{"id":74832,"date":"2023-02-09T15:46:40","date_gmt":"2023-02-09T14:46:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/visitanddo_1790.test\/?p=74832"},"modified":"2026-09-30T23:06:27","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T21:06:27","slug":"feria-de-abril-de-sevilla-en-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/en\/feria-de-abril-de-sevilla-en-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"Seville April Fair"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The April Fair is Seville\u2019s biggest festival, held every spring two weeks after Holy Week at the Real de la Feria, in the Los Remedios neighbourhood. For six days, the city is filled with festival marquees, lanterns, sevillanas and flamenco dresses, and the atmosphere shifts entirely to this venue on the other side of the Guadalquivir. It does not have a fixed date on the calendar: as it depends on Holy Week, it changes every year, which is why one of the most common questions is exactly when it takes place.<\/p>\n\n

If you\u2019re visiting from out of town and want to explore the city without having to worry about transport or logistics, a excursion to Seville from Malaga<\/a> A day trip allows you to explore the city, stroll through the city centre and, depending on the time of year, soak up the atmosphere of the Feria. Below you\u2019ll find all the practical information: when it takes place, where it\u2019s held, what you shouldn\u2019t miss and how to get there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The flamenco dress is one of the hallmarks of the Feria.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When is the Seville April Fair?<\/h2>\n

The April Fair does not have a fixed date: the long-standing rule is that it begins two weeks after Easter Sunday, that is, two weeks after the end of Holy Week. For this reason, although its name refers to April, in some years part of the celebration takes place in May. It lasts six days, Tuesday to Sunday<\/strong>, a format that the City Council reintroduced following a public consultation.<\/p>\n

The unofficial kick-off is on the evening of Monday<\/strong>, the day before, with the traditional dinner on little fish<\/strong> at the stalls. At midnight, the moment everyone has been waiting for arrives: the light-up<\/strong>, the simultaneous switching on of the lights at the main entrance and throughout the entire site, which marks the official start of the Fair in the early hours of Tuesday morning. The festivities draw to a close on the last Sunday evening with a fireworks display over the Guadalquivir.<\/p>\n

Dates for the next edition:<\/strong> The April Fair 2027 takes place from Tuesday 13 to Sunday 18 April<\/strong>, with the \u2018pesca\u00edto\u2019 dinner and the \u2018alumbrao\u2019 on the evening of Monday 12th. In 2027, Easter Sunday falls on 28 March, hence these dates. Please also bear in mind that \u2018Mi\u00e9rcoles de Feria\u2019 is a local bank holiday in Seville. It is always advisable to check the calendar with official sources, such as Seville City Council, before organising your trip.<\/p>\n

As for opening hours, from Monday to Thursday, the Real comes alive in the afternoon and evening, roughly from 8.00 pm to 4.00 am; on Fridays and Saturdays, it\u2019s busy from midday until the early hours; and on Sundays, it closes at midnight with the fireworks.<\/p>\n\n

What you shouldn\u2019t miss at the April Fair<\/h2>\n

The Fair has its own rhythm and traditions. These are the elements that define it and make the difference between merely passing through the Real and truly enjoying it.<\/p>\n\n

The \u2018alumbrao\u2019 (the switching on of the streetlights)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"The
The front cover, a temporary feature whose design changes with every issue.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The \u2018alumbrao\u2019 marks the start of the festivities. At midnight on Monday night, the main entrance and all the lights across the fairground are switched on simultaneously, and the crowd celebrates this as the official start of the Feria. The entrance arch is a huge temporary structure whose design changes every year and features more than 20,000 light bulbs: it becomes the visual symbol of that year\u2019s Fair and one of the most photographed spots. Across the Real fairground as a whole, some 90,000 lanterns are hung.<\/p>\n\n

The stalls<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Stalls
The marquees are the heart of the fair: that\u2019s where people eat, drink and dance.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The marquees are the heart of the Feria: over a thousand marquees decorated with lights, flowers and flags, where people eat, drink, chat and dance. Each one has its own d\u00e9cor and atmosphere, ranging from the most traditional, centred on flamenco and local cuisine, to more modern and laid-back ones.<\/p>\n

