Christmas in Seville: lights, nativity scenes, markets and the Three Kings

Christmas is a very good time to come to Seville, and one of the least known among visitors. It’s sunny almost every day, the streets of the centre fill with lights, there’s a smell of roast chestnuts and there are nativity scenes everywhere. And outside the key dates, accommodation prices are far calmer than in spring.

Temperature data: AEMET averages at Seville airport. It rains on about seven or eight days a month, so bring a folding umbrella, but you can count on plenty of sunshine.

The lights

The Christmas lights go on at the end of November, usually on the last weekend of the month, and stay up until 6 January. In 2025 they were switched on on 29 November with a show on the Avenida de la Constitución. For 2026 it’s expected to be 27 or 28 November, but the City Council hasn’t confirmed the date yet.

The nativity scenes

In Seville, putting up the belén (the nativity scene) is almost a competition, and lots of institutions open theirs to the public, most of them for free. Some of the ones we like best, according to the 2025 official guide:

Ask at each place for this year’s opening hours, because they change on 24 and 31 December and on 5 January.

Markets

The most traditional is the Feria del Belén, between the Cathedral and the Archivo de Indias: stalls selling nativity figures, moss, cork and everything you need to build one at home. In 2025 it ran from 8 November to 23 December, mornings and afternoons.

On top of that, in 2025 there were craft and Christmas markets in the Jardines de Cristina, under Las Setas, on the Alameda and on the plaza de la Magdalena, and an ice rink in the Prado de San Sebastián. The 2026 locations are confirmed in November.

The Cabalgata de Reyes

On the afternoon of 5 January, the Ateneo’s Cabalgata, the Three Kings parade, winds through Seville for about six hours, with floats throwing sweets and thousands of families out in the street. In 2026 it set off at 16:15 from the University area, crossed to Triana over the Isabel II bridge and finished at around ten at night. The 2027 route is published in the autumn. If you’re coming with children, it’s the best day of the trip: bring a bag for the sweets.

Many neighbourhoods also have their own parade, nearly always on the 6th.

New Year’s Eve and Three Kings’ Day

There’s no big official New Year’s Eve party in the street. Sevillians usually eat the twelve grapes at home or in a restaurant and go out afterwards. 6 January is a public holiday and many shops close, so do your shopping beforehand.

Bear in mind too that the Real Alcázar closes on 25 December and on 1 and 6 January.

Where to stay at Christmas

A flat in the centre puts the lights, the nativity scenes and the markets a short walk away, and gives you a kitchen to make your own Christmas Eve dinner if you’d rather not go out. These are right in the old town:

Santa Cruz · Sevilla

Techos Altos de la Alfalfa

One bedroom plus a sofa bed for four, at street level in the historic centre

• 4 guests
• 1 bedroom
• 1.5 bathrooms

Lift · City view · Historic centre

Price depends on dates

Pick your dates to see the final price.

Alameda de Hércules · Sevilla

Hogar de San Lorenzo

Two bedrooms and 80 m² in San Lorenzo, a short walk from the Alameda

• 4 guests
• 2 bedrooms
• 1 bathroom

Washing machine · Historic centre

Price depends on dates

Pick your dates to see the final price.

You’ll find all of them in the historic centre. Check each listing for heating: December nights in old houses are chilly.