There are enough sights in Seville to wear down the most ardent ruin-watcher and church-spotter. Before getting into the details, take a stroll along the banks of the Guadalquivir river to get a feel for the city. It’s bigger than you might think, and the river is one of the few places where you are free from the heave of cars and people. En route you’ll pass the Torre de Oro, the Maestranza bull ring, several grand bridges and a string of inviting green spaces.

Head north into town from the river and you hit the pretty María Luisa park, built for the 1929 Ibero-American fair, as was the adjacent Plaza de España, a fan-shaped swathe of majestic buildings fronted by water features and clad in a stupendous riot of tiles illustrating Spain’s 40 provinces. It may look cheesy, but a slow trot on one of the horse-drawn sulkies parked up at the Plaza is the nicest ride in town.

Beyond the grand university buildings, formerly the tobacco factory where Carmen was employed, lie the gardens of the fabulous Alcázar (Patio de Banderas, 954 502 324, closed Mon). The origins of this fortress palace go back to the eighth century, but the finest parts were built for Pedro the Cruel who installed himself here in the 1360s. While his unfortunate wife was locked in the basement, he cavorted with his mistress in a sublime oasis of gardens, cool marble patios and ornate craftsmanship. The wooden ceiling of the Salón de Embajadores – dripping with gilded stalactites over a room encrusted with virtuoso plasterwork and tiling – is equally impressive. The Alcázar’s eastern walls overlook Santa Cruz, whose tiny, whitewashed streets are crammed with churches, melancholic guitarists and dusty old tapas bars.

Next door is the great hulk of the cathedral, the largest in the world in terms of volume. Inside are great chains hanging from the ceiling and flying buttresses supporting the tonnes of stonework. Don’t miss the Giralda, a minaret that has become the symbol of Seville; along with the orange tree patio, it is one of the few visible remains of the mosque that originally occupied this site. For the best views of the city, climb up its 40 floors of gently sloping ramps, built so that the muezzin could ride his horse to the top, from where he called the faithful to prayer.

• Tourist information: Avenida de la Constitución 21 (954 221 404, www.andalucia.org).