Most of them are private<\/strong>, run by families, social clubs, religious brotherhoods, companies or associations, and you need an invitation from a member to get in. But there are also public toilets<\/strong>, run by political parties, trade unions, local authorities and associations, and open to all. If you don\u2019t know anyone with a stall, these are the best way to experience the atmosphere from the inside: it\u2019s a good idea to find out where they are before you go, rather than winging it on the day.<\/p>\n\n

Dancing sevillanas<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Sevillanas music plays non-stop in the festival marquees all week long.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sevillanas are the quintessential dance of the Feria and can be heard non-stop in the casetas. You don\u2019t need to be an expert to enjoy them: many visitors give it a go, even if it\u2019s their first time. It\u2019s also a great week to see flamenco artists perform live, both at the Real and in the tablaos in the city centre. The women usually wear a flamenco dress and the men a \u2018traje corto\u2019 or \u2018campero\u2019, the traditional Andalusian riding outfit.<\/p>\n\n

Rebujito and the food at the Feria<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Rebujito is served in jugs and shared at the table in the marquee.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Rebujito, a refreshing mix of fino or manzanilla sherry with lime-lemon fizzy drink, is the traditional drink of the Feria and is served by the jug in the casetas. It is accompanied by Andalusian cuisine: fried fish, baby squid, anchovies, marinated dogfish, Iberian ham, prawn fritters, gazpacho and salmorejo, all to be shared at the table. And in the early hours of the morning, churros with hot chocolate.<\/p>\n\n

What to wear to the fair<\/h3>\n

The Feria has its own dress code. It is not compulsory to wear a flamenco dress, although many women do so during the festival, but it is advisable to dress smartly: trainers and shorts are out of place. Bear in mind, too, that some marquees, particularly the private ones, have a dress code and may require men to wear a jacket and tie and women to wear a dress.<\/p>\n\n

The horse ride and the atmosphere at the Real<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Lanterns
Lanterns and garlands lining the sand-covered streets of the Real at dusk.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

During the day, the Real takes on a different atmosphere with the parade of horses and horse-drawn carriages: riders, female riders and carriages wind their way through the streets of albero in a procession that is a tradition in its own right. It is the best time to experience the most traditional side of the Feria, before the atmosphere shifts back to the marquees in the afternoon and evening.<\/p>\n

Even if you don\u2019t know anyone who\u2019ll invite you to their marquee, just wandering around the site and soaking up the atmosphere makes it worth a visit. A handy tip: don\u2019t arrange to meet your group at the main entrance. It\u2019s the first thing that springs to everyone\u2019s mind, and it\u2019s exactly where it\u2019s hardest to find each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You can find more information at<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Official website of Seville City Council<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Where it takes place: the Real de la Feria (Los Remedios)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Attractions
Calle del Infierno is where the fairground\u2019s attractions are concentrated.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The April Fair is held at the Real de la Feria, a site covering some 450,000 square metres situated on Avenida de la Prensa, in the Los Remedios neighbourhood, on the opposite bank of the Guadalquivir from the historic centre. Every year, the entire infrastructure is set up there: the entrance arch, the \u2018albero\u2019 streets named after bullfighters, over a thousand marquees and the fairground area known as the Hell Street<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The area is laid out in a grid of streets, which makes it easier to find your way around. It\u2019s worth bearing in mind that during the Fair the neighbourhood gets absolutely packed \u2014 the festival attracts over two million visitors every year \u2014 so getting around on foot is usually the most convenient option once you\u2019ve reached the area.<\/p>\n\n

How to get to the April Fair from Seville city centre<\/h2>\n

The Real is relatively close to the centre of Seville, but the traffic and current restrictions mean that driving isn\u2019t a good option. It\u2019s usually best to walk if you\u2019re staying nearby, as crossing the Guadalquivir via the Triana or Los Remedios bridges is a manageable stroll.<\/p>\n

If you prefer to use public transport, here are the options:<\/p>\n