Seville
As the capital of Andalucía, and the 4th largest city in Spain, Seville is a core for Spanish culture. It is located on the Guadalquivir River in the South West of the Iberian Peninsula, a few hours away from the Portugal border. With a harbor, it is the only river port in Spain. It has 3 UNESCO World heritage sites within its old town, and was founded as the Roman City of Hispalis. It became known as Ishbiliyya after the Muslim rule in 712, before being incorporated into the Christian Kingdom in 1248. With the discovery of the America’s, Seville became an economic centre of the Spanish Empire as the port monopolized the trans-oceanic trade and the House of trade wielded its power, starting a Golden Age of arts and literature. The 17th century saw a ballooning of the culture within the city, before a gradual economic decline as the silting of the river (fun geo fact for you) forced the trade hub and port to move west to Cádiz.
Seville is considered one of the birthplaces of Flamenco, and the Triana district is where it found it’s beginning with the gypsy population here. While Flamenco is a symbol of Andalucian culture, and Seville is home to the most flamenco artists than anywhere else in the country, it has also become a big part of Spanish culture in general. An entire industry is supported around it, and draws in a significant amount of tourism for the city, and country as a whole.
Another main draw to the city is the tapas (‘lids’ in Spanish, but mean small plates) scene here. Moving from one bar or bodega to another, sampling different plates and drinks as you go is a great way to spend an afternoon or evening (or both, lets be real). Local specialties include seafood, grilled & stewed meat, jamón Ibérico, caldo de puchero, gazpacho, manchego cheese, and more. If you find the right tapas bar, all you have to do is order a drink, and free tapas will follow.
The Alcazar, the Cathedral, and the Archivo General de Indias (General Archive of the Indies) are the 3 UNESCO World Heritage sites within the old city, and are all located right next to one another. Two other main attractions in the city are the Plaza de España (and María Luisa Park), and the Parasol project called Las Setas. Info about each of these is below, as the information about each is worthwhile to split up.
Seville has so many things within the city worth checking out. I would recommend staying at least 4-5 days here to ensure you get to see everything, enjoy some of the nightlife, and still have time to relax and enjoy the vibrancy of the city!
Seville Cathedral
The Seville Cathedral, or St. Mary of the See Cathedral as its proper name, was built from 1401 to 1519 after the Spanish Reconquista of the city mosque’s former site. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it is one of the largest of all gothic/medieval cathedrals. The interior is the largest nave in Spain with significant amounts of gold adorning the inside. La Giralda (the tower) was originally built by the Almohads in the 12thcentury as a minaret to the original mosque that originally was here, later added onto by the Christians, which is why it has a Moorish appearance.
Visiting this Cathedral is a must do in my opinion when visiting Sevilla. You can easily pre-purchase a ticket online (not crucial, but I would suggest doing), as you will otherwise wait in line for quite some time to enter. When visiting the Cathedral, you are able to climb to the top of the tower by walking up ramps that were once used by officials who rode their horses to the top. The tower, La Giralda, gets its name from the weathervane attached to the top, as gira means ‘turning one’ in Spanish. Climbing to the top of the tower will arguably give you one of the best vantage points for views over the entire city of Seville, and are definitely worth the walk up.
An entrance ticket will cost you 10€ (or free for f-unemployed people, which I just learned), and gives you entrance into the main Cathedral, the Giralda tower, and the Salvador church a few blocks away.
Las Setas
In order to revitalize the Plaza de la Encarnación, the Metropol Parasol project was born. Commonly known as Las Setas (or ‘The Mushrooms’), it was completed in 2011 and was constructed from crossed wooden beams, making it the largest wood-framed structure in the entire world.
A great time to visit Las Setas is at sunset, as you can go to the top of them for a small fee, buy a drink at the top, and enjoy some spectacular views over the city.
Plaza De España and María Luisa Park
Plaza de España and Parque de María Luisa was built for the 1929 Ibero-American Exposition to showcase Spain’s technology and industry exhibits. It was built using various historical styles like art deco, Spanish renaissance & baroque revival, and Neo-Mudéjar styles, with over-the-top tile ornamentation.
The plaza complex is a huge semi-circle of buildings surrounding the Vicente Traver fountain in the middle. The buildings are accessible over the moat by bridges that represent the 4 ancient kingdoms of Spain, and by the walls of the plaza are many tiled bays, each representing a different Spanish province. These alcoves are joined by a pair of bookshelves, which are used as ‘free little libraries’.
