Seville is the capital and largest city of the community of Andalusia and is located in the southwest part of the Iberian Peninisula in Spain. We left Portugal by car and made the 3 hour drive to Seville. Before heading to the hotel we had to make a pit stop by the airport to swap out vehicles. Main reason for that is we found it difficult to find a rental company that would contract a car for more than 30 days. This was pretty quick and easy with just one hiccup. After we drove off we realized we couldn’t figure out how to put the car in reverse. While cars are similar to the US, they aren’t the same and we both knew how to drive a standard but we had to enlist the help of google to give us help with reverse. The vehicle type was one that we have never driven before and the gearshift was not user friendly. So just a word of advice, when in a foreign country and renting a car it is probably a good idea to do a quick overview or safety briefing prior to driving off!
Where we stayed
We stayed in the heart of the old city at Hospes Las Casas Del Rey de Baeza. Now driving to this location was a little stressful due to the small, narrow streets, but we made it with no issues. I was prepared to push the car if we had to reverse so I wasn’t worried. Pete, was not amused by my courageous offer of strength. So once we arrived we figured out how to shift into reverse and finally we could both relax!
The Hospes Las Casa del Rey de Baeza is set in a 18th century dwelling and was remolded to have the modern amenities we all love, but still had that historical charm you would want when visiting a place like Seville! Located in Seville’s Old Quarter, this location perfect for our short 2 night visit. The Old Quarter is one of Europe’s most extensive historic city centres and is full of winding narrow streets that cover not only the historic area, but the artistic parts of Seville as well.
We had one full day in the city and had a private guide lined up for a walking tour but the first thing on the agenda on the night we arrived was a traditional Flamenco Show. We had front row seats in this small venue and even without understanding the lyrics you can appreciate everything about this art form. The musicians, singers and dancers were amazing and we couldn’t have picked a better way to start our visit to Spain!
Flamenco, which UNESCO recently recognized as part of the World’s Intangible Cultural Heritage, is a complex art form incorporating poetry, singing (cante), guitar playing (toque), dance (baile), polyrhythmic hand-clapping (palmas), and finger snapping (pitos).
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/complicated-history-flamenco-spain-180973398/
The next day our guide met us at our hotel and we headed out. He was born and raised in Seville and therefore was really knowledgeable about not only the history of Seville, but gave us personal stories of growing up here. One thing we found interesting is that behind the beautiful walls that line the streets and behind those massive doors is much more than just a simple apartment. These buildings sometimes hold generations of families and have beautiful courtyards and even hidden tunnels between the buildings that connect them to each other. In Seville, most of the buildings will be white, yellow or red, and we learned the history behind that. Depending on the status of the people that lived there, the buildings were painted certain colors. I really loved how not only did they use the architecture but also the vegetation and gardens to help shade the streets in this old city center.
The biggest surprise was how hot it was in Seville. The week we arrived the temperature was topping out at between 105 – 110 degrees farenheit each day. There were plenty of little squares with gardens and trees to take a break under. And more times than not you would be standing under an orange tree. Most of these trees we learned are old Bitter Orange trees. They have a distinctive leaf and were mainly used for ornamental purposes.
We had two main attractions that we stopped at during our tour which included the Cathedral of Seville and the Royal Alcazar Palace.
Cathedral of Seville – What once was a mosque now stands one of the largest Cathedrals in the World. Converted to a cathedral in 1236, this monstrosity began construction in 1401 and took almost a century to complete. It was built to showcase the power and wealth of the city at that time. It houses close to 90 chapels inside and is also the burial site to some pretty famous people, one of which is named Christopher Columbus. You may have heard of him before. We have seen a lot of Churches and Cathedrals in our travels but none has even come close to the grandure of this place. It was pretty spectacular to see in person!
Royal Alcázar – The Royal Alcázar, or more commonly known as the Alcázar of Seville, is the oldest royal palace still in use in Europe. With over 1,000 years of history, and influence from different cultures and religions, this palace is an architectural and historic masterpiece. Even if you are in Seville for just one day, you should make visiting this palace a priority.
It took 500 years to fully complete the construction of the Palace and achieving the architectural wonder it is today. In every home, there is always that one room that stands out and at the Royal Alcázar, that room is the Ambassador’s Hall.
As you walk this property you will be amazed at the number of gardens and beautiful baths. The architects were very purposeful in the design of both as many served as irrigation and water storage as well as the aesthetics of the Palace. One bath in particular that stands out is the underground baths of María de Padilla. It is absolutely stunning!
The one thing we didn’t get to visit was the Plaza de Espána. This massive square has been the setting for many movies and is typically a must see for anyone visiting this area. While you don’t need tickets to visit, the day we walked to it was the same day there happened to be a music festival and they had closed the square for the event. This was super disappointing since we were leaving the next day.
Nom Nom Nom
We tried some local favorites while in Seville! We ate at Baratillo which was the recommendation from our tour guide. This is a local establishment and we were told to try the Tinto de Verona, and the Oxtail, which we did, and both were fantastic! This traditional tapas style bar features bullfighting-themed decor & rustic stone walls.
We also tried La Bodega Tapas Bar the evening before we left. This spot is a favorite for locals as well as visitors and is located in the Plaza Alfalfa. We got there a few minutes before they opened and as soon as we were seated the place was practically full. Food and service was perfect!
Seville is flat compared to the areas we had recently visited in Portugal, so the city is very walkable. you can find restaurants and tapas bars on just about every street. Just keep in mind that many do close for siesta!
After just a few days in Seville, we have found a new favorite drink, and you maybe could have guess it, the Tinto de Verano (also referred to as the wine of summer). This is a cold, wine-based drink, similar to sangria, and is perfect for the hot summer afternoons in Seville. This drink is typically made up of 1 part of table red wine and 1 part soda, and Lemon. Very refreshing and it has a lower alcohol content than say a sangria would.
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