WhereToGoForMyHoliday.com

The best destination comparison site!

WhereToGoForMyHoliday.com

The best destination comparison site!

Copenhagen or Seville, which is better for your holiday in 2024?

Seville and Copenhagen both offer unique and enticing experiences, but which one should you choose for your city break or holiday?

We recognise the difficulty in making this decision. While there is abundant information available on both destinations, clear guidance on which city better aligns with your travel preferences is often hard to find.
This article aims to provide an impartial comparison,and hopefully help you to choose the best city to visit.

The article is structured into several sections, each of which can be directly accessed through the following links:
• Introduction to the cities
• Scores and ratings
• Which one should I, friends, or family visit?
• When to visit and weather
• Who is the city suited for?
• The perfect 48hours (with map)
• Tourism details (where to stay? airport details?)

Introduction to Copenhagen and Seville

Seville as a destination reflects that of the city’s famous dance, the flamenco; it is hot, passionate and instantly captivating. Seville boasts exceptional tourist attractions , and it’s rich cultural heritage will leave you longing for more.

Modern Seville is the interplay of its turbulent past, blending together Moorish roots and Christian influence in a city which wants to enjoy and embrace the present. Seville’s heritage is proudly displayed throughout the city, from the magnificent Alcázar palace, to the towering cathedral, mouth-watering tapas restaurants and impromptu flamenco dances.
Strangely, Seville typically lacks the appeal to the younger generation of tourists, but chance a trip and fall in love with the flare of southern Spain.

Sleek yet historic, gritty yet creative, Copenhagen fuses all the contradictions of Scandinavia in one outstanding city.
Yes, it's pricy. But your money buys quality in these parts, whether that's the crispy Danish pastry in the morning, the single-origin coffee beans, or those craft beers in the independent drinkeries.

Once the home of Hans Christian Andersen, the city's Indre By – the historic core – is all weaving cobbled lanes and flower-strewn cottages from centuries gone by. Meanwhile, over in districts like Christianshavn and Vesterbro, there's a buzz and energy about proceedings.

Don't forget that this capital is the veritable home of New Nordic cooking, putting foraged foods and mind-boggling flavour combos front and centre…

Nyhavn Copenhagen

The canals and traditional houses of the Nyhavn district (Copenhagen) are always a favourite with tourists

waterfront Seville

The Torre del Oro once guarded the Guadalquivir river and Seville

High-level summary for Copenhagen or Seville

Summary
Where would I journey for a personal escape?
Copenhagen
Where would I send my parents for a memorable visit?
Seville
Where's the ideal destination for my adventurous 19-year-old cousin?
Seville (Copenhagen to expensive for him!)
Where should my food-obsessed friend indulge their culinary passions?
Copenhagen
Note: The above comparisons are weather-independent and are based on travel during the most opportune times of the year. Details about the ideal travel seasons are elaborated upon later in this article.

In the sections that follow, you'll find a comprehensive comparison between these two fascinating cities. This includes recommendations on the duration of stay, the best times to visit, and tailored 48-hour itineraries for each city.
The final segment delves into practicalities for your travels, such as the best airport to fly into, the optimal districts for your accommodation, and insider tips, for when you come to explore the city.

We hope that you find all of this information useful, in planning your next exciting trip!

Destination details

How long to spend each city?

There are two sides to Copenhagen. There's the side that most visitors will aim to see, and that's all neatly packaged up for a quick two- or three-day break. Then there's the more local side. That can take weeks, or even months to enjoy to the fullest.

The upshot is that everything from short fly-in city breaks to longer jaunts are doable in the Danish capital – there's enough to keep you going, provided you've got the money to keep going!

In addition, it's worth thinking about what out-of-town excursions you might want to do from Copenhagen. These will inevitably add some time to the trip but are also downright tempting.
The likes of the ancient Viking capital of Roskilde, and the Swedish city of Malmo, are both on the menu.

Seville calls for a more unhurried exploration to truly soak in its relaxed pace and tapas culture. Two days in Seville allow for a comprehensive sightseeing experience, though a single, brisk day could cover the essentials.

