Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza

This is the cathedral of bullfighting, and that is not hyperbole — it is the phrase Spaniards themselves use for the oldest and most prestigious bullring in the country. Construction began in 1761 under the Royal Maestranza de Caballeria, a noble equestrian order that had been practicing mounted combat in Seville since the thirteenth century. But the ring was built so slowly — funds came and went with the fortunes of the aristocracy — that it was not completed until 1881, a construction timeline of 120 years.

The Baroque white-and-ochre facade curves along the riverbank near the Torre del Oro, and the interior seats up to 14,000 spectators in a sand arena that measures just 60 metres across. That intimate diameter is significant: it forces the bull and the matador closer together than in larger rings, making Maestranza fights notoriously intense. The most coveted seat is in the tendido section near the Puerta del Principe — the Prince's Gate — through which a matador exits only if his performance has been judged triumphant.

Beyond the ring itself, the Museo Taurino houses an extraordinary collection of bullfighting memorabilia, including paintings by Goya and Picasso, ornate trajes de luces (suits of lights) worn by famous matadors, and mounted bull heads from legendary fights. Whether or not you care for the spectacle, the museum offers an unvarnished look at a tradition that has shaped Seville's identity for centuries.

The Feria de Abril, held each spring, brings the most important corridas of the season to this ring. Even if you never attend a fight, walk past at dusk when the ring is lit and the facade seems to float above the riverbank promenade.