Visiting towns and cities doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg, in fact there are many things you can do or see which are absolutely free, which is even better still.
Some museums and historic buildings have free entry at certain times or for particular groups and there are always some great parks to visit, some even offering free bicycles if you are feeling energetic.
Our first trip takes us to the city of Sevilla, the capital of the autonomous region of Andalucia.
The Torre del Oro – Tower of Gold – forms part of the old city walls and was built in the 13th century to keep out marauding Christians. It got its name ‘Golden Tower’ because it was originally covered in gold tiles.
It is situated on the banks of the river and also houses a Naval Museum containing navigation charts, compasses, ancient documents and various models.
The tower is free to visit on Tuesdays.
The Parque Maria Luisa has tree-lined avenues, a central lake, fountains, statues and trees and plants from all over the world.
The park was donated to the city of Sevilla in 1893 by the Infanta María Luisa Fernanda de Borbón, Duchess of Montpellier and makes a great place for a stroll.
Entry is always free.
The old Merced Calzada Convent, which dates from the beginning of the 17th century, is the home of the Museo de Belles Artes – Museum of Fine Arts – and here you will see works by artists such as El Greco, Pacheco, Velázquez, Murillo, Alonso Cano and the religious painter Zurbarán.
The museum is in the Plaza del Museo and entry is free to all EU nationals and students.
Walking around costs nothing, and one of the most visited areas in Sevilla is the old Jewish quarter of Santa Cruz.
You can wander for hours through the backstreets and cobbled alleyways, and all for free.
The Museo de Artes y Costumbres Populares de Sevilla – Seville Museum of Art and Popular Customs – is another museum which is free entry for EU residents.
The museum is housed in the Mudejar Pavilion in Plaza de América, built for the Ibero-American Exhibition of 1929, and contains a permanent collection of lace, embroidery, ceramics, clothing, work tools, precious metalwork and musical instruments from the 16th to 19th centuries.
There are many religious buildings in Sevilla, including the third largest cathedral in the world, the Catedral de Sevilla, but most, including the cathedral, charge an entry fee for adults.
An exception is the Convento de Santa Paula with its mixture of Gothic and Renaissance architectural features.
So there we are, a few ideas for a day ‘on the cheap’ in the beautiful city of Sevilla.