About Seville

Seville is the capital city of Andalucia a southern province in Spain. It is located on the Guadalquivir river and is the 4th largest city in Spain. Seville is approximately 2200 years old and was founded as the Roman city of Hispalis, also known as Ishbiliya after the Muslim conquest in 712. When the Muslims ruled southern Spain, or Andalucia,  there was a rise in cultural exchange and cooperation between Muslims, Christians and Jews.

Al-Andalus as it was called had a number of significant achievements that advanced Islamic and Western science. It became a major educational center for Europe and the lands around the Mediterranean Sea as well as a conduit for culture and science between the Islamic and Christian worlds.

In the year 1248 Christian King Ferdinand III conquered Seville from the Muslims and added it to his Kingdom of Castile. Most buildings of the Moorish aesthetic in Seville actually belong to the Mudéjar style of Islamic art, developed under Christian rule and inspired by the Arabic style.

After the discovery of the Americas, Seville became one of the economic centers of the Spanish Empire as its port monopolized the trans-oceanic trade, opening a Golden Age of arts and literature. In 1519, Ferdinand Magellan departed from Seville for the first circumnavigation of the Earth. Coinciding with the Baroque period of European history, the 17th century in Seville represented the most brilliant flowering of the city's culture.

Its historic district has 3 UNESCO World Hertiage sites: the Alcazar or Moorish Palace, the Cathedral and the Archives of the Indies.

Travel

You can fly, drive or take a train to Seville from Madrid or Malaga.  Booking a flight from anywhere in the US, you will usually stop in one of the two cities first and then take a connecting flight to Seville that is about 1.5hrs.  If you want to spend some time in Madrid or Malaga then you can book a separate flight, take the train or drive to Seville.

Many European cities have direct flights to Seville and low cost airlines can be a good alternative to get to Seville.

There are a variety of places to stay in Seville that are in the city center. There are many charming boutique hotels, luxury hotels as well as many options on Airbnb. Whatever your taste, we recommend that you book something near the Cathedral  which is in the heart of the historic district called Barrio Santa Cruz. This will enable you to be within walking distance of most of the most beautiful parts of the city. You can search on tripadvisor for more travel information or airbnb for apartments.

Seville is on the banks of the Guadalquivir river. The historic district is where you will find many sites such as the Alcazar Palace, the Cathedral, Parque Maria Luisa, Plaza de España and many others.  There are also many day trips that can be taken from Seville to neighboring cities and towns such as: Italica or Carmona places with Roman ruins, Cordoba a train ride away has a beautiful mezquita, or even the beach is just a few hours away.

If you want to land in Madrid Spain's capital and spend a few days there before going to Seville that is a great option as well. The capital city has many beautiful palaces and museums. If you are flying into Malaga it is on the Mediterranean and in the heart of the Costa del Sol so you can explore the beaches near Malaga, Marbella or the charming smaller towns like Nerja where you get a view of the sea and the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Eat & Drink

Spanish food is simple and delicious. In Andalucia you will find some of the best spanish food and drink like tapas and sangria. Tapas are small plates where you can try a little bit of everything. You can also order full orders of dishes but people usually share. Some of our favorites are: Salmorejo a thicker version of gazpacho usually garnished with spanish ham, Jamon Serrano a cross between prosciutto and beef jerky it is salty and delicous. Solomillo al whisky is tender veal sauteed with garlic and a brown sherry sauce that makes it sweet yet savory and delicious. There are also many more. Usually menus in the touristic part of town have an english translation. We can give you advice on specific restaurants that are excellent in town.

Play

Singing and dancing flamenco are a favorite of southern Spain. This area is where you can find authentic flamenco. El Museo de Flamenco in the heart of Barrio Santa Cruz is a great place to see a show and experience authentic flamenco live.  There are also flamenco bars in Triana a neighborhood across the river from the historic district. These bars are where the locals go to sing and dance Sevillana. Sevillana is a form of flamenco that everyone learns when they are children. Sevillanos know how to dance and usually do at parties and events such as the Feria or Flamenco festival that happens 2 weeks after Easter. For going out there are also many bars on the river. When days are hot and nights cool down many Sevillanos and their children are out until very late enjoying the balmy night on the river.

Some Seville Travel Info

NY Times 

Trip Advisor

Lonely Planet

Swide

Explore

The beauty of Sevilla is that you can get lost in its charming winding cobble stone streets. You may notice the smell of orange blossoms from trees that line every street. Or enter silent churches behind large gothic doors and discover beautiful paintings and scuptures. The Cathedral has the tomb of Christopher Columbus and old moorish ramps lead up to the top of its belltower so you can get a birds eye view of the city. In Barrio Santa Cruz you may wander the streets and stumble upon Roman ruins  in the midst of an everyday neighborhood. Or find a tapas bar dating back to the 1800's with the best jamon and manzanilla. You may peek through iron gates that open onto a cool moorish patio with a fountain and archways that reflect the mudejar architecture only found in Andalucia.