Be mindful of the extreme summer heat, necessitating an earlier start to your day and a slower pace.
For those looking to venture beyond, day trips to historic Cordoba, the coastal city of Cadiz, or the dramatic Pueblos Blancos are worthwhile, though the latter may require a rental car or guided tour due to limited public transport options.
Insight: While Granada is a captivating destination, it is best experienced as part of a longer itinerary, perhaps alongside Seville and Málaga, for a fulfilling week-long holiday.

Tivoli Gardens Copenhagen

Tivoli Gardens theme park, in the centre of Copenhagen is the second oldest theme park in the world, and was original constructed in 1850 with the aim of "when the people are amusing themselves, they do not think about politics”

Catedral de Sevilla

The Gothic Catedral de Sevilla

Copenhagen's weather often surprises visitors, being neither as bleak as they may assume nor as cold as it is frequently lumped together with its neighboring Scandinavian countries.

Summer is Copenhagen's most beloved season, and the city emerges from its casing of snow and ice to become a real outdoorsy gem. In the capital, this means the canal-side cafes of Christianshavn come alive with al fresco drinkers, and the breweries expand into leafy gardens. This is also the time to enjoy the famous Brygge Harbour Bath and the other marina swimming spots in full swing.

Spring and autumn are good alternatives, particularly if you're on a tight budget. Already high prices can soar in Copenhagen during the summer months.
Winter offers its own charm, peaking around Christmas when the Tivoli market fills the air with the aromas of gingerbread and spiced wine. January, although cooler, is more economical and often adorned with a captivating blanket of snow.

The best time of year to visit Seville is during the two festival periods of Semana Santa (held in the week before Easter) and the Feria de Abril (starting two weeks after Easter).
For a regular trip, late autumn and early spring are the best seasons, as during the long summer (June-September) the city is oppressively hot. Winter provides good value and fewer tourists but there is always the potential of rain.

Seville is a pleasure to visit, so long as you can either handle (or avoid) the extreme heat. This is a city for a slower paced trip, to enjoy time in the open-air cafes and to embrace the culture of Andalusia. This makes the city ideal for a break from a stressful lifestyle or hectic work schedule back at home.

The ambience typically appeals to a slightly older visitor, but to assume Seville is a mature destination would be completely wrong. There are exciting tourist attractions, a colourful nightlife and a social atmosphere. One of the appeals of Seville is that it is not a common city break and few of your friends will have been there.

Copenhagen is tailor-made for creative, 30s-something city slickers. Bohemian cafes meet cutting-edge beer halls and restaurants that are breaking the mould, while workshops, design studios, and galleries cram the old town. If you're culturally engaged and enjoy places that fuse the old and the new, you could hardly do any better.

Copenhagen is famously expensive. Expect to pay around the 60kr mark (€8/$9) for a beer in most places – and even that's a decent deal! Hotels will cost a lot, no matter the season, and eating out is off the cards for anyone on a shoestring budget.
You can mitigate that if you picnic and dodge the pubs, but it's not really the place for travelers watching the pennies.

Rosenborg Castle Copenhagen

Grand Rosenborg Castle, was built as a summer residence by Frederik II in 1624, and today houses the royal treasury and displays the Danish crowns

Plaza de España

The Plaza de España is always a highlight of Seville

Copenhagen offers so much for a fun-packed 48 hours. Below is an interactive tour map - day 1 is highlighted in green and day 2 in yellow.

Day 1: Begin the first day in the Rådhuspladsen, where the ochre-tinged walls of the City Hall dominate the skyline. This is a beating hub of the city, and you might find concert stages or markets taking place on the plaza. The bustling shopping street of Strøget starts here. Hit that to move between high-street retailers and lively pubs. The walk will take you all the way to Nyhavn.

This is a charming, historic area with 17th-century canals. The painted houses are a favourite with photographers, and you can opt to do a canal boat tour from the docks. Lunchtime is over in the Bridge Street Kitchen. Sprawling across Greenlandic Trade Square, it's a casual food mecca, with hotdogs mixing with falafel pitas and sourdough pizza breads.

Full? Good – Christiania awaits. This gritty artist community come squat is a unique bohemian commune. There are some pushy drug dealers and lots of tourists, but it's worth a stop. The spire of the lovely Church of Our Saviour is sure to pull you down to one end of the area, before hopping back over to Slotsholmen for a sighting of the grand Christiansborg Palace, the home of the Danish parliament.

