# Italica, near Seville > Italica is a ruined Roman city in the village of Santiponce, 9 kilometres from Seville. It was founded in 206 BC and was the birthplace of the emperors Trajan and Hadrian. The highlight is a huge amphitheatre, one of the largest in the Roman Empire, along with mosaic floors and wide paved streets. Entry is cheap, often free for EU citizens; allow 2–3 hours including travel. Web page: https://yesgo.io/spain/seville/italica - City: [Seville](https://yesgo.io/spain/seville), Spain - YesGo score: 31/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 2 h 30 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Cheap, free for EU citizens - Hours: Tue–Sun by day, closed Mon - Getting there: Bus from Seville ≈ 25 min - Time needed: 1.5–2 hours at the ruins - Shoes: Comfortable; little shade - Location: Santiponce, 9 km from Seville - Coordinates: 37.44119, -6.04450 - Facts checked: 11.11.2026 ## Key facts - **206 BC** — the city was founded (source: English Wikipedia) - **2 emperors** — Trajan and Hadrian were born here (source: English Wikipedia) - **≈ 9 km** — from central Seville (source: English Wikipedia) - **Amphitheatre** — one of the largest in the Roman Empire (source: English Wikipedia) ## About Italica Italica is one of Spain's best-known ancient cities. It was founded in **206 BC** as a settlement for people from the Italian peninsula, hence its name. It grew quickly as new settlers arrived from Italy, and in time became one of the province's important towns. Two Roman emperors were born here: **Trajan** and **Hadrian**. Under Hadrian the city was enlarged with new quarters of wide streets, grand houses, public buildings and a huge amphitheatre. The ruins of this 'new town' make up today's archaeological park, while the older part of Italica lies beneath the houses of Santiponce. ## The amphitheatre The star attraction is the **amphitheatre**, one of the largest in the Roman Empire. Stone tiers surround its oval arena, which once held thousands of spectators, more than lived in the city itself, so people must have come from all around for the shows. You can walk through the vaulted passages under the stands, go down to the arena and see the underground chamber at its centre, where scenery for the performances was prepared. Climb to the top rows for a view of the whole arena and the fields around. The amphitheatre featured in a famous fantasy TV series, so many visitors recognise it at once. ## What to see at Italica - **The amphitheatre** — arena, stands and vaulted passages. - **The House of the Birds** — a mosaic of dozens of bird species. - **The House of the Planetarium** — gods of the seven weekdays. - **Paved streets** — wide Roman roads with pavements. - **The Traianeum** — remains of a temple honouring Trajan. - **The Roman theatre** — in the village of Santiponce. > **When to go** Arrive in the morning at opening time: there's almost no shade, and by noon in summer it's very hot. Bring water, a hat and sunscreen. The site is usually closed on Mondays, so check the hours on the official website before you set off. ## Mosaics and Roman houses From the amphitheatre, paths lead into a quarter of Roman houses. The walls survive only knee-high, but many floors are covered with **mosaics** as clear as they were nearly two thousand years ago. The **House of the Birds** shows dozens of bird species, and the **House of the Planetarium** the gods who gave their names to the days of the week. Stroll along the **paved streets**: they're remarkably wide, with pavements and drains. You'll see the column bases of porticoes, the remains of public baths and the foundations of the Traianeum temple. Signs at each house have plans and drawings to help you picture the city in Hadrian's day. ## Santiponce and the monastery Santiponce, the village around Italica, is small and quiet. In its centre is a **Roman theatre** discovered beneath houses, and on the edge stands the old monastery of San Isidoro del Campo, with Gothic cloisters and murals. Santiponce has a few bars and restaurants for lunch after the ruins. Many travellers make Italica a half-day trip and are back in Seville by evening to watch the sunset from a bridge or a viewpoint in the old town. ## How to get there from Seville 1. Bus from the **Plaza de Armas** bus station to Santiponce, about 25 minutes. 2. The stop is by the entrance to the archaeological park. 3. By taxi or car, about 15–20 minutes on the A-66. 4. Guided tours with transport from the centre. ## Tips for your trip Comfortable shoes are a must, as you'll walk a lot over uneven cobbles and grass. In the heat bring a bottle of water each; there are no shops on the site. You may be asked for ID if you're claiming free entry as an EU citizen. Children enjoy Italica: going down into the arena, exploring the amphitheatre passages and hunting for birds in the mosaics. It's harder with a buggy, as some paths are dirt and uneven. If you love the ancient world, pair Italica with Seville's Archaeological Museum in María Luisa Park, where many statues and mosaics found at Italica are kept. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Check it isn't Monday - [ ] Bring water and a hat - [ ] Go down into the arena - [ ] Find the bird mosaic - [ ] Have lunch in Santiponce ## Places in Seville: compare and choose Places in Seville rated by YesGo. - [Italica](https://yesgo.io/spain/seville/italica) — YesGo score 31/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Paid; free for EU citizens ## Don't mix it up Italica is the Roman city near Seville; it has nothing to do with Italy itself or the italic typeface. ## Tips - Go in the morning. - Closed on Mondays. - Water and a hat. - Statues are in Seville's museum. ## Questions ### How do I get from Seville to Italica? By bus from Plaza de Armas in 25 minutes, or by taxi. ### How much does Italica cost? It's cheap, and often free for EU citizens. ### How long do you need at Italica? 1.5–2 hours at the ruins, half a day with travel. ### What is there to see at Italica? The amphitheatre, the mosaics of the Houses of the Birds and the Planetarium, and the Roman streets. ### Which emperors were born in Italica? Trajan and Hadrian. ## How we checked Facts from English Wikipedia. Hours, prices and bus times weren't confirmed with an official source — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Italica - Junta de Andalucía, Conjunto Arqueológico de Itálica --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.