What to see in Carmona from Seville: the necropolis, the Puerta de Sevilla and the opening hours that make or break the trip
Carmona can be seen in half a day from Seville and costs only a few euros. What makes or breaks the trip is not the list of monuments but the day of the week and the time you arrive: here are the opening hours that change everything.
Carmona is worth it as a half-day trip from Seville, for its Roman necropolis, the Puerta de Sevilla and its old town. It is not worth it if you are after one spectacular monument after another: several sites are modest, and their opening hours change with the season and the day.
This guide sorts out what is worth seeing, what you can take or leave and, above all, when to go. A Monday, or arriving after lunch, can leave you facing closed doors.
What is really worth seeing in Carmona?
The Roman necropolis is the best reason to go. It preserves burial chambers and mausoleums cut into the rock, and takes 45 minutes to 1 h 15 to walk round. It is not a reconstructed Roman town: anyone expecting mosaics everywhere will come away disappointed.
The Alcázar de la Puerta de Sevilla is the most recognisable monument, with views over the rooftops and the surrounding countryside, and needs 30 to 45 minutes. The old town, between Plaza de San Fernando, Santa María and the gates, takes 1 h 30 to 3 h on foot depending on which churches are open.
| Site | Real interest | Time | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roman necropolis | The most original | 45 min to 1 h 15 | No, self-guided visit |
| Alcázar de la Puerta de Sevilla | Views and fortifications | 30 to 45 min | No, except guided tours |
| Old town | Streets, palaces, patios | 1 h 30 to 3 h | No |
| Prioral de Santa María | If it is open | 20 to 40 min | No, but variable hours |
| Puerta de Córdoba | As part of a walk | 15 to 30 min | Depends on opening |
| Museo de la Ciudad | Secondary on a first visit | 30 to 60 min | No |
How much does it cost to get into each site?
The Alcázar de la Puerta de Sevilla costs €2 general admission and €1 for children, students and pensioners, and is free on Mondays. That free entry applies to the Alcázar, not to the whole town.
For the necropolis, the Junta de Andalucía publishes an entry fee that is free for European Union citizens who can prove it, and €1.50 for everyone else. Another tourist page just says "free", without that distinction: both versions coexist, so bring your passport or ID card.
On the Junta's version, a British passport does not count as EU citizenship, so UK visitors should expect to pay the €1.50, while Irish citizens qualify for free entry.
The price of the Museo de la Ciudad does not appear on the pages consulted. Nor is there a permanent combined pass: the only documented combined ticket, €10 full price and €4 reduced, from 11 June to 10 July 2017, was a one-off offer.
Guided tours of Carmona start from around €12 per person, and that price pays for the guide, not the admission. Before booking a trip from Seville, compare what is included: transport, guide, tickets and length.
See day trips and tours from Seville →Affiliate link: booking through it helps keep this guide going, and costs you nothing extra.Which day and what time should you go?
From 16 September to 31 March the necropolis opens Tuesday to Saturday from 9:00 to 18:00, and Sundays and public holidays from 9:00 to 15:00. In summer, from 1 July to 15 September, it opens Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 15:00, closed on Mondays.
Monday is Carmona's trap: the Alcázar is free, but the necropolis is closed, except on some Mondays before a public holiday that not every page mentions. The best option is a day from Tuesday to Saturday, arriving before 10:00 and doing the necropolis first.
Photo: Anual, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Why do the opening hours differ from one page to another?
Because they describe different things. The monuments leaflet gives the Alcázar as open Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 to 18:00 and Sunday from 10:00 to 15:00, with last entry half an hour before closing.
The tourist office, located in the Alcázar itself, publishes Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 18:00, and Sundays and public holidays from 10:00 to 14:00. Those are its own opening hours, not necessarily the monument's: it is worth calling +34 954 19 09 55 before you set off.
The Museo de la Ciudad opens from 11:00 to 19:00 between 1 September and 15 June, with shorter hours on Mondays, and from 10:00 to 14:00 between 16 June and 31 August. The Junta's listing only gives the summer hours, so arriving in mid-afternoon in July you will find it closed.
Half a day or a full day?
For the necropolis, the Alcázar, a walk round the old town and a short break, 3 to 4 hours on the ground are enough. It is the format that fits best with a base in Seville, although it leaves little slack if a site turns out to be closed.
The full visit, with Santa María, the museum, a meal and perhaps a guided tour, takes 5 to 7 hours. It is only worth it if you want to go deeper into the heritage. None of the sources consulted gives the walking time between the necropolis and the old town, which are some way apart.
Photo: Jose Luis Filpo Cabana, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Worth taking with a pinch of salt
The "grand monumental circuit" sold by some leaflets counts palaces and churches that can only be seen from outside or open for short windows. The churches, what is more, do not work like museums: a mass or a wedding can close the inside of Santa María without notice.
Themed guided tours do not run every day or in every language, and no source guarantees a fixed date in English or French. The official guided tours page warns that booking may require paying for the Alcázar tickets in advance.
Carmona works best as a day trip from a base in Seville, leaving early to arrive before 10:00. A place to stay near the bus station or with an easy exit onto the motorway saves the first half hour.
See places to stay in Seville →Affiliate link: booking through it helps keep this guide going, and costs you nothing extra.If your trip is short, Carmona competes with the big monuments in the city: the guide to what to see in Seville helps you decide, and the three-day Seville itinerary shows where half a day out fits in. To go without a car, the guide to getting around Seville explains the metropolitan bus; none of the sources consulted publishes the 2026 timetable to Carmona.
Sources
- turismo.carmona.org: monument opening hours (PDF), Alcázar prices and free entry, guided tours, 2024 to 2026.
- Museos de Andalucía: Conjunto Arqueológico de Carmona, prices, 2026.
- Seville Provincial Tourism (Turismo de la Provincia de Sevilla): seasonal opening hours of the necropolis, 2025 and 2026.
- Museo de la Ciudad de Carmona and Junta de Andalucía: museum opening hours, 2026.
- Carmona Town Council and CTAS: tourist office and tourist routes, 2026.
- Diputación de Sevilla: combined ticket for Heritage Month, 2017.
- GetYourGuide: starting prices of guided tours, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much time do you need to see Carmona?
Is the Roman necropolis of Carmona free?
Can you visit Carmona on a Monday?
Is there a tourist pass for Carmona's monuments?
Álvaro Pineda
Álvaro worked for seven years as a guide at the Alcázar before he started writing. He walks his itineraries with a stopwatch and cuts whatever does not fit into a real day. He would rather say a monument is not worth it than pad out a list.
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