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Among Spain’s finest art repositories, it is second only to the Prado in Madrid for its range of great Spanish paintings. Housed in a former 17th-century convent, the collection focuses on the Seville School, led by Zurbarán, Cano, Murillo and Valdés Leal, including Murillo’s touching Virgen de la Servilleta . Don’t miss El Greco’s poignant portrait of his son and the polychrome terracotta of St Jerome by Florentine sculptor Pietro Torregiano, a colleague of Michelangelo’s.

As the commemorative plaques adorning the façade reveal, this fine Baroque church is one of the most significant buildings in Spain – and not simply due to its unusual elliptical floorplan. On 29 March 1812 a group of Spanish patriots defied a Napoleonic blockade and met here to compose the country’s first constitution. The document’s liberal ideas have inspired fledgling democracies ever since.

This splendid 15th-century palace is a study in originality. The façade’s columns defy categorization, while the gallery evokes the Renaissance style, as does the double-tiered patio. The latter also sports a monumental Baroque staircase.

This 18th-century palace is a striking example of the Spanish Baroque style. The cornice is composed of waves and volutes, lending it a sense of movement. The family escutcheon crowns the carved stone doorway, which also has elaborate pillars. The palace has now been converted into a hotel and restaurant.

This semicircular plaza was designed as the centrepiece for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929. Almost completely covered with gorgeous glazed tiles, its surfaces depict historic moments and heraldic symbols of the 40 regions of Spain. A boating canal follows the arc of the structure, crossed by colourful footbridges. The site was used as a set in the film Star Wars: Attack of the Clones , for its other-worldly feel.

This exotic palace was primarily the brainchild of Pedro I, who had it built as a lavish love-nest for himself and his mistress, María de Padilla.

This sumptuous palace and extensive gardens constitute a world of royal luxury. The architectural styles are a blend of mainly Moorish traditions – note the lavish use of the horseshoe arch, glazed tilework and wood ceilings.

Seville’s most striking architectural masterpiece is its vast cathedral. Inside are soaring columns, precious artworks and the world’s largest altarpiece (see Seville Cathedral & La Giralda).

Legend has it that when the sevillanos decided to build their cathedral in the 15th century, they proclaimed their intention to erect an edifice so huge that later generations would call them mad. They achieved their aim with the largest church (by volume, not floorplan) in Christendom.