All best things to do in Ejica in Seville Province

Things to do and see in Écija

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In this article, you’ll find essential information on what to see and do in Écija:

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• A brief history of Écija
• Where is Écija on the map?
• What to see in Écija?
• What to do in Écija?
• Booking accommodation
• Map of Écija with places to visit
• The Ecija Fair
• What to see around Ecija?
• Some useful links
• The latest articles on Andalusia

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A few words about Ecija and its origins

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The small town of Ecija is one of the most beautiful places to visit in the province of Seville. You’re in for a treat.

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Note: there are only exterior photos, but to help you decide to visit, I can assure you that the monuments and churches are three times more beautiful inside than out 🙂.

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Visiting Écija will leave you with an unforgettable memory. There is so much to see that you might want to stay overnight to take your time and explore everything properly over two days. Incidentally, it remains a mystery to me why Écija isn’t included in all the standard Andalusian sightseeing tours.

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The town, with its rich architectural heritage, is classified as a historic and artistic site.

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In addition to the eleven churches, you can see:

• ten palaces,
• seven convents
• and no fewer than five museums.
• public buildings dating from the 15th to the 19th century

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Finally, Écija has three nicknames: the capital of Andalusian Baroque, the “city of towers” with its eleven large and magnificent church steeples, several of which resemble miniature Giraldas.

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And its third nickname suggests that it is best to avoid visiting during the two summer months. Écija is also known as the “sartén de Andalucía”, meaning the “frying pan of Andalusia”, due to the intense heat found there during the summer.

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The origins of Écija

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Écija was founded by the Romans under the name Astigi during the reign of Emperor Augustus. Its exact name at the time was Colonia Augusta Firma Astigi, which would go on to become one of the largest cities in Roman Hispania.

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Where is Écija on the map?

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I’m planning my stay, my trip to Écija

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• Book accommodation in Écija

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• Hire a car at Seville or Malaga airport

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• Book a guided tour of Écija

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For those staying on the Costa del Sol and wishing to visit Andalusia, here are 9 magnificent  guided tours from Malaga, Torremolinos, Fuengirola or Benalmadena.

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What to see in Écija?

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I invite you to let yourself be surprised as you wander through its pretty streets, where you’ll discover a wealth of historical remains. You’ll love the façades of the palaces and stately homes. Some of them are even open to visitors. Here is a list of 30 buildings to explore, which you can use as a guide when visiting Écija.

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1 – Plaza de España

2 – Palace of the Marquises of Peñaflor

3 – Church of Santa María

4 – Palace of Valderhermoso

5 – Church of Santa Cruz

6 – Ecija Courthouse – Casa de las Tomasas –

7 – Palace of Benamejí and the Archaeological Museum

8 – Remains of the Moorish wall

9 – The Church of Santiago

10 – Santaella Palace

11 – Cinteria Street

12 – A culinary tour: the Convent of Santa Florentina

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Note: further down in the article there is a map of Écija showing the locations of the places mentioned.

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1 – La Plaza de España

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This is the best place in town to experience the local way of life. It’s the ideal spot to settle into a bar beneath the medieval arcades and enjoy some traditional tapas.

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The historic centre revolves around Plaza de España, known locally as El Salón. Here you’ll find the town hall, buildings with medieval arcades and, beneath the square, a public car park where you can see the remains of the ancient Roman city!

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Beneath this square lies a Muslim cemetery containing over 5,000 graves and a Roman-era water reservoir dating from the 1st century BC.

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2 – Palace of the Marquises of Peñaflor

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This is an absolutely magnificent palace. Its construction took quite some time, from 1700 to 1775. The interior decoration is absolutely magnificent, and outside you can admire trompe-l’oeil paintings as well as the longest balcony in Andalusia.

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Inside, an impressive staircase adorned with Tuscan columns and a vaulted ceiling decorated with stucco leads visitors to the upper level, from where they can admire various courtyards.

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3 – The Church of Santa María

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The Church of Santa María is one of the must-see sites in Écija. It is a Baroque-style religious building dating from the 18th century. The tower of Santa María is covered in magnificent azulejos and rises to a height of 52 metres. It is the tower in Écija with the largest number of bells.

