At SVQ, stay airside—small airport with limited buffer, so remain near boarding.
A 3-hour layover is marginal. The bus takes 35 minutes, which cuts your window significantly. Take a taxi (EUR 22) instead to save 15 minutes each way. Walk from the taxi drop-off to the Cathedral exterior (free to view outside) and the adjacent Barrio Santa Cruz, a dense network of whitewashed streets. Spend 45 minutes there and head back.
Take the EA bus from the airport to Puerta de Jerez (35 minutes, EUR 4). Walk 5 minutes to the Alcazar of Seville, a working royal palace with UNESCO status. Entry costs EUR 14.50 and takes 1.5 hours. Book tickets online in advance as queues can exceed 45 minutes. Eat lunch at Bar Gonzalez on Calle Mateos Gago: tapas from EUR 2.50 each.
With 10 hours, visit the top of the Giralda tower (included in Cathedral entry, EUR 12) for views over the rooftops. Add the Metropol Parasol wooden structure at Plaza de la Encarnacion (EUR 5, rooftop views, 20 minutes north of the Cathedral). In summer, start early: Seville's heat peaks between 2pm and 6pm.
