Devour food tours in Seville

We had never done a food tour as a family, let alone a Seville food tour. Doing this sort of activity with an 8- and 11-year-old raised concerns on a few levels for us, but we had heard the Sevilla Tapas were something we had to try.

Would this be a good vacation idea? We had just come to Sevilla from Granada, another amazing tapas town. Sevilla Tapas needed to be on its game after leaving behind the amazing tapas we had had there.

You see, our 8-year-old is one of the fussiest eaters you will ever encounter. So, first up, the food would be an issue for her. Would she eat Seville Tapas, or would we be left speechless by her turning down every dish?

Secondly, Devour Tours running time is 3.5 hours. Would this turn into a moan-and-complain session that would drive us and others on the tour mad?

Thirdly, would the Devour Seville tour guide be used for dealing with adults handling two loud and questioning Australian kids?

Let’s eat some Seville Food

As luck would have it we were the only ones on the Devour Seville Tastes, Tapas, and Traditions tour.  Devour Seville is a part of the Devour group that runs food tours across Europe in numerous cities.

Jamie was joined by Maria, who was in training to be a Devour Seville food tour Guide, and we all hit it off as we set off on our adventure. Our minds were at ease…this was going to be an amazing foodie experience.

Have you had Sevilla Tapas?

Our first stop was a family-run cafe just around the corner from our starting point called Bodega El Picadero ( there are numerous branches of this tapas bar in Seville). We had a breakfast speciality which was a pork stew called Tostá de pringá.

The stew comes served on a piece of toast as it is usually made from the leftover pork that is not sold at dinner time. For me, this was one of the best Sevilla Tapas I tasted on the tour, I know it is a big call for the first stop but it was delicious tapas. 

At this stop, Willow, our eldest, tried and liked it as well. Our youngest Marley opted for plain toast with jam. Jamie our guide was able to accommodate Marley’s tastes. This was a great start to the tour and a huge weight off our shoulders. We relaxed straight away, and Jamie knew exactly what he was doing.

Tapas (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈtapas]) are a wide variety of appetizers, or snacks, in Spanish cuisine. They may be cold (such as mixed olives and cheese) or hot (such as chopitos, which are battered, fried baby squid). In select bars in Spain, tapas have evolved into an entire, sophisticated cuisine. In Spain, patrons of tapas can order many different tapas and combine them to make a full meal

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We moved a few hundred meters into the Mercado de la Encarnación to talk all things jamon (Spanish Ham). You see, the Spanish take their ham seriously—I mean, very seriously. Jamon is one of Spain’s most prized foods. Cutting the jamon is an art form in itself. It usually takes years of practice to cut the ham into perfectly thin slices that the Spanish love.

The owner of Corta y Cata spends his day dicing and slicing some of the best Spanish hams available. The slicing is a real craft passed down from generation to generation and we watched in awe as he sliced the ham paper thin with so much ease.

We learnt all the different types of pigs and the food they are fed that goes into determining the price and the grade of Jamon.

One leg of ham can run into the hundreds of Euros if it comes from the free range pig with black trotters that has fed on acorns for the last month of its life. We tried a plate of Jamón ibérico de ballot (acorn-fed Iberian ham) I liked the ham, the texture was not what we are used to in Australia. Taking a Seville Food Tour is a good way to learn about the history and culture.

It is slightly chewy and the fat from the ham seems to coat your mouth allowing you to keep the flavour for longer.  The kids were not too sure of the Spanish ham they tried and were not so convinced that it was for them. There was chatter about colour and the fact it was a bit chewy, unlike the leg ham they so love in Australia.

Are you visiting Europe? Do you know what the most popular street foods are in Europe? We have a great article to help you in every European country.

Explore local establishments

Next, it was time for some cookies—yes, cookies, as our daughter’s eyes widen with anticipation. You see, cookies in Seville are the business of God. Yes, it is said the best cookies in Seville are made in the Convents.

In order to fund the Convents, the Nuns around the city have turned their hands from holding the Bible to holding a mixing spoon.

They make the best cookies in the city, and we are more than happy to agree with this! The Nuns of Convento Madre de Dios de la Piedad make a variety of cookies that you can purchase. We tried the Naranjitos Nuns’ cookies.

We watched as Jamie spoke to the Nun about biscuits that would not contain nuts, as we were not certain if Marley had an allergy. The biscuits were dusted with icing sugar and had a crumbly texture, but they were magnificent.

