Seville Spain: UK tourists warned as popular European city to start charging for one of its biggest tourist attractions

A Spain travel warning has been issued as tourists could soon be charged for visiting one of the country's biggest tourist destinations. The tourist attraction is located in Seville, home to three Unesco World Heritage sites and very popular with UK holidaymakers for a sunny European city break. 

But soon those visiting Seville may have to pay a fee to explore the tourist attraction, Plaza de Espana square – the structure that served as the set of the 1999 film ‘The Phantom Menace’ of the Star Wars franchise. It is also a hot spot of cultural life, hosting concerts, plays and fashion shows.

The city hall said the plan is part of a decision to control tourist overload in a public open space. Mayor Jose Luis Sanz wrote in a post on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, accompanied with a video showing missing tiles and damaged facades. He wrote: “We are planning to close the Plaza de Espana and charge tourists to finance its conservation and ensure its safety.” 

The Plaza is part of a complex built for the 1929 Ibero-American Exhibition that was designed to reflect Spanishness in its architecture and tiled decorations. Thousands of people from all over the world visit it daily, in horse-drawn carriages or on foot.

Sanz made it clear that local residents would still be allowed free access, but many users on X, including those from Seville, criticised the plans. One user wrote: “A tourism tax for ALL visitors provokes less debate and generates more income. Listen to the people, not the hoteliers.”

Seville is the third most visited city in Spain, which in turn is one of the world’s most visited countries, with tourism representing 13% of GDP. The city attracts more than three million tourists a year and has a population of 700,000.