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The Casa de Salinas It is a 16th-century mansion in the Santa Cruz neighbourhood, just a stone’s throw from the Giralda, and what makes it special is this: is still lived in by the family who own it.
Guided tours are available, and inside there is a Roman mosaic brought from Italica.
It is worth clarifying this as there is some confusion: the Casa de Salinas it is not accommodation. It is a private residence currently in use which is open to the public on guided tours.
And that changes the visit: You visit in a group, at specific times, and only the part that the family opens to the public. That’s precisely what makes it interesting — a living stately home, not a museum — but you need to be aware of this before you go.
And here’s the tip that’ll save you a wasted trip: on The last bus leaves half an hour before closing time. In summer, that means that you can’t get in after 1.30 pm, even though the door is listed as being open until 2.00 pm.
It may also close without prior notice If there is a private event, it’s best to ring on the day itself.
As this is a guided tour, tickets are available at specific times and for groups. You can book as a group or for a private tour.
On Mateos Gago Street, in the Santa Cruz neighbourhood, the same street as the Church of Santa Cruz with its two-section bell gable.
It’s just a stone’s throw from everything: the Giralda, the Cathedral, the Royal Alcázar and the Archivo de Indias. The Bellver Museum is opposite you, another palace that few people visit.
The façade isn’t particularly striking, and that’s intentional. It’s painted with traditional pigments, the old-fashioned way. Take a look at the stone façade and the wooden door with gilded nails: these are the only signs of the house’s grandeur visible from the street.
An important detail about the route: is visited just the ground floor, which we call at home «the summer area», because it’s cool and damp. The family uses the upper floor in winter.
This is a fact that is reflected in Seville’s architecture itself: The stately homes were occupied on a floor-by-floor basis, depending on the season.
The entrance area was the horses’ drinking trough. It is preserved there a tile from 1900 depicting a view of Seville from Triana, and it is worth taking a closer look at it.
It’s the heart of the home and the best bit of the visit: marble columns with semicircular arches which support the galleries, and central fountain.
Look up: the The upper gallery is glazed with stained-glass windows and a balustrade, and the whole ensemble is decorated with Plateresque stucco work.
Here is the piece that makes the visit worthwhile: the floor retains a original Roman mosaic from Italica, the Roman city situated a few kilometres from Seville.
It is not a reproduction. It’s the sort of thing you’d find in a private home in Seville, but not in any tourist brochure.
Mudejar coffered ceilings y convent gates, originals. And two rooms with their own names: the summer dining area and the reading room, with tiled skirting boards and wooden ceilings.
It’s the blend of eras that really stands out: from the 16th century to the present day, as the house has been in continuous use ever since.
The building dates from the 16th century, dating from the Renaissance period with a strong Mudejar influence.
In the early 20th century, it was restored by the Salinas family, from which it takes its name, by reconstructing its original structures. It has been his home ever since, which is why the original layout has been preserved rather than being rearranged for display in a museum.
It’s in the best possible location for attracting a stream of visitors, all on foot:
And a plan that makes sense: to link together The Alcázar in the morning, followed by Casa de Salinas. You see the same features — courtyards, tiles, coffered ceilings — in both regal and domestic settings, and you come to appreciate both better.
We are a local tour operator based in Málaga with over 50 years’ experience organising trips around Andalusia. Seville is best explored in a day:
Two things to bear in mind if Casa de Salinas is your destination: closed at weekends, so please check the departure date; and In summer, it’s only open in the mornings, which usually coincides with the group’s guided tour.
To organise the rest: What to see in Seville in a day y Seville’s must-sees.
Yes, on a guided tour, from Monday to Friday. It is neither a guesthouse nor a museum: it is a private residence currently in use, lived in by the family who own it, which opens part of the house to the public at specific times. It may close without prior notice if an event is taking place.
From 16 October to 14 June, it is open from 10.00 to 18.00, and from 15 June to 15 October, only from 10.00 to 14.00. It is always open Monday to Friday, including public holidays, but is closed at weekends. The last guided tour departs approximately half an hour before closing time, so in summer, visitors are not admitted after 1.30 pm.
The tour covers the ground floor, known as the ‘summer area’. It includes the ‘apeadero’ — a former horse trough, featuring a tile from 1900 depicting Seville as seen from Triana —, the main courtyard with marble columns and Plateresque plasterwork, the Patio del Mosaico with an original Roman mosaic from Italica, and rooms with Mudejar coffered ceilings such as the summer dining room and the reading room.
Because the house is still inhabited. The ground floor is what was known in Sevillian stately homes as the ‘summer area’, as it is cooler and more humid, whilst the upper floor was used in winter. The family who own the house live in the part that is not open to the public.
On Calle Mateos Gago, in the Santa Cruz neighbourhood, less than a ten-minute walk from the Cathedral, the Giralda and the Real Alcázar. The Bellver Museum is opposite. The façade is unassuming and painted with traditional pigments, so it’s easy to walk right past it.
Yes, and in fact they complement each other well. At the Alcázar, you can see the regal version of Seville’s courtyards, tiling and coffered ceilings; at the Casa de Salinas, the domestic version, in a house that has been inhabited continuously since the 16th century. Visiting them on the same day helps you to understand both.
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