Jamie popped the rest in his bag, promising the girls he would give them the rest at the end (and he did!) By this stage, the girls were laughing and joking with Jamie and Maria.

They were both working on the girls to try new things and much to our amazement; they happily tried some of what was offered! How can a food tour with Devour convince them when we can’t?

Bar Fresquita pays homage to all things Holy Week. You see the owner loves Holy Week so much he opened a bar so he could celebrate Holy Week every day of the year! The bar has Holy Week playing on the TV and it has pictures of Holy Week on the walls. It’s uniquely Seville and it’s tiny. You would only fit half a dozen people inside which adds to the atmosphere.

Holy Week in Seville or Semana Santa de Sevilla as it’s known locally is one of the biggest festivals held annually in Seville. It is celebrated in the week leading up to Easter. Holy week is a festival of possession, floats which depict the events of the passion and the Virgin Mary in life like wooden sculptures.

At every stop on the Seville food tour we noticed that everyone knew Jamie, shook his hand and greeted him like he was a local expert. I think they were happy that the best food tour in Sevilla, showcases the food culture of Seville.

Tapa time with Devour Tours

The Montaditos with spicy chorizo & Roquefort cheese was amazing. The Spanish are famous for their Chorizo and I was not disappointed by this amazing sandwich washed down with a glass of Tinto de Verano.

Sevilla Tapas was starting to live up to its reputation. This local drink is very similar to Sangria but is made of one part red wine and one part soda. It is like a light version of sangria but very refreshing when visiting Seville.

The easiest way of describing a Montadito would be ‘little mini sandwiches’ but if you want a more technical answer, the word Montadito comes from the Spanish verb montar, meaning to mount, so this is a piece of bread with something mounted on top, aka a mini sandwich!

Jamie – Devour Seville

Sevilla Tapas is best washed down with a local wine

On to another of our favourite Seville tastes at La Goleta (The Schooner) La Goleta is a tiny bar in the Santa Cruz area owned by Alvaro Peregil.

It’s located close to the famous Seville Cathedral and The Seville Alcazar. This bar’s claim to fame is that the son of the late Flamenco singer Pepe Peregil owns it.

It might also have the smallest toilet in Spain, possibly even in the world. Until recently, it featured an open urinal inside the doorway for men. Now, it’s enclosed with the tiniest door, which rests against a man’s back while he uses the urinal—still just for men. Sorry, ladies! Originally established as a wine store by Alvaro’s grandfather in 1904, it still retains its original features.

The bar is one of the best places to try Melquiades Saénz aromatised orange wine during your time in Seville. It is served in a small shot glass, but you don’t shot it though rather you sip it. It didn’t burn like I thought it would but warmed your throat as it went down.

The orange wine was a taste sensation that both Bec and I really enjoyed, this one was definitely not for the girls! We loved it so much that we bought a bottle on departure and enjoyed it later on.

Stop number 6 was to try some fish. Funny enough, we had walked past Freiduría La Isla on our first day, and I had wanted to try this local food. Luckily, this food tour experience had brought us back here. 

The fish was lightly coated and tasty. This place was good as it was filled with locals of all ages eating fish and their other speciality potato crisps. We sampled the Manzanilla sherry while here.

This sherry is made in Southern Spain near Cadiz. It is sold throughout the city and is generic to this region of Spain.

It is a very pale, dry wine and goes great with the seafood we had. Both the girls had some of the fish and the crisps. It was one of the food options they loved.

La Taberna is tucked away in a back street but once you have tried the Tapas you will know why it’s packed out. The owners live above the restaurant, it’s so small that the cooking is done upstairs in their apartment and sent down by a dummy waiter.

We had a selection of  Sevilla Tapas to chose from including Brocheta de Mero, Grouper fish with prawns and peppers, huevos con chorizo, fried eggs, chorizo and delicious French fries, Arroz Ibérico, Iberian rice with all the delicious Iberian meats (chorizo, pork loin, jamón) and the Presa Ibérica which is the pork shoulder served with mojo picón sauce, a spicy sauce from the Canary Islands.

They are all made by Maria, the owner’s wife, who cooks them every day. Devour Seville generally books a table at this family-run tapas bar since there is limited seating in this popular place. I tried the huevos con chorizo and really enjoyed it.

Once again, the Spanish chorizo was spot on for me. Willow had the Grouper fish with prawns, and Marley had a modified meal of fried eggs and chips!

We finished off the tour by heading to La Campana to indulge our sweet tooth. You see, La Campana has been serving cakes and coffee to the people of Seville since 1885.

