Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza

The Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza de Caballería is one of the oldest and most prestigious bullrings in Spain. It belongs to the Real Maestranza de Caballería, a noble institution founded to train cavalry, and it stands on the small rise known as the Baratillo in the Arenal district by the river. A first wooden ring stood here in the 1730s; the present building was started in the mid 18th century, and its construction dragged on for more than a century, partly because Carlos III banned bullfighting in the 1780s. It was only completed in 1881, and in 1914 and 1915 Aníbal González rebuilt the stone stands in brick.

Whatever your view of bullfighting, the building is a fine piece of Sevillian baroque architecture. The arena is slightly oval rather than perfectly round, the arcades are painted in the white, ochre and red of the Arenal, and the Palco del Príncipe, the box reserved for the royal family, has an elaborate gateway completed in 1765. The ring holds around 12,000 people.

Visits run throughout the day, with options including audio guides, guided tours, private visits and visits for families. The visit covers the stands and the sand of the arena, the chapel where bullfighters pray before entering the ring, and a museum of paintings, engravings, posters and costumes from the 18th to the 20th centuries, including an early silk poster and a costume donated by a member of the royal family. Visitors learn about the history of the Maestranza and the traditions of the Seville fair.

The bullfighting season runs roughly from Easter to late September, with the most important programme during the April Fair. On days with a fight, tours finish early, so check the calendar if you are visiting in season. Tickets for the tour can be bought at the entrance or online. The tour involves stairs and uneven surfaces in places, and anyone uncomfortable with the subject may prefer to admire the façade from outside.

The bullring is on the Paseo de Cristóbal Colón, a few minutes' walk from the Torre del Oro and across the road from the river. The Teatro de la Maestranza opera house and the bars of the Arenal, many decorated with bullfighting memorabilia, are all close by, and the Cathedral is about ten minutes away on foot.