Wednesday 27 October 2010

Seville - Spain Travel Guide

Seville is an elegant and exuberant city, home to authentic Andalusian culture and lifestyle


After a few days spent eating tapas, watching flamenco, and drinking local wine in the sunshine, you may find it hard to leave...



•Seville is a city with a strong personality defined by two thousand years of history. The city's motto 'No me ha dejado' means 'she [the city] has not abandoned me'. This motto is indicative of Seville's long history of survival throughout various conquests. Evidence of both Roman and Moorish influence is still apparent in the city's architecture and monuments.

•Dining in Seville Like all provincial capitals in Spain, Seville enjoys the best of provincial production. Fresh seafood from Cadiz, meats and cheeses from the north, and olive oil from Jaen are just a few examples of the regional fare available throughout the city. It is this variety that fuels the Tapas culture for which Seville is famous. Whether you are in search of a meal or just an accompaniment to a glass of wine, a Tapas bar or restaurant will have a selection of fresh delicious dishes to please every palate. The tapas bars of Barrio Santa Cruz are some of the city's best.

•Weather: Seville enjoys a pleasant Mediterranean climate. In fact Seville is one of the warmest cities in Europe with an average temperature of 32c in August. Winters are mild and temperatures rarely drop below 6c

•Flamenco in Seville is amongst the best in Spain. The roots of this traditional Andalucian music and dance originate in the province of Seville. As a result, Seville the city has always been the provincial meeting point for the creme de la creme of Flamenco musicians and dancers. Be sure to take in a traditional evening show in one of the city's many tablaos (Flamenco bars). Here are some long running establishments offering the best in Flamenco performance: El Arenal (7 Calle Rodo): A long running, intimate tablao. El Patio Sevillano (Paseo Colon) One of Seville's first tablaos, located next to the Plaza de Toros. Los Gallos (11 Plaza de Santa Cruz) This tablao has been open since the 60's and puts on two shows a night.

•The Cathedral of Seville: Built on the site of a 12th century Mosque, this incredible building is the largest cathedral in Spain and the third largest (by square footage) Christian church in the world. Inside the Cathedral you'll find what may be the largest church interior in existence. The vaulted ceilings, gothic carvings, and sheer grandeur of the building make this one of Seville's most visited attractions.

•The Alcazar Palace: Whether or not you are interested in Seville's historical context, this palace is well worth visiting. The palace, like Seville itself, is a fusion of Spanish and Moorish architecture. It was originally a Moorish fort and was later expanded under Spanish rule. The Moorish Zelig tiling, traditional arches, courtyards, and carvings, are a clear reminder of Southern Spain's proximity to Morocco.

•Visit Seville during the week leading up to Easter and you will find the city packed with people who have come for Seville's famous 'Semana Santa' (holy week) celebration. Throughout the holy week, processions of white clad, masked 'costaleros' from various brotherhoods parade solemnly through the streets carrying enormous heavy floats (pasos). To take part in a Semana Santa procession is a once in a lifetime honour and many men wait all their lives to be given the opportunity to join the procession. On Good Friday, the processions leave churches at midnight and the heavy alter-like floats are carried throughout the night, concluding around 6am. Though this is a truly spectacular time to be in Seville, be sure to book accommodation well in advance if you are planning to stay during this period.

•The Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza: Seville is one of the best places in Spain to witness a traditional bullfight. Though the sport is definitely not for the faint of heart and is constantly under fire from many animal rights organisations, Sevillanos are very passionate about the sport as Seville is arguably the 'home of the bullfight'. The Plaza de Toros is large, impressive, and very busy during the bullfighting season (April-June, September).

•Whether your time in Seville is spent walking the tree lined avenues enjoying the cafe and tapas bar culture or spent perusing the city's rich historical culture, architecture, and museums, the underlying charm and atmosphere of Seville is unavoidable. Seville is unquestionably, one of Spain's most attractive destinations.

•Holidays in Seville : We have an excellent choice of holidays in Seville.

•Hotels in Seville: We have excellent hotels in Seville, all with our lowest prices guaranteed.

•Cheap Flights to Seville: We have cheap flights to Seville. The flight takes around 2 hours 30 minutes from UK airports.

•Car hire in Seville: There's so much to explore around Seville, you may want to hire a car. We can offer great deals on car hire in Seville so check us out when completing your holiday booking.

•Transfers to your hotel in Seville: We can book your transfers from the airport to your hotel in Seville. We can also book UK airport car parks online, plus travel insurance and currency exchange for your holiday.

•Seville Hotel Reviews: Written exclusively by genuine customers who have booked and stayed in the hotel.

Did you know? Christopher Columbus’s tomb, supposedly containing his remains, is located inside Seville Cathedral.

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3 comments:

  1. Hi John

    My name is Jamie and I am an English teacher in the UK.

    I am preparing online activities for my students and would love to use your flamenco photo from Sevilla. I would be really grateful if you would give me permission to use it to accompany a text by a published travel journalist, who has given me permission to use her article on Sevilla.

    My email is: JPEvans2007@hotmail.com

    Many thanks for your attention.

    Jamie.

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