I briefly touched on my journey through Spain in The Vacation that Changed my Life post however, I barely scratched the surface of Seville. I didn’t expect to fall so in love with this city but I wholeheartedly did! There’s something so breathtaking about the ornate details of the architecture, the vibrancy, the passion, and the FOOD! So much elegance and charm here.
Read on for my favorite highlights of this gorgeous city!
Plaza de Espana
A stunning example of Spanish renaissance revival, this complex, located in Parque de Maria Luisa, is essentially a large semi-circle with buildings running along it’s outer edge. The buildings are accessible over the moat by bridges representing the four ancient kingdoms of Spain. Located centrally in the plaza is the Vicente Traver fountain. You’ll find the walls of the Plaza contain several, gorgeously tiled alcoves that each represent a different province of Spain.
The tiled alcoves are absolutely stunning and by far my favorite part of this spot. There’s something about the gorgeous patterns and colors of the well-known Spanish-style decorated tile that makes my designer heart sing! I can spend the whole day here just snapping away, taking photo after photo. Very Instagram worthy!
Maestranza
Now, this one may not be for everyone but, it’s quite interesting to learn the history behind this famous Sevillian bullring. And don’t worry, I’m just interested in the architecture here! The Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza de Caballeria de Sevilla (say that five times fast!), is the site of one of the most well-known bullfighting festivals in the world. The ornate details of this building’s Baroque-style façade are so vibrant and gorgeous in the Seville sun!
After several halts and hiccups along the way, construction of the bullring was finally completed in 1881 (over 130 years after construction began – whoa!) and is comprised of mostly stone and wood. The stature of this bullring is quite amazing and it’s so evident that every little detail was considered during it’s conception. A museum is also available here containing historical matador clothing and more!
Santa Cruz
The touristy part of the city – Santa Cruz houses the Seville Cathedral, tapas bars, and orange tree lined streets with endless souvenir shops. The orange trees were one of my favorite things to see in this region, very popular in Seville and stems all the way down to their orange flavored lip balm, marmalades, and more (quite popular in the souvenir shops!).
If you’re lucky enough to have a sweet, little, abuelita tourist guide leading you the way, you can learn all about the traditions of Seville from how to flirt with a traditional Spanish folding fan to what a bride wears during a traditional Seville-style wedding ceremony.
Seville Cathedral
The largest cathedral in the world is a must see if you’re in Seville! A truly beautiful cathedral that you can explore for hours. The central square-shaped choir loft is INSANE. The golden details that surround this portion of the cathedral are like nothing I’ve ever seen. What’s so interesting about this cathedral was that it was first built as a mosque! After Seville’s conquest by Ferdinand III, it was converted into a cathedral by partitioning off sections to resemble traditional Christian worship practices. Some bits of the original mosque were reserved such as the Patio de los Naranjos which houses a fountain and orange trees (yay more orange trees!). This was once known as a ritual cleansing area before entering the prayer hall.
Visiting the Giralda or bell tower here is a must! This portion of the catherdral was the minaret of the mosque that was built to resemble the minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakech, Morroco (speaking of Morocco, if you’re planning your next trip there, you’ll want to check out my post here). It’s a bit of a trek up to the top via multiple ramps and steps but the views of this beautiful city are so worth the cardio!
Flamenco Show
If you’re visiting Seville, starting your night off with a Flamenco show is key! The intense passion and body movements of this Spanish folkloric dance tells such a beautiful story. From the hand movements to the facial expressions and costumes (my fav!), this dance goes straight to your soul. So much is offered in a traditional Flamenco show from the singing, guitar playing, dancing, handclapping, and finger snapping – it’s an overall amazing experience! There are a lot of great spots that offer Flamenco shows while also serving drinks and tapas. It’s so easy to get into the show and shout out ole after every performance. This is actually a great way to show your appreciation to the performers and let them know you’re having fun!
Gago 6 Tapas & Paellas
Last, but certainly not least, I had to shout out this awesome restaurant. I must admit, I’m a little sad that this restaurant’s ratings are on the lower side as they were so wonderful when I visited! A group of 10 of us happened to stumble upon this restaurant for lunch and decided to give it a shot. After inspecting the menu, a bit, the owner of the restaurant offered us a deal – 18 euros a person for one glass of sangria and tapas. We, well should I say, reluctantly agreed. I mean, when you’re travelling, you never know when you’re being taken advantage of!
We settled into our seats and sure enough, we got hooked UP! We were promptly greeted by endless platters of gorgeous tapas ranging from beautiful seared meats, grilled vegetables, Spanish omelet, croquettes, and more! With every bite, it was as if our taste buds were awakening. Every tapa was as delicious as the last and went down so well with sangria! Overall, an amazing experience. If there’s any lesson to learn here it’s to be opened minded when travelling and give the little guys a shot! After all, it could end up being the best meal of your trip (this one sure was for me!).
Have you ever travelled to Seville? What was your favorite part? Let me know in the comments section below!
