Desperate to escape the leaden skies and constant drizzle of Belfast, I decided to take a quick well priced visit to the city of Seville in Southern Spain.
It was exactly what I needed, with a very pleasant 17 degrees (Celsius) and almost constant sunshine.
The first thing you’ll notice about the city is the orange trees you’ll see everywhere, adding to the general sunny feeling of the city. Don’t be tempted to try one of the oranges, it’s illegal, but they’re also extremely bitter as they’re the type used to make marmalade.
Seville is the 4th largest city in Spain and was made rich through Spain’s colonies in the Americas and Indies.
I’d highly recommend booking one of the walking tours around the city. Our tour guide Miguel was a fountain of knowledge and showed the historic sites and explained how the city had been formed by multiple influences by the many invaders from the Moors of north Africa through to the vikings (who by all accounts found the place too hot and after a few weeks pillaging decided to go home). In Summer the city regularly sees temperatures of up to 45 degrees, and the locals struggle with this and often head to the coast.
We had planned to visit the historic coastal town of Cadiz which was around 90 minutes away by train. Unfortunately there was a massive festival in the town and every bus and train was booked out (so worth checking in advance if you’re planning a visit and don’t just rock up at a train station like we did).
One of the best known places to visit is the Real Alcazar (Royal Palace), which is still one the official royal residences of the Spanish royal family. A mixture of Spanish and Moorish architecture it also has stunning gardens that are cool and serene. (If you are buying a ticket on the day, you’ll need to show photo ID).
If you want a free activity and a bit of people watching the Plaza de Espania is also worth a visit. The large plaza is lined on one side with beautiful colonnaded walkways and elaborate tiled benches (and were used as a back drop in one of the Star Wars films, I’m not a fan so I don’t know which one). There’s also a little lake where you can rent small boats to glide around on. You’ll probably also see flamenco dancers performing (or sometimes other street performances).
Flamenco is a massive thing in Seville and there are multiple different shows in different venues every night, but these also sell out quickly so if you’d like to see one book in advance (it is very impressive).
The city is extremely walkable and feels very safe. You will probably find everything you’re interested in seeing in the old town, so best to locate yourself there when booking accommodation. You will definitely encounter women walking up to you trying to give sprigs of rosemary for luck and they may ask for a couple of coins (locals warn these women will never have change, so don’t give a note and expect money back, it’s also fine to politely say no, gracias and they will take no offence).
Another must see is Seville cathedral. Richly decorated with a mixture of recoco chapels and Moorish carvings (it had previously been a mosque, but was taken over as a church when the Moors were driven out of Spain, and the large tower was used to call the faithful to prayer). You can climb the tower if that’s your thing and you’ll be using ramps rather than steps (the Imams used to ride donkeys up the ramps to the top of the tower so they didn’t have to climb hundreds of steps five times a day). If you want a relatively well priced cocktail with a rooftop view of the cathedral the hotel Donna Maria is a good spot.
If you prefer more modern architecture the Metropole Parasol is also worth seeing. With a viewing gallery offering great views of the city and a buzzing food market below selling fresh fruit and vegetables (beef tomatoes the size of a child’s head), as well as meat, fish and local delicacies.
Food and wine in Seville was excellent as I expected, with great selections of tapas in most places. I had visited Madrid before and a small complimentary tapas was served when you ordered a drink. In Seville post places expect these to be ordered separately, and prices are from 4 euro for a small portion or you can size up if sharing.
Seville is gorgeous with lots of history, beautiful little squares lined with orange trees to sit down and watch the world go by.
Seaneen's Sunnyside Kitchen 