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It is situated in Plaza de Santa María, where you can admire the monument to the Triumph of the Virgin of El Valle, the patron saint of Écija. In the cloister of this important church, you can explore a collection of artefacts and archaeological finds unearthed during excavations, including prehistoric, Roman and Arab remains.

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4 – Valderhermoso Palace

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Opposite the Peñaflor Palace stands another of Écija’s iconic buildings, the Valderhermoso Palace.

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This Renaissance-style palace is one of the oldest in the town, having been built in the 16th century. Its beautiful Plateresque façade is particularly striking.

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5 – Santa Cruz Church

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This Christian church was built on the site of the former Great Mosque of Écija. It is in the Gothic-Mudejar style, whilst its Santa Cruz tower is Renaissance in style.

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6 – Ecija Courthouse – Casa de las Tomasas –

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This is the city’s most recent palace. It is barely a century old but is a real gem. Inside, the decorations are inspired by the palaces of the Alhambra and thus by Nasrid art.

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7 – Benamejí Palace and the Archaeological Museum

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This palace is one of the finest examples of 18th-century architecture in Andalusia, with its monumental marble façade. It is also one of the most beautiful buildings on the Route of the Palaces.

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The Archaeological Museum housed in this palace is rich in local history and heritage. It also contains a real treasure dating from the Roman era, the 2nd century. This is the marble sculpture of the Wounded Amazon. This sculpture was discovered recently, in 2002. Its state of preservation is incredible, with polychrome sections. Archaeologists believe it was carved in Athens.

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Finally, the room with the Roman mosaics is just as spectacular.

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8 – Remains of the Arab wall

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Only a few short sections and towers remain of what was once a vast defensive wall that had protected the city’s perimeter since Roman times.

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In Plaza Colón stands one of these towers, which is one of the finest examples of what this now-ruined city wall once looked like.

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Note: It is very interesting to note that at the base of the San Juan Tower there are two inscriptions in Arabic: one dating from the year 930, from Caliph Abd-al-Rahman III, and the other from 997, from his successor al-Hakam II, which refer to the construction of fountains. In fact, the bell tower below was originally the minaret of an ancient mosque:

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9 – The Church of Santiago

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This church is magnificent to behold, both inside and out. The church tower is one of the tallest and most spectacular.

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10 – Santaella Palace

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The Santaella Palace, or Palace of the Counts of Puerto Hermoso, is another of Écija’s must-see sites. This palatial residence is further evidence of the opulent period Écija experienced in the 18th century. Its interior dome is a gem not to be missed.

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11 – Cinteria Street

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This street, which leads to the town centre, is one of the most beautiful streets in Écija to stroll down, browsing the shops. It has retained a special charm and is a lively, bustling place.

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12 – A culinary tour: the Convent of Santa Florentina

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As you explore the religious buildings, do pop into the Convent of Santa Florentina to sample the homemade bizcochos marroquíes (Moroccan biscuits). They’re delicious.

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What to do in Écija?

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Below you’ll find a selection of activities to enjoy in Écija and the province of Seville. You can book them online today.

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Bonus: all activities can be cancelled up to 24 hours before the scheduled date.

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In late June and early July, there is also a wonderful event to experience every year in Écija for flamenco enthusiasts:

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Book accommodation

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Below, you will find all the hotels and accommodation available in Écija, once you have selected your dates:

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Map of Écija showing the places to visit mentioned in the article

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The Écija Fair in September

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What to see around Écija?

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There are some magnificent towns to discover in the area around Écija. Of course, a visit to Seville is a must and requires at least three days, but there is also:

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Marchena

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A visit to Marchena is very pleasant and can be done quite quickly.

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Carmona

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Carmona is a town of breathtaking wealth and history.

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Visiting Carmona is a must in the province of Seville.

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Osuna

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Here is yet another magnificent town to visit, with its incredible cultural heritage.

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You can allow a day to visit Osuna.

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Alomodovar del Río

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This small town is located in the province of Córdoba, but is only about thirty kilometres from Écija. I invite you to discover the incredible castle in Almodóvar del Río, which was used as a filming location for many scenes in the series Game of Thrones.

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Some useful links

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• For those staying on the Costa del Sol and wishing to visit Andalusia, here are 9 magnificent  guided tours from Malaga, Torremolinos, Fuengirola or Benalmadena.

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• Rental car at Malaga airport

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The latest articles on Andalusia

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