Latin Quarter Copenhagen

The side streets of the Latin Quarter (Latinerkvarteret) are a joy to explore

Day 2: If it's sunny, there's never a better way to kick-off a day in Copenhagen than down on the marina. Free to enter and bustling with life, the Brygge Harbour Bath lets you swim in the refreshing waters of the Baltic Sea right in the heart of town.
Dry off and then grab a Danish pastry on your way up to the Indre By, where you can get lost in weaving lanes of cobblestone. The vast Rosenborg Slot sits at the far end of the district. A mighty palace from the 1600s, it's packed with art and can take a few hours to explore.

Nearby Torvehallerne will do nicely for food, with its array of local Scandi dishes. A hop across the water to hipster Nørrebro is great if you're craving a beer or a coffee – Brus is a good option.
Then head back south to Frederiksstaden district. It's crowned by the Rococo Amalienborg Palace, sports stunning churches, and buts up to the old town, where you'll find loads of bars and eateries to cap off the evening.

Christiansborg Palace Copenhagen

Christiansborg Palace is the Danish Parliament building along with the official residence of the Prime minister

Below is an interactive map for 48 hours in Seville; day 1 is highlighted in green and day 2 in yellow, with optional sights in grey.

Start the day in the impressive Catedral de Sevilla, and climb to the top of La Giralda bell tower for a wonderful viewpoint. Surrounding the cathedral is the atmospheric Santa Cruz district, with its traditional houses and narrow cobblestone streets, which follow the old medieval layout of the city.

For the afternoon, visit the grand Plaza de España and the adjoining Parque de Maria Luisa. Towards the end of the day join a cruise along the Guadalquivir River. For dinner, head to the Triana district for an authentic Tapas meal. This district is also where flamenco dancing originated, and one of the bars may well have some impromptu dancing happening during the evening.

Real Alcázar palace seville

The gardens of the Real Alcázar palace

For the second day, start by visiting the Real Alcázar palace, the finest example of Mudéjar architecture which fuses Arabic and Christian designs. For the afternoon, head north of the historic centre and explore the popular shopping streets of Calle Sierpes. End the afternoon at the Setas De Sevilla, a massive wooden structure and great viewpoint.
In the evening, watch a flamenco performance at the La Carbonería.

Setas De Sevilla

The Setas De Sevilla is the world’s largest wooden structure, but few know what it actually is or the point of it……

Seville airport (SVQ) is 10km northeast from the city centre, and is connected by a regular bus service (35min €4.00). Many of the low-cost airlines focus on the coastal cities of southern Spain instead of Seville, which means the cost of flights can be surprisingly high - plus there are fewer departures. This means that demand for flights can be very high in summer (when the city is best avoided).

This high level of tourism also means that hotels tend to be more expensive than much of Spain, and it’s likely you will spend much more than you anticipated! If you are lucky enough to visit during the two festivals, book your accommodation well in advance. Seville is compact and very easy to explore on foot.

Maestranza bullring seville

The Maestranza bullring; bullfighting is an important tradition in Seville

The infrastructure of Copenhagen is amazing, and you will leave wondering why other cities struggle so badly…
The impressive and uber-efficient Kastrup Airport is the gateway to Copenhagen. A mere 6km from the center, you can hop from the terminals to the downtown by train in just 15 minutes or so. Use either the direct lines or metro links. Tickets are purchased on the station platforms and cost in the region of 36 DKK.

Copenhagen city hall

Copenhagen city hall and the Rådhuspladsen, the main plaza of the city

Copenhagen has many hotels and accommodation options, but the city has one of highest occupancy rates of Europe (a yearly average of 81%). That means booking early is key. We'd recommend trying to score somewhere in the Indre By area.
The old core, it's close to all the main sights. If you're on a tighter budget, going north to Nørrebro might offer a few extra deals. Meanwhile, the Vesterbro district is an up and coming area, which is trendy and a touch edgy. Frederiksstaden is a more refined and contains many of the smarter hotels.

If you want to get around like a real CPH local, then there's nothing for it but to rent a bike. These are cheap and easy to find in pretty much any area of town. A full day's cycling should cost around 150 DKK (£22).

Copenhagen is a very safe city, especially for a capital. People are often eager to help and there are good public services in general. Be more wary if you're venturing off the beaten track. Certain corners of Nørrebro and Christiania can be sketchy, particularly after dark.

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