The staff still wear waistcoats and serve coffee and cake at the standing bar. There are several seats inside and some outside if you need to sit down while experiencing Seville.

While there, we had a selection of mini cakes to choose from, and the staff were more than happy to point out the ones with nuts in them. All the cakes met the approval of the Wyld children. Devour Seville certainly showed us the best Seville has to offer on this 3.5-hour tour.

The experience with Devour was amazing

While it sounded like a long time to be on a tour it honestly didn’t feel like that long, we stopped and enjoyed different types of food and drinks, at all places.  We did not feel rushed at any of the food stops in the tapas capital of the world. 

Both the girls were comfortable in all the places on tour and were greeted just as warmly as Bec and I were.  As there were so many stops, the distance between them was not far, and there were places to sit in most of the spots. Toilets are available in all but one place if you are a woman!

If you have any allergies or if you are unsure about a food you are not forced to eat it. Bec doesn’t really like fish but she will have a go at most things when we are on holiday. If you have anything you don’t want, just tell your local guide, and they will happily make sure there is something you will enjoy.

I can’t recommend Devour Seville highly enough. Not only were Bec and I happy, but the kids talked about it for days. Marley, our fussy 8-year-old, tried more food on that tour than she has in the last 12 months!

So now the question is have you had Sevilla Tapas or when are you booking your Sevilla Tapas Tour with Devour Seville?

Family Travel Activities in Seville to view and book Now!

• Skip the line Alcazar Tour Now, why wait
• There is no better way to explore than on a City Bike Tour
• Enjoy Seville from the river with a boat tour,
• Segway Tour
• Book a Skip the line at the Aquarium Sevilla
• Kayak Tour
• Horse riding just outside Seville is a unique experience fond out more HERE

Family-Friendly Hotels in Seville

1. Hotel Alfonso XIII, a Luxury Collection Hotel
   • A historic and luxurious option with spacious family rooms and a beautiful pool area. It’s centrally located, making it easy to explore the city.
2. Hotel Casa 1800 Sevilla
   • A charming boutique hotel offering family suites, complimentary afternoon tea, and a rooftop terrace with stunning views.
3. Gran Meliá Colón
   • This elegant hotel offers family rooms, a rooftop pool, and special amenities for children, such as welcome gifts and kid-friendly menus.
4. Petit Palace Santa Cruz
   • A great choice for families, offering rooms equipped with bunk beds, free bike rentals, and a convenient location near major attractions.
5. Barceló Sevilla Renacimiento
   • This modern hotel features family rooms, an outdoor pool, and is located near the Isla Mágica theme park, making it ideal for families with children.

How to Get to Seville

• By Air: Seville’s San Pablo Airport (SVQ) is about 10 km from the city centre. To reach your accommodation, you can take a taxi, airport shuttle, or a public bus (EA line).
• By Train: Seville is well-connected by train, with high-speed AVE trains running from Madrid, Barcelona, and other major cities. The main train station is Sevilla Santa Justa.
• By Car: Seville is accessible by car via major highways. If you plan to drive, be prepared for narrow streets in the city centre and consider parking options at your hotel.
• By Bus: Long-distance buses connect Seville with other Spanish cities and Portugal. The main bus station is Plaza de Armas.

Seville Public Transport

Seville has an efficient and varied public transport system, including:

• Metro: Seville has one metro line (Line 1) that runs from Ciudad Expo in the west to Olivar de Quintos in the east. It connects major points of interest and is a quick way to traverse the city.
• Buses: The city has an extensive bus network operated by TUSSAM, covering almost every corner of Seville. Buses are frequent and reliable.
• Trams: The MetroCentro tram line runs from Plaza Nueva to San Bernardo, providing easy access to key areas in the city center.
• Bikes: Seville is very bike-friendly, with extensive bike lanes and a public bike-sharing system called Sevici. It’s a great way to explore the city at your own pace.
• Taxis: Taxis are readily available and relatively affordable. You can hail them on the street or find them at taxi ranks throughout the city.

Enjoy your trip to Seville! It’s a wonderful city with plenty to offer for the whole family.

There are so many things to do in Seville that will keep your family entertained throughout their stay. Kids will enjoy participating in a variety of family activities.

Choosing the best vacation destinations, working out a budget, deciding what bags and suitcases to take, travelling essentials, and more can be time-consuming. Planning family travel can be stressful, and finding the best travel tips is essential. 

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For more amazing ideas on where to holiday in Spain, visit our Spain Destination Guide page.

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