The Best Time to Visit Seville? An Honest Guide to Autumn

If you Google “the best time to visit Seville”, you’ll probably find that spring and autumn are the clear winners. And it makes sense: the weather is beautiful, the temperatures are milder, and the city feels very much alive. But I always ask: best time for what? September, October and November don’t all feel the same, so let’s look at what you can actually expect if you visit during these months.

Let’s start with the weather

Travel guides often say that autumn in Seville has mild temperatures. That’s true if you look at historical averages. But if you take a closer look at how temperatures have changed in recent years, the picture can be quite different. Until 2010, Seville had an average of 7.7 days a year above 40°C (104°F). In 2023, that number was 26. The number of nights when temperatures stayed above 25°C (77°F) has also increased: from 25 up to 1990 to 58 over the last ten years. Averages can hide how quickly the climate is changing. The last ten years tell a much hotter story.

This past September, temperatures were still reaching 39°C (102°F) towards the end of the month. And today, on October 31, I went to a friend’s barbecue and we were all wearing short sleeves. That simply didn’t happen ten years ago. So I’d be careful with generic advice based only on historical averages.

September can still feel like summer. October can feel like the September we used to have ten years ago. November is often lovely: short sleeves or a light long-sleeved top in the afternoon, and a jacket and scarf in the evening.

Autumn is not the quiet season

In much of Europe, summer is the main tourist season. In Seville, because of the summer heat, autumn is one of the busiest times of year. In my experience, October is way busier than spring. When I started guiding, my calendar used to be full right through October 31. Then, suddenly, around November 2, it felt like everyone had disappeared. These days, the first part of September can be quieter, and the tourist season seems to stretch into the first half of November.

What does “high season” mean in practice? More expensive hotels and flights, more people, and more things to plan in advance. You may need to book your Alcázar and Cathedral tickets early, reserve a table at the tapas restaurants you want to try, or be prepared to queue.

But autumn is also when the city starts to feel energised again after summer. People come back from their holidays, relieved to leave the heat and being stuck indoors behind. The schools reopen, and everyone is ready to go out again. There are plenty of events to enjoy, too: Noche en Blanco, the European Film Festival, religious processions, the night marathon, the Book Fair, artisan markets and the Bienal de Flamenco, which takes place every two years. They’re a chance to enjoy the city and experience some local traditions first-hand.

November feels quieter. The weather can still be lovely, but there are fewer events and the city calms down a little. Flights and hotels can become more affordable, and there are fewer visitors around — at least until the Christmas lights go on at the end of the month. :-D

So, when people ask me if autumn is really the best time to visit Seville, I ask them: best for what? For a quieter city and better prices? Not necessarily, especially in October. For good weather and a city full of life? Definitely — particularly if you come prepared for the fact that early autumn can still feel like summer. Before you choose your dates, think about what kind of Seville you want to find.