Spending Christmas in Seville is the chance to witness the city sparkle with thousands of lights, to be dazzled by its illuminations, and to be enchanted by the beautiful window displays of its stores.
It also means wandering through the Christmas markets to discover the ideal gift or experiencing a magical parade with your family… Above all, it’s the perfect opportunity to indulge in a relaxing break filled with unforgettable memories.
Here are a few ideas of cool and fun things that you can do if you plan to spend Christmas in Seville.
Enjoy a Seville Christmas lights self-guided walk
The most wonderful time of the year has arrived, and there’s no better place to experience the magic of the holiday season than in the heart of Seville. Historic cobblestone streets adorned with shimmering lights, shop windows decked out in their holiday best, and the sweet scent of local sweets and roasted chestnuts in the air.
As the city transforms into a winter wonderland, you invite you to join me on a merry adventure through the enchanting areas around central Seville, which include Plaza de San Francisco and Plaza del Salvador, Las Setas, Avenida de la Constitución, and the Alameda de Hércules.
Cozy up in your warmest sweater and get ready to hit the town on a Seville Christmas lights self-guided walk!
Visit Seville’s Christmas markets
Visiting a Christmas market in Seville is a magical experience that combines festive cheer with the city’s rich culture. You’ll be immersed in the vibrant atmosphere, surrounded by beautiful decorations and the scent of traditional Spanish treats.
These markets offer unique handcrafted gifts, perfect for finding something special for loved ones. It’s a chance to experience local traditions, like the elaborate nativity scenes at the Feria del Belén. As a matter of fact, a nativity scene (belén in Spanish) can be a wonderful Christmas present, and can be a cherished item that’s displayed year after year. While nativity scenes are pretty common in a Spain, they can be full-on works of art in Seville.
Plus, it’s a fun way to enjoy the holiday spirit while exploring one of Spain’s most charming cities.
Check out some mouth-watering Christmas treats
Seville offers a variety of Christmas treats that are unique to the region, providing you with a taste of local culinary traditions that can’t be found elsewhere.
If you happen to spend Christmas in Seville or want to add a Spanish note to your Christmas festivities, you should definitely give some of these local sugary delicacies a try.
Many Christmas sweets in Seville are handcrafted by skilled artisans, ensuring high-quality treats made with traditional methods and recipes passed down through generations. So by purchasing some (or all!) these delicious treats from local markets and shops in Seville you support the local economy and help preserve the culinary heritage of the region.
Moreover, these sweets make for excellent souvenirs or gifts, allowing you to share a piece of their Seville experience with friends and family back home. You’ll find these delicacies at most Christmas markets, bakeries, and other grocery shops.
Admire a public belén during Christmas in Seville
As Spain is a historically Catholic country, it’s no surprise that the biblical events around Christmas play an important role during this time of the year. That’s why you’ll find nativity scenes or belenes in almost all Spanish cities, including Seville.
These displays representing the birth of Jesus are for us what Christmas trees are in the rest of the world. Here we even dedicate whole markets to being able to buy little figurines representing everyone from the shepherds (complete with their sheep, etc.) to little towns to be placed close to the manger
All belenes have the main part with Mary, Joseph, the baby, and some animals in the manger. However, local designers go above and beyond this simple scene.
If you have the opportunity to visit some of these massive belenes, you’ll surely be surprised at how much work and effort went into creating the scenes you are seeing and organizing all the little details.
Celebrate New Year’s Eve in Seville
Are you still wondering where to spend and celebrate New Year’s Eve (Nochevieja in Spanish)?
There’s no doubt about it – in Seville! It’s the ideal destination for those who would never give up celebrations but don’t like excesses.
If you’re visiting Seville and want to have your dinner out that day, be quick and book as soon as you know your travel dates! Most bars and restaurants will be closed on New Year’s Eve so that staff can spend the evening at home with their own families. The good news is that the restaurants in the upper-middle-range hotels offer special menus for Nochevieja, as well as some classy restaurants.
After a nice dinner, the most important moment of the night approaches: the final countdown! And in Spain we make this countdown by eating the 12 grapes of luck! Strange tradition, isn’t it?
In order to have good luck in the coming year, you must eat a grape at every chime of the midnight bells. This means one grape every 2 seconds, so 12 grapes in total. It sounds a lot easier than it is…
Here are 7 ideas for things to do during your holiday between the end and the beginning of the year.
Get inspired with 10 Christmas gift ideas
Do you happen to spend Christmas in Seville? Great! It’s the perfect occasion to impress friends and relatives with an original Christmas present.
Instead of scrambling aimlessly in Christmas markets, craft stalls and souvenir shops, it’s a good idea to go in with a plan for what you’ll buy.
In preparation for the festive season, I’ve complied a complete list of Christmas gift ideas you could bring back home from Seville.
Go to the Three Kings’ Day parade
Did you know that in Spain they don’t celebrate Christmas with Santa Claus bringing presents?
That’s right, this is a tradition unique to Spain (although some places in Latin America also celebrate it!) and it happens every year on January 6th. This is actually when most children in Spain get their presents and it also marks the end of the festive season as a whole.
The eve of Three Kings’ Day, which takes place during January 5th, the main event is a huge parade in honor of the Three Wise Men, which is something that takes place in every major city and town. The parade typically features floats dedicated to each of the Kings, along with floats representing different community organizations. This event serves as a chance for children to communicate their wishes to the Kings and justify why they should receive presents.
For those not riding in the parade, there’s the fun tradition of catching hard candies tossed from the floats. So go to the Three Kings’ Day parade and don’t forget to bring a bag to keep your candies in!
This article is part of a complete tutorial about Christmas in Seville where you can read all the information you need to enjoy the best Christmas holidays in Seville.
Here is a complete summary of all the guide:
1. Immerse yourself in the magic of Christmas in Seville
2. 10 things to do in Seville for Christmas
3. 7 cool things to do on New Year’s Eve in Seville
4. Celebrate Three King’s Day in Seville attending the parade
5. The best Christmas markets in Seville
6. 10 special Christmas gift ideas from Seville
7. My favorite 5 Spanish Christmas treats in Seville
8. Experience the Seville Christmas lights walk