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Sevilla Travel Guide

INTRODUCTION

Sevilla (known as Seville to some Americans) is an artistic and cultural haven located in Andalucia, in the south of Spain. Sevilla is the home of tapas, Spanish appetizers or small snacks, served cold or hot. Several festivities, historical monuments, and the dance of Flamenco draw visitors from all over the world. Attractions like bullfighting, the Fine Arts Museum, and several beautiful bridges make Sevilla a wonderful place to visit. It is a place that will stay in your memory forever.

HISTORY

This city is over 2,000 years old. During Roman times Sevilla was known as Hispalis. Back then the city was an important commercial town, exporting grain, wine, and olive oil through its river ports. In 712 Sevilla was taken by the Arabs and became an important centre in Muslim Andalusia. Belonging to Castile since 1248, Sevilla experienced a golden age of development with the discovery of the new world, brought about by wealth accumulating from the awarding of a monopoly of trade with the Spanish territories. The preceding centuries were characterized by a population growth, as well as an increasing industrialization. Near the beginning of the Spanish Civil War in 1936, Sevilla fell very quickly to General Franco's troops, due to its proximity to the invasion force coming from Morocco. After the initial takeover of the city, resistance continued amongst the working class areas for some time, until a series of fierce reprisals took place.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Climate: Sevilla summers are very hot and dry, while winters are mild. Winter temperatures average 59ºF (15ºC), with a little rain.

Currency: Euro

Language: Spanish

Power: 220 V, 50 Hz

Time Zone: Central European Time (CET)

The Spanish custom of siesta thrives in Sevilla – most shops close from 2pm-5pm so that employees can spend time with their families at home. Shops stay open into the evening to compensate for the lost hours during siesta. Lunch is the biggest meal and is generally eaten from 2pm-5pm, while dinner is much lighter than lunch and is taken around 10 or 11pm.

ATTRACTIONS

Cathedral: The cathedral’s formal name is Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See, but it is commonly called the Sevilla Cathedral. This stunning Gothic church is the largest Gothic cathedral and third-largest church in the world. It was built in 1402 after a former Muslim mosque was destroyed in an earthquake, and was intended to demonstrate Sevilla’s wealth following the city’s conquest of the Moors. Its exterior and interior are exquisite and elaborately detailed with intricate carvings and lavish quantities of gold.

La Giralda, the cathedral bell tower, is the emblem of the city. Dating back to 1292, it is one of the oldest Almohad minarets in the world and was once part of a mosque that was razed in 1492 when the Moors were expelled from Spain. The minaret was converted into a bell tower when the new cathedral was built. You can climb up to the top for an amazing view of Sevilla.

The Alcazar was built in 1181 by the Moors and mostly built in the Mudejar style. It is full of rooms decorated with ornate Arabic curlicues. Behind it you can wander through the beautiful palace gardens.

The Barrio de Santa Cruz is the old Jewish quarter next to the Alcazar. This area is a jumble of narrowly winding cobble-stoned streets. It's a great place to stop for afternoon tapas and enjoy the view.

Parque Maria Luisa is a cool respite in the middle of the City. Built for the 1929 World's Fair (that never happened because of the stock market crash that year), it has picuturesque pavilions and romantic rose gardens. You can rent a Fred Flintstone-style pedal powered surrey and explore!

Semana Santa (Holy Week) takes place the week before Easter. The entire city shuts down. At nightime, religious floats and parades take over the streets. Feria, the biggest party of the year, happens a few weeks after Easter. It lasts about a week.

Plaza de España: The plaza building is a semi-circle surrounding a large plaza with a central fountain and numerous other buildings. Several beautiful bridges bisect a circular moat, and visitors can navigate the moat by renting a rowboat. Elaborate tiled alcoves add to the charm of the Moorish Revival-style building.

This historic plaza was built in 1929 when Sevilla hosted the Spanish-American Exhibition. The plaza building housed exhibits displaying examples of Spanish technology and industry. Today, the plaza consists mostly of government buildings.

Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza sits on the Guadalquivir River and is Sevilla’s bullfighting ring and the oldest in Spain, built in 1749. Annually in April, it hosts the Feria de Abril, a world-famous bullfighting festival. Nearby the bullring, in the district of El Arenal, visitors can rent a pedal boat and float down the river, or see an opera at the Teatro de la Maestranza.

The Gold Tower (Torre del Oro) on the Guadalquivir River is a naval museum and former 13th century watchtower. In the 13th century, it formed a wall of defense from Alcazar to the river, and its exterior was covered in gold tiles.

Nightlife: In other parts of the world, bars and clubs close between midnight and 2am. In Spain, the party keeps going until dawn, as partygoers dance the night away. In the summer, clubs and bars by the river offer a respite from the relentless summer heat, with outdoor patios cooled by the breeze off the river. Calle Betis, a waterfront street, is lined with bars and discotecas. In the winter, however, locals flock to the city center in the Alfalfa district where it’s warmer. Whatever the season, nights often begin with a beer and tapas, then continue with lots of dancing at discotecas or perhaps, for the younger crowd, a botellón in the street, where people bring their own mixers and liquor. Irish pubs serve pints of Guinness and feature rugby matches on TV. Andalucia is the home of flamenco dancing, so don’t leave Sevilla without seeing a flamenco show. Whether you opt for a more upscale flamenco show or see one in a neighborhood bar, you’ll get a taste of local culture.

Shopping: Sevilla’s many outdoor markets take advantage of the city’s prime weather and sell everything from small collectables to art. On Sundays, collectors jump at the opportunity to snap up coins, stamps, pins, and semi-precious stones at the market at El Cabildo, across from the Avenida Constitución. Also on Sundays is the art market in the Plaza del Museo, in front of the Museum of Fine Arts, where local artists display paintings and sketches. Haggle over prices and experience local culture and color at Sevilla’s oldest market on Calle Feria. Every Thursday morning, this flea market sells a wide array of items, including antiques, flamenco dresses, and posters. In the Plaza del Duque and Plaza Magdalena, artisans sell clothing, scarves, bags, and hand-carved figures from Africa, on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Food markets are scattered throughout the city and sell fresh produce, meat, and seafood.