The Real Alcázar of Seville is a royal palace built and rebuilt over a thousand years, from a 10th-century Moorish fortress to the tiled Mudéjar palace of King Peter I and the vast gardens behind it. It is still used by the Spanish royal family when they are in Seville. A general ticket costs €15.50, and from October to March it opens daily 9:30–17:00 (as of October 2026). Book a timed ticket online and allow 2–3 hours.
Right now in Royal Alcázar of Seville
- Wed17–27°C63–80°FMostly clear
- Thu16–29°C61–84°FClear
- Fri18–27°C65–81°FPartly cloudy
- Mon 12 Oct National Day of Spain (Fiesta Nacional de España)
Tickets and tours for Royal Alcázar of Seville
See all tours for Royal Alcázar of Seville →
From local operators, with prices and reviews; you check availability and book on Viator, our partner. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How we earn money
Why the Alcázar matters
The palace began around 913, when Caliph Abd al-Rahman III ordered a government house on the southern edge of the city. The Abbadid kings of the 11th century added new palaces, and the Almohads enlarged the complex again in the 12th century. When Ferdinand III of Castile took Seville in 1248, the Alcázar became a royal residence, and Alfonso X built the Gothic Palace.
The best-known part came a century later. In the mid-14th century, Peter I of Castile built a new palace in the Mudéjar style, with craftsmen trained in the Islamic tradition: carved plaster, tiled dados, painted wooden ceilings and courtyards with water. Later kings added Renaissance rooms and the gardens. With the cathedral and the Archivo de Indias, the Alcázar has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.
What you’ll see
- Palace of Peter I: the highlight. The Courtyard of the Maidens (Patio de las Doncellas) has a long sunken pool between orange-tree beds; the Hall of the Ambassadors is crowned by a golden wooden dome; the small Courtyard of the Dolls was the family’s private heart.
- Gothic Palace: vaulted halls hung with tapestries and lined with tiles, opening onto the gardens.
- Admiral’s Hall (Cuarto del Almirante): where the Casa de Contratación, which ran trade with the Americas, was based after 1503.
- Baths of Doña María de Padilla: cool, vaulted rainwater tanks under the Patio del Crucero.
- Gardens: terraces, fountains, pavilions, palm and orange trees, the raised Grotesque Gallery and the Mercury pond. Fans of Game of Thrones will recognise them as the Water Gardens of Dorne.
- Cuarto Real Alto: the upstairs royal apartments, still used by the royal family, visited on a separate ticket at set times.
Tickets and how to visit
From the Real Alcázar’s official website, as of October 2026:
- Hours: daily 9:30–17:00 from 1 October to 31 March; 9:30–19:00 from 1 April to 30 September.
- Closed: 1 and 6 January, Good Friday and 25 December. Easter week and official events can change the hours.
- General ticket: €15.50. Reduced: €8 for over-65s, students aged 14–30 and European Youth Card holders.
- Free: children under 13 with an adult, people born in or living in Seville, and visitors with a disability of 33% or more plus one companion.
- Cuarto Real Alto: €5.50, at set times; book it when you buy the general ticket.
- Free Monday visit: a limited number of free places on Monday evenings, booked online in advance on the official ticket site.
- Where to buy: online on the official ticket site linked from alcazarsevilla.org, or at the Patio de Banderas ticket office, which opens at 9:00 and takes cards only. Unofficial sites often charge more for the same ticket.
- Audioguide: free through the MuseumMate app via a QR code; a PDF map can be downloaded.
How long to allow and when to go
Plan 2–3 hours: about an hour for the palaces and as long as you like in the gardens. Take the first slot of the day, before the tour groups, and see the palace first, then drift into the gardens as it fills. From April to October, the gardens are much nicer in the morning than in the midday heat.
Accessibility
The Andalusian Ombudsman reported in 2023 that ramps now get round the steps in most rooms, that a lift serves the Cuarto Real Alto, and that all three public toilet areas are fully adapted. A few medieval spaces remain hard to reach. Gravel paths and uneven paving in the gardens can be heavy going in a wheelchair. Visitors with a disability of 33% or more and one companion enter free.
Getting there
The Alcázar is in the heart of the old town, on Plaza del Triunfo, opposite the cathedral and about 400 metres from its doors. The public entrance is the Puerta del León. The Metrocentro tram stops at Archivo de Indias and Puerta de Jerez, a few minutes’ walk away, and metro line 1 stops at Puerta de Jerez. From Santa Justa station it’s about 2 km; take a bus or taxi. Don’t drive: the old town’s streets are narrow and many are restricted.
Combine it with
Seville Cathedral and the Giralda is across the square, so many people do both in one day, the Alcázar in the morning and the cathedral after lunch. Next door are the lanes of Santa Cruz, and the Plaza de España is a 15-minute walk south. See our Seville travel guide for neighbourhoods, flamenco and where to stay, and the Alhambra if you want to see the Nasrid palaces that inspired Peter I.
Real Alcázar FAQ
Do I need to book the Real Alcázar in advance?
It’s wise, especially in spring and from late morning in summer. Tickets are for a set time, and the official site sells them online; the Patio de Banderas office sells on the day if places remain.
How much does the Real Alcázar cost?
€15.50 for a general ticket as of October 2026, €8 reduced. Children under 13 with an adult enter free. The upstairs royal apartments (Cuarto Real Alto) are €5.50 extra.
Is the Real Alcázar free on Mondays?
There is a free visit on Monday evenings with limited places, which must be booked online in advance on the official site. They go quickly.
What is the Cuarto Real Alto?
The upper royal apartments, still used by the Spanish royal family when they stay in Seville. They are visited at set times on a separate €5.50 ticket.
Was Game of Thrones filmed at the Alcázar?
Yes. The gardens and several rooms were used as the Water Gardens of Dorne. Look for the Baths of Doña María de Padilla and the garden pavilions.
How long does it take to visit the Alcázar?
About 2–3 hours: an hour or so for the palaces and the rest for the gardens.