Sevilla

Historical and Cosmopolitan

From Christopher Columbus, Carmen and Churros, Roman remains to romantic guitars, Seville has it all waiting for you, however you choose to travel.

Seville (Sevilla in Spanish) is bordered by Cádiz, Huelva, Málaga, Badajoz, and Córdoba. Situated in southern Spain in the autonomous region of Andalusia, on the banks of the Guadalquivir river. It shares, with the Huelva and Cadiz provinces, the Doñana National Park.

In mythology, Seville was founded by Hercules, sailing through the straits of Gibraltar, another connection with the lost city of Atlantis, believed to lie in Doñana National Park. It is one of the leading cities of Andalusia for visitors. Whatever your interests, a visit to this beautiful metropolis day or night, is sure to delight you.

Heritage

Within the old town you can see three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Seville Cathedral housing the tomb of Christopher Columbus, The Alcázar palace and the General Archive of the Indies. Being over two thousand years old, various civilisations have left their mark on the city and given it a distinct personality with a large historical centre.

Within the city itself you can see many historical sites, important ancient Roman ruins, an aqueduct, the Pillars of Hercules, a temple in Marmoles Street, and, near the Seville Cathedral, the remains of the Patio de Banderas square. Walls built during roman times and reconstructed by the Moors surround the old city.

Sevilla Sightseeing

There are numerous ways of seeing the sights of cosmopolitan Seville, tour buses, river cruises, horse drawn carriages or explore on foot. Whichever you choose, there are numerous sites and experiences to discover.

The Seville cathedral is one of the largest gothic/medieval cathedrals and has the longest nave in Spain. The Giralda (originally a minaret) now houses the bells, famous for its interior ramps to allow you to ride to the top on horseback!

The “Tower of Gold” (Torre del Oro) was originally a watchtower on the river, and the first tobacco factory in Europe, The Royal Tobacco Factory, a Baroque building is said to be the inspiration for the famous opera Carmen by Bizet. Many operas have been situated in Seville, including those by such composers as Rossini´s Barber of Seville, Beethoven´s Fidelio and Mozart´s Don Giovanni and The Marriage of Figaro.

Museums abound, they include those dedicated to Arts and Traditions, contemporary art, an archeological museum, Naval, Carriages, Flamenco and Bullfighting museums. If you want an idea of the real Semana Santa (Easter), pay a visit to the Museum of treasures of La Macarena where you can view the collection belonging to the Macarena brotherhood – an impresive insight into Easter in Seville.

Parks and Gardens

If you care for parks and gardens, again you will not be disapointed. The Maria Luisa park, constructed in 1929 provides a delightful place to sit back amidst its beautiful green backdrop and watch the world go by.

Once rested, within the park is the Plaza de España, an amazing feat of architecture with an unusual mixture of different historic styles, extravagantly decorated with glazed Spanish tiles. 

The largest park in Andalusia is the Parque del Alamillo y San Jerónimo, built for the Expo ´92 and housing a 32 metre bronze sculpture of "The Birth of the New World" (also known as Columbus´s Egg. On the Expo site now sits Isla Mágica – a must if you have children, as packed with amusements and different themes.

Throughout the Seville province there are many diversions and areas of interest, including Donana National Park, PRE studs, villages and towns with amazing 

historical backgrounds and many archaeological remains such as those like Italica in Santiponce and Carmona.

Culture and Arts in Seville

No doubt you are aware of the Flamenco dancing culture and the famous guitar players of Seville. There is no better way to spend an evening with dinner or tapas whilst watching one of the many Flamenco shows around the city.

But it is not all flamenco, Seville has progressed through rock, punk rock and now rap acts can also be seen. The city is full of a diverse range of night clubs – whatever your age!

For something a little quieter, there are a number of theatres where theatrical and operatic performances can be enjoyed.

All year around there are Spanish festivals throughout the city, the most famous being Semana Santa, followed by the world famous Feria de Sevilla.

Eating and Shopping – a great combination

Seville is justly famed for its tapas, you can spend a whole evening passing from bar to bar, sampling the small saucer sized snacks – a great way to try as much of the regional food as possible!

All tastes are catered for from soup to seafood, meat to marinades, vegetables and salads to suit all palates. You can follow this with something sweet from ice cream, honey coated delicacies or, just a doughnut!

Of course, if you just want to shop – the delightful pedestrian shopping area, or small winding streets offer fantastic possibilities, selling all kinds of souvenirs and local goods.

If you would like to visit Seville, we can arrange a variety of trips, depending on your requirements, contact us for details.