Looking for a great day trip from Seville? Or do you like to mix up your city break with a few days in nature? Discover the diverse Andalusia with these 5 day trips from beautiful Seville.
For these day trips, it’s ideal to have a car, as you can visit each of the spots on this list at your own pace. At the end of this travel blog, we’ll also share some tips for renting a car in Seville. But don’t worry if you’re not keen on renting a car – there are plenty of other options for each location that we’ll provide.
Day Trip #1: Visit the Beach of Matalascañas, the Village of El Rocio, and the Doñana National Park
Andalusia has a lot to offer, but let’s start with the beach!
When we drove to Matalascañas in November, we found ourselves with (almost) the entire beach to ourselves. Even though it was 25°C with a clear blue sky, the high season can get quite crowded here (according to the photos). However, outside of peak season, it feels like a ghost town – perfect for a peaceful beach escape!
Matalascañas boasts a long, beautiful coastline that borders the Doñana National Park. Once you leave the (empty) promenade behind, you’re already stepping into the national park. Ahead of you lies an untouched stretch of beach where you’ll only see birds hunting for fresh fish.
You can stroll along the coast or head into the dunes for a lovely walk, surrounded by sand and greenery. The walk starts at ‘El Mirador de Pilar‘.
If you venture into the dunes, don’t go too far as you’ll get eaten alive by mosquitoes. It’s better to walk parallel to the sea. For peace of mind, download the Maps.me app to always find your way back, as this is a large area and Google Maps doesn’t show the trails.
Doñana National Park offers more than just dunes and beach, but you can’t visit it with your own car. However, you can explore the park through a tour from the nearby village of El Rocio, which we regret not doing. You can explore Doñana in two ways: with a 4×4 tour or on horseback.
El Rocio is also a village you have to visit! It feels a bit strange, like you’re part of a Western movie. It’s a unique setting, and from the town centre, you can even spot wild horses and a lake teeming with waterfowl.
Fun fact: This sleepy, quiet western-style village is the largest pilgrimage site in Spain. Once a year, a million people gather here, while we counted about 20 – quite the contrast!
Matalascañas/El Rocio is just over an hour’s drive from Seville. If you don’t have a car, you can also book an organised tour from Seville.
Day Trip #2: Visit the second most beautiful city in Andalusia – Malaga
Sevilla and Malaga are often mentioned together when it comes to the most beautiful cities in Andalusia. These two cities are not far apart, making it easy to visit both. Don’t have a car? You can reach Malaga in just 2 hours by train.
Malaga is a 2.5-hour drive from Seville. If you want to make a partial road trip out of it, you can rent a car in Seville through Sunnycars and return it in Malaga. From there, you can either fly home or take the train back to Seville.
Day Trip #3: Enjoy the Mountains in Sierra Norte de Sevilla
Our ideal holiday includes a mix of city, beach, and mountains. So, during our week in Seville, we decided to take a day trip to the mountains.
Sierra Norte is a nature park that is part of the Sierra Morena mountain range. And as you may have guessed, Sierra Norte de Sevilla is the part located just north of Seville.
We started our day with a walk along the small waterfalls of ‘Cascadas del Huéznar’. After that, we drove to the nearby ‘natural monument’ Cerro del Hierro for a second hike. Cerro del Hierro is an old mining area, famous for its rock formations.
To be honest, these aren’t the most stunning mountains we’ve seen in Spain, but it was a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, and we really enjoyed the peace and tranquillity of the mountains. You won’t find many tourists here!
Along the route, there are plenty of charming, white, sleepy villages. It’s always a good idea to stop for some tapas 😉
Sierra Norte is a vast mountain range, so you can drive as far as you like. It’s about a 1.5-hour drive to Cerro del Hierro.
Day Trip #4: Hike the Most Beautiful Walk in Andalusia: Caminito del Rey
You’ve probably seen Caminito del Rey on Instagram. Once considered the most dangerous walkway in Europe, it is now called the most beautiful hike in Andalusia. Thanks to renovations in 2015, it’s also perfectly safe.
This 8-kilometre hike takes you through the stunning and famous cliff ‘Defiladero de los Gitanes’. It’s mandatory to wear a helmet, which is provided with your entry ticket priced at €10 per person.
Caminito del Rey is located about 60 kilometres north of Málaga, making it a great addition to a road trip to Málaga. It’s a 2-hour drive from Seville.
Don’t have a (rental) car? You can also join an organised tour to Caminito del Rey from Seville.
Day Trip #5: Visit (and Shop in) the Peninsula of Gibraltar
The peninsula is also perfect for shopping: electronics, tobacco, and alcohol are tax-free, making them much cheaper.
Gibraltar is ideal for a day trip and is 2.5 hours’ drive from Seville. No car? There are also tours available from Seville.
Where to Rent a Car in Seville?
We always rent a car through Sunnycars because it offers complete insurance coverage. Sunnycars acts as an intermediary, so you rent the car from a local rental company, but with all-inclusive insurance. If the rental company wrongfully charges you for car damage, Sunnycars will fully reimburse the cost. Since we started using their service, we’ve had much less stress, and there are never any additional fees.
With Sunnycars, you can choose where to pick up and return your rental car. For example, at Seville Airport, but also at the Avenida Kansas City train station and other locations. We opted for Avenida Kansas City, which was easy to reach from our apartment by bus. You can also return the car in a different city if you prefer.
👉 Check out Sunnycars prices and availability in Seville here.
Driving in Seville: Things to Keep in Mind
We advise against driving in the center of Seville. It’s much easier to use public transport here, unless you enjoy narrow streets, slow driving, and limited parking.
However, if you’re like us and rent a car for several days, you’ll need to park it at the end of the day.
Fortunately, there are several (underground) parking garages in Seville, but they are scarce and not always ideally located. If you want to park in the historic center, it’s often free, but sometimes only valid until 6 or 7 a.m. So, always pay close attention to the traffic signs before parking. Want to know more about parking in Seville? Read this article for a good parking overview in Seville (in English).
If you’re looking for a parking spot in the city, you might find someone waving at you and then guiding you to a free spot. These are often homeless people hoping to make some money, and it’s appreciated if you give them a little something.
We really enjoyed switching up our week in Seville with two days in nature! It gave us a more complete picture of Andalusia. Have any tips? Let us know in the comments!
Want more tips about Seville?
👉 Read our Seville travel guide
