The city that invented the siesta out of necessity and the fiesta out of joy.
Plaza de España at 8am
The grandest plaza in Spain, empty. By 11 it's carriages and crowds — beat them.
Real Alcázar
Book the first slot. The gardens alone are worth the trip.
Rooftop hour
Terraces around the cathedral fill at sunset — the Giralda glows gold.
Triana for flamenco
Cross the bridge to where flamenco lives in tiled bars, not ticketed theaters.
Tapas standing up
Bar hop Calle Mateos Gago: one dish per bar, cold beer, keep it moving.