Free walking tours in Écija and what to see

Must-sees

Écija is known as the city of towers, and rightly so. From any square you can see Baroque bell towers covered in tiles, such as those of San Juan, Santa María or San Gil. The natural starting point is the Plaza de España, which everyone calls El Salón, renovated and with archaeological remains visible beneath the ground. Around it are churches, convents and shops, and it is the best place to get your bearings.

The palaces are the other big reason to come. The Palacio de Peñaflor has a long continuous balcony and a façade with mural paintings that catches the eye from the street. The Palacio de Benamejí houses the municipal history museum, with Roman mosaics from ancient Astigi and a very well-preserved Amazon statue. Also note the Plateresque doorway of the Palacio de Valdehermoso and take a look at the river Genil.

Free tours and guided visits

In Écija, pay-what-you-like free walking tours appear occasionally, mainly at weekends and in high season. When they run, they cover El Salón, the main towers and the palace façades, with explanations about the Roman past and the Baroque heyday. More common are guided visits of the historic centre and themed routes around churches and towers, some including a climb up a bell tower. There are also trips from Seville that include Écija together with Carmona or Osuna.

How long to spend

A full day is enough to see the essentials. In the morning visit the museum in the Palacio de Benamejí and explore El Salón and its surroundings. After lunch, and ideally late in the day in summer, stroll through the streets of towers and palaces. If you want to go into several churches at leisure, stay the night and use the next morning to finish the route before moving on.

Where to stay

Stay in the historic centre, near El Salón. It is the most convenient area for getting around on foot, has most of the restaurants and keeps you close to the palaces and towers. The surrounding streets are quiet at night. In summer the heat is intense, so make sure your accommodation has good air conditioning and, if you have a car, its own parking or parking nearby.