Private Seville City Tour by Eco Tuk-Tuk

Triana and the Triana Bridge

Triana lies across the Guadalquivir from the old centre and has always had its own character. It was the district of sailors and potters, and it is closely tied to the story of flamenco and to Seville's tile-making tradition. The iron bridge that links it to the centre was built in the nineteenth century and is among the most photographed views of the river.

A private Triana tour by tuk-tuk lets your guide point out the ceramics workshops, the riverfront and the colourful houses without the heat and the steps of exploring on foot. Is Triana worth visiting? Yes, and this ride is a good first look before you return for a meal along the river, when the evening light is at its best.

Plaza de España

Plaza de España is Seville's most striking square, built for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929. A huge half-circle of brick buildings with towers wraps around a canal crossed by four bridges, and along the wall each Spanish province is represented by a tiled alcove. The setting is so grand that visitors often stop and stare for the first time.

The 60-minute tour stops here, and the longer routes give you even more time. Your guide explains the exposition, the design and the best viewpoints, and you can take photos without crowds around you at a time of your choice. How to get to Plaza de España is simple on this tour: your driver brings you straight to the square. The square is an open public space, and the canal boats are paid separately.

María Luisa Park and Plaza de América

María Luisa Park is Seville's green heart, a shady park of palms, fountains, ponds and tile-decorated benches laid out for the same 1929 exposition. Doves gather around the paths, and in spring the scent of orange blossom fills the air. It is the pleasant side of Seville, and the open tuk-tuk is a lovely way to feel its calm.

At the southern end, Plaza de América is framed by three exposition pavilions in Gothic, Renaissance and Mudéjar styles, which now house museums. The route passes them at an easy pace, and your guide describes the park's history. The best time to visit María Luisa Park is in the morning or late afternoon, when shade and light are at their best.

Palacio de San Telmo and the former Royal Tobacco Factory

Palacio de San Telmo is a large baroque palace beside the river with an ornate carved doorway and today houses the government of Andalusia. Built as a naval school, it shows how Seville's wealth once came from trade with the Americas. Close by is the former Royal Tobacco Factory, an eighteenth-century industrial building so large that it was compared to a palace, now part of the University of Seville.

These two buildings are easy to miss on foot, as they stand a little away from the busiest sights, but they are an important part of the story of Seville. Your guide explains why the city was so rich and what these buildings once did. Entry to the interiors is not included, and the exteriors are the main interest.

Torre del Oro, the river and the Real Maestranza

The Torre del Oro, a twelve-sided watchtower from the thirteenth century, stands on the east bank of the Guadalquivir, where it once guarded the port and anchored a chain across the river. The tower now houses a small naval museum, and the riverside promenade around it is a favourite place in Seville for an evening stroll.

Close by, the Real Maestranza is one of Spain's oldest and most beautiful bullrings, with a white-and-ochre facade from the eighteenth century. The route passes both, and a private tuk-tuk allows quick photos where there is room to stop. Opening hours for the tower change through the year, so ask us if you want to go in after your ride.

La Cartuja island

The two-hour route adds La Cartuja, the island formed by the Guadalquivir to the north-west of the centre. At its heart stands the Monastery of Santa María de las Cuevas, founded in the fifteenth century and later turned into a ceramics factory, with tall brick chimneys still visible among the gardens.

Seville hosted a world exposition on this island in 1992, and today the monastery is a cultural centre with a contemporary art museum, surrounded by parks and wide paths. The ride here is peaceful and different from the busy centre, and it explains how Seville reinvented itself in the late twentieth century. Entry to the exhibitions is not included.