky area that I stumbled upon, but it was pretty cool!
Top Tapas Restaurants in Seville
You can’t leave Seville without some authentic Spanish tapas! There are dozens of tapas bars in central Seville, but make sure you get a seat at a local favorite.
I recommend Casa Pepe Hillo Tapas and Casa Morales, both authentic local Seville tapas bars.
Mamarracha was the absolute best Seville tapas restaurant I visited. Their style is modern, the food was delicious, and the plate presentations are gorgeous.
Mamarracha is a little more pricey than other tapas spots, but you cannot miss this place! Make sure to make a reservation at least a couple of days in advance to be sure you get a table.
Calle Mateos Gago is a lovely area full of small tapas restaurants. Most of them are quite cheap. This little area of Seville is best for very informal meals.
Tapas places on this street are not most highly rated, but they can get the job done if you want dinner for 10 Euros or less! I had a nice meal at La Moderna and had no complaints at all.
A Haircut by a “Barber of Seville”
I needed a haircut while in Seville and subsequently had one of the most fun barbershop experiences of my life. La Navaja Barber Shop has the most Instagram photo-worthy interior you could imagine. The perfected details will make your eyes widen.
The shop is owned by an English, Spanish, and Portuguese-speaking man from South America. It’s one of the best in Seville and is certainly well known!
The Seville Cathedral: Is It Worth It?
I personally skipped the Seville Cathedral, even though it is an extremely popular tourist attraction.
Although I’m sure it is beautiful inside, I could not justify spending not only the money to enter but then the long amount of time to wait in line amongst other tourists. It didn’t seem it would be much of an authentic experience.
Taste Local Andalusian Beer
Three major beer companies dominate southern Spain. Most visible throughout the city will be Cruzcampo. You will see the name on many umbrellas along street-side tapas bars and restaurants.
The Cruzcampo Gran Riserva is not only delicious and classic, but it’s very cheap! They also make a great Pilsner Lager.
The second name to keep on your mind is Alhambra. This brand has a few more varieties including Especial, Mezquita, and Negra. The third beer company is San Miguel, also local to Seville.
Seville Gay Bars
Men to Men Bar is a gay bar in Seville I recommend stopping by. The crowd is usually a bit on the mature side. Everyone is super fun and easy to talk to. Go grab a drink! You can also see some of Men to Men Bar’s event photos on their website.
ITACA is another local gay bar in Seville that has a darker vibe. It is best from Thursday through Sunday. I personally did not get a chance to visit this gay bar, so let me know what you think when you’re in town.
Local Seville Bars
Bodega La Aurora is a completely authentic local wine bar in the Santa Catalina neighborhood. It is a small bare-bones nighttime spot for some beer and snacks.
You’ll only find locals Spaniards here, so Bodega La Aurora is a great place to see how locals interact.
You can stand table and get a quick drink before dinner. Try a few Lupini beans, but don’t eat too many!
Looking for some rowdy bars in Seville? Pinzón gets pretty lively almost every night of the week after midnight! On weekends it will surely be packed, but even on a Wednesday or Thursday, you’ll still find fun here.
I was at Pinzón during the week and it turned into a reggaetón dance party! They’ve got indoor and outdoor bar-height tables, too.
Seville Gay Travel Tips
Avoid Taking Horse Rides
There are dozens of horses kept in the Plazas surrounding the Seville Cathedral. They don’t seem to be treated well, and so I hope that travelers will avoid both taking photos with the horses and riding in their carriages.
Anything that supports these activities simply perpetuates the use of these wonderful animals as money-making objects.
If you plan on renting a car in Seville, perhaps to drive to the wonderful city of Càdiz, compare available deals using Discover Cars.
Avoiding Tourist Traps in Seville
Seville is a popular international tourist city, but it isn’t too difficult to experience local life. While the streets aren’t packed as you’d expect in big Italian cities, for example, many Americans and northern Europeans visit Seville in large amounts.
As long as you remain aware of the signs of a tourist trap, you’ll certainly be fine.
The main indication of a tourist trap is the price of food. Restaurants catering primarily to tourists will have inflated prices and often lower-quality food.
When you sit down at an authentic tapas restaurant and see the low prices of only a few euros, you’ll know you’re in good hands.
It’s also worth mentioning that if the restaurant’s menus are laminated and placed out on the street with large photos of the dishes, they are catering to tourists. Avoiding restaurants where you only hear people speaking English is a good strategy.
Seville Airport Bus
The City of Seville has a bus that runs to the Seville Airport from several main areas of the city. Check out the schedule of stops and times on the Seville Airport Bus Website. It’s easy to catch the bus from Plaza de Armas or Sevilla Santa Justa Train station.
Be sure to leave yourself extra time. I grabbed an early morning bus and it ran a little late. You pay directly on the bus with cash, so no need to book anything online.
Whenever I’m flying between European cities, I always check Vueling first. Their tickets are some of the cheapest and I’d definitely choose them over Ryanair.
The Andalucían Accent
Every Spaniard from all other parts of Spain will surely tell you that the accent in Andalucía is so different. They’re completely right!
You may already know that Castellano (the Spanish spoken in Spain) has that frequent and famous “TH” sound. In Seville, get ready to hear even more of it.
Not only do people in Andalucía use the “TH” sound for letters C and Z like most Spaniards, but you’ll even hear the same sound for the letter S!
Want an easy way to practice the Castellano accent? When ordering you Cruzcampo, make sure to pronounce it “Cruth-CAM-po.”
Headed to Spain? You can’t miss a visit to Madrid! If you prefer a lesser-traveled destination, check out Valencia. I also recommend Spain’s gay paradise of Torremolinos.
For more inspiration, explore wolfyy’s full collection of gay travel guides.
