Seville bullfight practical guide

Bullfighting

With this Seville bullfight guide you will the best experience attending a corrida de toros while you are in the city.

Here is a summary of all the steps you should follow.

From home:

Have a look at the Seville bullfight official schedule.
Book your Seville bullfight tickets in advance.
Read on the subject as much as you can.

Before the Seville bullfight starts:

Follow the Seville bullfight dressing code.
Learn how to get to La Maestranza bullring.
Make sure you can find your seat.

While you are attending the Seville bullfight:

Stay quiet and be respectful during the Seville bullfight.
After the Seville bullfight ends, wait patiently before leaving La Maestranza bullring.

As usual, none of my recommendations are mandatory. This is just some practical advice that I am sharing with you and that you can use at your convenience.

Have a look at the Seville bullfight official schedule

I strongly recommend you to check the Seville bullfight official schedule once you know when you will be traveling to Seville.

It is the best way to ensure that at least one bullfight takes place while you are in Seville.

The official schedule release date occurs with only a few weeks in advance. Nevertheless, I will update all the information as soon as the details are published.

Book your Seville bullfight tickets in advance

Now that you have included watching a bullfight in your to do list, it’s time to purchase your tickets.

Don’t procrastinate it and get them in advance. Otherwise, you risk not having tickets at all (especially during the most popular festivals) or ending with not-so-good seats.

Despite there are other ways to get them, the easiest and fastest option is to book your Seville bullfight tickets online.

You will avoid the hassle of waiting in line at La Maestranza ticket office, which has limited opening dates and times. And you will save the language barrier because ticket vendors don’t speak a word of English.

Read on the subject as much as you can

Unless you happen to be a real aficionado, chances are you may know very little of what a bullfight is, how the event is structure and what you should do to experience it like a pro.

The best way to fully enjoy a bullfight is by doing your homework before the event. Try to document yourself and read about bullfighting as much as possible.

Alas, there is a ton of information out there and you could spend hours searching on the Internet here and there until you would find the best sources.

The good news is that I have done all the work for you: I have written a complete guide full of practical information.

Follow the Seville bullfight dressing code

There is absolutely no obligation to dress in any way when attending a bullfight.

However, as you approach the bullring you will notice that part of the crowd is elegantly dressed. Back in the day, going the bullring was an honor so people dressed accordingly.

That is why

Some women dress in a comfortable, yet graceful way.
Some men wear a suit and even a tie.

But, as I said before, there is no obligation.

So what should you wear to a bullfight in Seville?

Keep it simple and wear whatever you want and feel comfortable in.

Just keep in mind the obvious basics:

Bullrings still place significant meaning on appearance and etiquette. So don’t wear a sleeveless or muscle shirt, an exercise outfit or anything sexy or too dressy – tight tops, short skirts, sequins, slinky tops, revealing tops.
Avoid anything too short and revealing (e.g. shorts, miniskirts) because it is not comfortable. You will understand why once you sit at the small and uncomfortable seats of La Maestranza.
Have a look at the weather forecast and dress accordingly. Remember that you will be seating outside.

Thus, my advice is to wear clothing appropriate for any eventuality.

Learn how to get to La Maestranza bullring

Because of its location, getting to La Maestranza bullring is extremely easy.

My favorite option to get there is by foot for many reasons:

Your accommodation is probably within the city center or Triana, so walking from there to the bullring is a nice walk.
Seville is completely flat, so exploring on foot is easier.
You will depend on yourself and your walking pace so no traffic jams or other stressing situations to get there on time.

Alternatively, you can also reach the bullring by both private and public transportation (bus, taxi).

Getting there on time is important because if you don’t, you won’t be allowed to access the tendido (seating section) once the first bull has entered the arena. If you arrive late, you will be forced to to wait in the corridor until the first fight is over.

Make sure you can find your seat

La Maestranza is a relatively big bullfighting venue with some of the gates hidden in a pedestrian alley.

Once inside, it doesn’t get better. Despite being a rounded-shape building, the main corridor is full of gates of smaller gates, corridors, and stairs.

So, if you get lost (which is very likely), ask for help.

That is why I always recommend to enter the bullring at least half an hour in advance. You will have enough time to get to your seat, you won’t disturb other aficionados and you won’t miss the first fight.

Remember that you can find all the information relative to your seat in your ticket.

Do as others do during the Seville bullfight

During a bullfight, you can talk. Just make sure that you don’t raise the tone of your voice too much.

Actually, once the bull enters the arena, you will notice that most of the audience remain silent or whisper.

During the tercio de varas and the tercio de banderillas, the spectators may clap or shout “ole” in admiration for the performance of the picador, the banderillero or the torero. However, if the bull is not brave enough or one of the bullfight participants performs poorly, the crowd may whistle or even boo.

During the faena the audience remains completely silent out of respect. And there is a reason for this: it is the most dangerous moment of the bullfight. But it is also the most crucial as it will dictate whether the matador does a good job. Or not.

Once each individual fight is over, you may judge it along the rest of the audience. Aren’t you sure? No worries, do as the others do: whistle and boo, remain silent, clap or request an award for the matador by waving a white handkerchief.

After the Seville bullfight ends, wait patiently before leaving La Maestranza bullring

Many aficionados don’t like to wait for the participants to leave the arena. They impatiently rush to the exit gate.

On the contrary, I recommend to wait for a few minutes and remain in your seat until most of the crowd has left the tendido.

As you may have noticed when getting to your seat, the stairs are high, narrow and steep. It is relatively easy to trip over them. And the last thing you want is to sprain your ankle.

So wait until the aisle is clear, and take your time to get to your nearest exit.

There is absolutely no need to rush.