The Guadalquivir in Seville (2026): Torre del Oro and Naval Museum, river boat trips, the boat to Doñana and riverside walks

Updated: 10 November 2026

The Guadalquivir is the easiest way to understand Seville: the galleons from the Americas came up this river, and the Torre del Oro still stands on its bank. This guide brings together what we could check on 10 November 2026 in official sources (the Spanish Navy, the Ministry of Defence, Visita Sevilla and Seville Port Authority notices in the BOE, Spain's official gazette). The official sources disagree on the museum's opening hours, so we give all three versions with their dates. Anything we did not read in an official source is marked "not confirmed". We do not recommend specific companies and give no boat prices.

Torre del Oro and Naval Museum

What we checked:

The Torre del Oro was built by the Almohads in the early 13th century, according to Visita Sevilla. Inside is the Torre del Oro Naval Museum, run by the Spanish Navy, at Paseo de Cristóbal Colón s/n (41001 Seville), phone +34 954 22 24 19.
Contents, according to the Ministry of Defence leaflet: on the first floor, the history of the tower and of the Indies trade route, with a model of the Real Fernando, Spain's first steamship; on the second, the history of the Spanish Navy, with charts, navigation instruments, models and Magellan's voyage around the world; at the top, a terrace with views of the river and city.
Admission, according to the Navy page (no date shown): €3, €1.50 for students and retired people, free on Mondays. Visita Sevilla (page modified 6-10-2026) also says Monday entry is free, but gives no price. Current 2026 price: not confirmed.
Opening hours: the official sources disagree. Navy: Tuesday to Friday 9:30-18:00, Saturdays and public holidays 10:30-18:00. Defence leaflet (2024): Monday to Friday 9:30-19:00, Saturday and Sunday 10:30-19:00, closed on local and national holidays. Visita Sevilla (6-10-2026): Monday to Friday 9:30-18:45, weekends 10:30-18:45. Current hours: not confirmed; call +34 954 22 24 19 before you go.
Group visits are requested by fax or email (torreoro@fn.mde.es), according to the leaflet.

River boat trips

What the Seville Port Authority publishes:

The river through Seville is port public domain. Port Authority notices in the BOE show concessions for floating pontoons for "tourist and recreational boats", used only for passengers to get on and off.
In 2017 (BOE of 13-9-2017) the Port Authority granted the Seville Tourism Consortium six such concessions: next to the Muelle de Turismo, on Paseo de la O (south and north/Chapina), at Muelle de las Delicias, at Muelle de Nueva York and next to calle Betis. They ran until 31-12-2022, extendable to 31-12-2024.
In January 2025 (BOE of 23-1-2025), Congresos y Turismo de Sevilla SA applied to extend its concession for tourist-boat pontoons in the Dársena del Guadalquivir. The new term is not given in the notice: not confirmed.
We found no public list of sightseeing-boat companies authorised by the Port Authority. Which companies sail from the Torre del Oro today, and their prices and times: not confirmed. Ask the operator which pontoon it uses and under what authorisation.
Visita Sevilla (7-8-2026) suggests sunset sightseeing cruises and kayak trips, without naming companies or giving prices.
Do not confuse: the cruise terminal at Muelle de las Delicias (concession to Global Ports and OPM Sevilla SL until 2051, BOE of 13-3-2026) is for large cruise ships and superyachts, not river sightseeing trips.

Boat to Sanlúcar and Doñana

What we found:

A scheduled cruise from Seville to Sanlúcar de Barrameda or Doñana in 2026: not confirmed. We did not find it in any official source, only on excursion resale websites, which we did not use.
The Seville Port Authority granted a concession for the pantalán La Plancha pier, on the right bank inside Doñana National Park, only for passengers of tourist transport to get on and off, from 18-12-2025 to 31-12-2027 (BOE of 6-3-2026). The notice does not say which boats use it.
From Sanlúcar de Barrameda, the Real Fernando boat leaves from Bajo de Guía and sails up the river to La Plancha, according to the Cádiz provincial council; details are in our Sanlúcar guide.

Riverside walks

A flat route along the river:

Paseo de Colón: the avenue on the Arenal bank where the Torre del Oro stands (the museum's official address is Paseo de Cristóbal Colón s/n).
Paseo Alcalde Marqués de Contadero: it runs along the left bank of the Guadalquivir between the Isabel II (Triana) bridge and the San Telmo bridge, parallel to Paseo de Colón, according to Andalucía Destino de Cine (Andalusia Film Commission). It is the waterside stretch that passes below the Torre del Oro.
Muelle de la Sal: next to Paseo de Colón, at the foot of the Isabel II bridge, according to an online encyclopedia (not an official source). Access and opening times of the promenade: not confirmed.
Cross the Isabel II bridge to reach Triana and calle Betis; Visita Sevilla suggests combining the Torre del Oro with a walk along the Guadalquivir bank.
In summer, go early or at sunset: some stretches of the riverside walk have little shade.

If you run a property in Seville

What travellers often ask AI assistants:

How long it takes to walk to the Torre del Oro and Paseo de Colón, and where the sightseeing boats leave from.
Whether the museum is open that day and free on Mondays, which is worth confirming by phone because the official sources disagree.
Having this clear on your website and listings, without recommending companies you do not know, avoids wrong answers.

How iQuota helps

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Frequently asked questions

What are the opening hours of the Torre del Oro Naval Museum?

The official sources disagree: the Navy gives Tuesday to Friday 9:30-18:00 and Saturdays and holidays 10:30-18:00; Visita Sevilla (October 2026) gives Monday to Friday 9:30-18:45 and weekends 10:30-18:45. Confirm on +34 954 22 24 19.

How much does the Torre del Oro cost?

The Navy page gives €3, €1.50 for students and retired people, and free entry on Mondays; it has no date, so the 2026 price is not confirmed. Visita Sevilla also says Mondays are free.

Which boat companies are authorised on the river?

We found no public list. The Seville Port Authority publishes concessions for tourist-boat pontoons in the BOE (for example, to the Seville Tourism Consortium in 2017), but no list of operators. Ask the operator for its authorisation.

Is there a boat from Seville to Doñana or Sanlúcar?

A scheduled cruise from Seville is not confirmed in official sources. There is a concession for the pantalán La Plancha pier in Doñana for tourist passengers until 31-12-2027, and the Real Fernando boat reaches it from Sanlúcar.

Where can I walk along the river?

Along Paseo de Colón and, down by the water, Paseo Marqués de Contadero, between the Triana and San Telmo bridges, passing below the Torre del Oro.

Sources

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