Today the Plaza de España consists mainly of Government buildings and the cities archaeology collections. The main exhibits here are the artifacts from nearby Italica, and Roman Mosaics.
Surrounding the Plaza de España and within the entrance to it, is the Parque de María Luisa. It is a park that stretches along the River and is Seville’s main green space. In preparation for the exhibition that prompted the Plaza, the entire south end of the city was redeveloped into the expansive gardens and boulevards we see today, the center of which is the María Luisa Park. It is in the Moorish style, with a kilometer of tiled fountains, walls, ponds, benches, pavilions, etc. There are lush orange & palm trees, flowerbeds and plants everywhere, and as a result, serves as a botanical garden for the city. Many birds also call the park home, and it is particularly known for the large amount of doves, parakeets, and swans that live here. Famous fountains within the park are the Fuente de los Leones (Fountain of Lions), and the Water Lily pool.
Bring a book and some water, grab a spot on one of the many benches and take a break, or explore the beautiful gardens while paying a visit to one of the most stunning green spaces in the whole city.
Real Alcázar
Opposite to the Cathedral, and another UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the Real Alcázar or Royal Palace. Many people will recognize the palace as it was used several times as a shooing location for the ‘Game of Thrones’ TV series. It was developed from a string of previous Palace’s, initially with both Roman and Moorish construction, and the term Alcázar comes from the Arabic al-qasr meaning ‘castle, or palace’. Redevelopment started in 1181, continuing for over 500 years, mostly in Mudéjar and Renaissance styles. The Alcázar Gardens, another spectacle around the palace, consists of different sectors developed in different historical styles. The Royal Palace was built for the Christian King Peter of Castile, and the upper levels are still in use by the royal family as their ‘official’ residence in Seville.
History of the palace dates back to 712, when Seville was conquered by the Umayyad Caliphate. In 913, the first caliph of Andalucía built a fortification in place of a Christian basilica. It was a rectangular enclosure, fortified and annexed to the walls. In the 11th century, the next king expanded the structure to the West and built a new palace. Stables and other buildings were also added. As Seville became the capital of Al-Andalus, the Almohade made the Alcázar their main home, and demolished the majority of what lied within the palace’s walls. With the start of the Christian era, the Alcázar was then converted into the Christian monarchs residence. Changes were made to the construction to fit the new needs, and a new palace was built, and upper floors extended and turned into the main residence for the monarchs. Over the 500 years of construction, different styles were added on, though there are no remnants of the initial design, and many gardens were built. The Palace saw some damage during the 1755 earthquake in Lisbon, Portugal, and has since been restored.
Some of the main areas in the Palace that you can visit are the Courtyard of the Maidens (Patio de las Doncellas), Baths of Lady Maria de Padilla, the Alcázar Gardens, and the Salon de Embajadores.
The name behind the meaning of the Courtyard of the Maidens refers to the tale that the Moors stipulated that every year they were to receive 100 virgins from Christian kingdoms in the Iberia. The lower level of the Patio was build for King Peter of Castile and has inscriptions showing Peter as a sultan and many elaborate rooms are located on either side of this patio. In the middle of it all is a long, thin and reflective pool with gardens on either side. This courtyard is one of the most iconic and well-known (and IG’d) parts of the entire Alcázar complex.
The Baths of Lady Maria de Padilla are water tanks beneath the Patio del Crucero used for collecting rainwater, but the image of them is stunning. As the mistress of Peter the Cruel, María de Padilla was just as alluring as this room. With an easily missed entrance, tucked below a central courtyard outside — be sure to find this long pool with examples of spectacular arches, lighting and symmetry.
The Gardens of the Al Andalus Palaces all had fruit trees, produce, and many flowers that supplied food for the residents, but was also aesthetically pleasing. Flowing water was plentiful through ponds, pools and channels running through the property. They have undergone many changes throughout the years - everything leading up to the magnificent greens that encompass the Palaces now.
Getting a ticket for the Alcázar isn’t crucial to do in advance, but you will likely wait in line for a few hours without pre-purchasing, so I would highly recommend doing so. A ticket online will cost you 12.50€, and there are certain times where entrance is free. If you want to visit the Royal Bedroom – you will definitely need to book online ASAP as these typically sell out weeks in advance (especially in high season). Entrance to the Alcázar is at the ‘Puerta del León’, suitably named for the tile inlay above the gate, of a lion holding a cross, bearing a gothic script. It is near the Cathedral, and will likely have a large line of people outside of it, so it is hard to miss.
