Seville April Fair: flamenco dresses and sevillanas

Two weeks after Holy Week, Seville celebrates its April Fair, a week of dancing, drinking and socialising in a city of striped tents. Women wear flamenco dresses, horse carriages parade through the grounds, and sevillanas are danced late into the night.

Fun facts

• The fair began in 1847 as a livestock market.
• More than a thousand tents called casetas fill the fairground in Los Remedios.
• The fair opens with the alumbrao, when thousands of lanterns and the giant entrance gate are lit.

What to see

• The illuminated portada, the monumental entrance gate.
• The midday parade of horses and carriages through the fair streets.
• The Calle del Infierno, the fair's huge funfair.

What to taste

• Rebujito, manzanilla sherry mixed with lemon soda, the fair's signature drink.
• Pescaíto frito, crispy fried fish served in casetas.
• Jamón ibérico, cured ham sliced thinly by hand.

What to do

• Visit the public casetas, open to everyone, since many others are private.
• Learn a few steps of the sevillanas dance.
• Rest in Parque de María Luisa during the day.

💡 Tip: The fairground is south of the centre; special buses and the metro serve it. Locals dress smartly, so bring something a little elegant for the evening.