July 18, 2025, 11:33 am | Read time: 6 minutes
Since 1998, the renowned British newspaper “The Telegraph” has regularly named the best travel destinations and companies worldwide, based on an extensive reader vote. TRAVELBOOK reveals this year’s winner in the “Best City in Europe” category and shares what there is to discover there.
About 20,000 readers participated in this year’s Telegraph Travel Awards and voted on the best countries, cities, airlines, and cruise lines worldwide and in specific regions. “The Telegraph” readers also voted on the current best city in Europe, and this time the Spanish city of Seville emerged as the winner.
The popularity of the capital of the southern Spanish region of Andalusia is “impressive,” writes the British newspaper. Seville already won the award in 2018 and has surpassed other Spanish cities like Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia in the last six voting rounds.
Overview
This is Seville
With nearly 700,000 residents, Seville is the fourth-largest city in Spain after Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia. It is picturesquely located on the Rio Guadalquivir, and both the sea and the mountains are easily accessible from here.
From Seville, Columbus and his crew set out into the unknown in 1492, eventually returning with the certainty that the world was much larger than previously thought. From then on, Seville was the gateway to the “new world.” The resulting wealth and pride led to the construction of grand buildings that can still be admired today. The many, often very colorful churches give the city its typical character. It is a successful blend of East and West, reflected everywhere in architecture and culture.
Life in Seville Mostly Happens Outdoors
Seville is a cheerful, colorful, and lively city, where there is always a faint scent of oranges. Orange trees grow everywhere along the streets, but picking and eating them is not a good idea, as the fruits are too polluted by exhaust fumes. Life mainly takes place outdoors and in the typical courtyards. Only at midday, during the siesta, does everyone retreat.
Temperatures over 40 degrees Celsius in the shade are rare in Seville. After 6 p.m., life returns to the streets and alleys, which wind like a labyrinth through the entire city. The bars and restaurants are open until the early morning hours, even during the week, and on the Plazuela de Santa Ana, a central square, musicians and dancers almost daily stage an impromptu flamenco.
Sights in Seville
Plaza España
Among Seville’s more recent attractions is the Plaza España. The square was opened to the public in 1929 for the Ibero-American Exposition. At the center of the square, surrounded by magnificent buildings, is a semicircle with a diameter of about 200 meters.
Seville’s Cathedral
The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See is one of the most spectacular sights in Seville. Like many clerical buildings in Spain, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed church was built into a Moorish mosque in the 15th century. Next to it stands the nearly 100-meter-high bell tower, the Giralda.
The Torre del Oro
Located directly on the Rio Guadalquivir is the dodecagonal Gold Tower, the Torre del Oro. It was built in the 13th century by the Moroccan Almohads as a watchtower. In the Middle Ages, it was used by the Spanish as a prison.
The Alcázar of Seville
The Alcázar is another of Seville’s attractions, originally built by the Moors. Since the Middle Ages, the structure, transformed from a fortress to a palace, has been the residence of the Spanish kings. Even today, the royal family stays in the castle when they are in Andalusia.
Metropol Parasol
The Metropol Parasol is entirely made of wood. Along with the Alamillo Bridge over the Guadalquivir, this structure, resembling an oversized mushroom, is one of the city’s newest landmarks. The shade-providing wooden construction is a popular meeting point, especially in hot weather in Seville. It houses the city’s archaeological museum, as well as shops and restaurants.
Flamenco Museum
Flamenco has its origins in Seville. In 2006, Cristina Hoyos, one of the world’s most famous flamenco dancers, founded the Museo del Baile Flamenco. Through pictures, videos, recordings, lectures, performances, and even dance classes, it’s easy to immerse oneself in the world of this passionate dance. Since 2010, flamenco has been officially recognized as a World Heritage of Humanity. By the way, although clapping is an essential part of flamenco, clapping along by the audience is absolutely inappropriate.
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The Weather in Seville
The weather in Seville in July and August can be quite challenging, as daytime temperatures usually climb above 40 degrees Celsius in the shade, and there’s hardly any relief at night. People in the city savor every breeze that reaches Seville from the Gulf of Cádiz on the Atlantic.
The weather in Seville is most pleasant for tourists who consider 30 degrees Celsius a high temperature in May and October. During these months, it’s warm and relatively dry. In the evenings, you can stroll through the old town with a light jacket, and daytime sightseeing in the beautiful old town is no problem.
(Text contribution: Jasch Zacharias)