Orange Crush

Seville is often called the sunshine capital of Europe for very good reason. But in early March, as we discovered, it also tips it down! But these rare fluctuations from the normally constant sunny inclination have no impact on the Sevillanas, or seasoned Mancunians such as ourselves. Come rain or shine they will perch on tall stools outside the thousands of bars and Tapas restaurants that can be found on every corner of this golden city, and sip small glasses of Cruzcampo beer with a wafer thin slice of Iberian ham or Manchego cheese. Wonderful.

Torre del Oro, Seville

Seville is the capital of Andalusia and sits at the heart Southwest Spain. It is the perfect base for exploring the region with a host of wonderful cities such as Cadiz and Cordoba within easy reaching distance. But it is also packed to the rafters with great places to visit, great art and some less typical sites that are full of interest. A long weekend will keep you very busy in-between beers and tapas and you won't have to leave the city. But if you opt for a longer stay, as we did, you'll have the opportunity to explore the city at a more Seville-like pace as well as visit a few nearby Andalusian gems.

The Setas de Sevilla

For a weekend break Seville is a perfect short twenty-minute taxi ride to the centre of the city, and you can use Uber for your convenience. There is a tram system, but once in Seville, no matter where you stay, everywhere is absolutely walkable. We based ourselves in the north neighbourhood of San Lorenzo which has at it's centre the pedestrianised avenue of Almeda de Hercules which teems with bars, cafés and restaurants. It was a good area to get a local feel for city life whilst only being a twenty-five-minute walk from the heart of the historical centre and the main train station. 

Cathedral of Seville 

You should start your city exploration at the beautiful Cathedral of Seville located in the Plaza del Triunfo. It is an imposing Gothic cathedral and is famous for its striking Moorish bell tower, the Giralda which has unequalled views of the city from the top once you have ascended its never-ending zigzagging walkways - not steps. As with all the major attractions book ahead online and try to get the earliest slots possible. The online tickets for the Cathedral and Real Alcázar can sell out a few days in advance so be organised.

Columbus's tomb, Cathedral of Seville

The Cathedral befits the grandeur of being the third largest in the world and the scale is something to behold. It's also famous for being home of Columbus's tomb which is said to contain some bits of the old rotter. And it is an impressive tomb, as tombs go. We climbed the Giralda with half of Seville (it felt like) and whilst the city views were great, they were limited by railings and there were lots of folk jostling for position.

The Real Alcázar, Seville

Just across from the Cathedral is another hugely popular city landmark. The Real Alcázar is a sprawling Mudejar palatial complex set in beautiful gardens. Both the Cathedral and the Palace have been declared World Heritage Sites. The Royal Alcázar deserves one just for the interiors and courtyards alone. Be ready to be inspired for that bathroom makeover by some seriously impressive tile work from the 16th-century. Which was just as well as the renowned gardens were closed on our visit due to the impending bad weather which never materialised, so that was a disappointment.

Ceiling in the Real Alcázar, Seville

Adjacent to the Cathedral is the Archive of the Indies, a serious looking building in which all the documentation referring to the Spanish colonies was preserved during the discovery of America but we passed on this one. 

A short distance from all the above is an interesting lunch option. Should you get your timing right (just before midday) you might get a seat at the famous Bar Santa Cruz “Las Columnas”. We managed to snaffle an outside table then watched as the queues quickly started forming out of the door. The service is lovely and eccentric and if you can deal with the hectic nature, the food will come out quick and the beer is cold. It's certainly a Seville experience.

Bar Santa Cruz, Seville

One of the most iconic places to visit in Seville, and the one found on the front of all the guidebooks is located in the Parque de María Luisa, which is a short walk from the the Cathedral and historic centre. The Plaza de España is a huge pavilion built in a semicircle in front of a grand fountain and lake traversed by small romantic tiled bridges. Along the terrace, tiled frescos representing the many regions of Spain are represented alphabetical order. It's hugely extravagant and quite bonkers but somehow doesn't feel out of place in Seville. But our next stop was to wander above the city on some giant wooden mushrooms, so anything goes here I suppose.

The Plaza de España, Seville

The Setas de Sevilla in the Market Square of Encarnación is a gargantuan wooden structure encompassing walkways and viewing platforms over five levels. It's affectionately know as the Mushrooms by locals, and it's an apt description. You can visit day or night (when it is illuminated) and when you visit, I dare you not to find yourself wandering around the giant structure with a big smile on your face. It's a happy place. 

Setas de Sevilla

Not such a happy place (for animals anyway) is the Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza de Caballería de Sevilla. The bullring is one of the defining symbols of Seville and Spain, so despite our views on the sport we paid a visit in respect to the local culture. There is a museum within the stadium that to this day regularly holds 13,000 spectators for bull fighting events. It's certainly a colourful and striking building on the river Guadalquivir but visiting when the seats were empty and the sandy arena dry and blood free was more than enough to placate our curiosity.

The bullring of Seville

Almost opposite the Plaza de Toros is the famous Torre del Oro, the remaining one of two towers that sat across from each other on the banks of the river with a huge chain between them to prevent attacks on the city by ships. For a small donation you can enjoy a small museum and climb to the top for a very pleasant view of the river and the cityscape.

View from Torre del Oro, Seville

The banks of the river Guadalquivir are extremely popular with locals and tourists alike, thanks to large promenades on both banks making this the perfect place to stroll in the March sunshine. The photogenic bridge at Triana will take you across the river into the busy area of Triana which has a central Food Market surrounded by small pretty cobbled lanes. The area is famous for its ceramics and tile shops, and there's even a small ceramic museum. It's worth an hour exploring.

Rocket Expo '92, Seville

Further up the river we found my favourite place in Seville. In 1922 the city hosted the World Expo exhibition. It was a huge success attracting tens of millions of visitors to La Isla de La Cartuja in Seville. After the event, buildings were either torn down or left to become part of a derelict sprawling urban jungle wasteland. Today you can spend several hours exploring the fascinating ruins of Expo '92 including the Pavilion of the Future complete with rocket and radio telescope and long dramatic avenues, now weed-strewn with biosphere as centre pieces. All left to nature. It's a photographer's dream!

Biosphere, Expo '92, Seville

A short distance away we happened upon the Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo, which we found to our pleasant surprise is an Modern Art Museum housed in the grounds of a sprawling historical monastery.

Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo, Seville

For an entry fee of under two euros we were treated to a maze of current exhibitions both inside and outside, including some huge installations and Warhol's Marilyn Monroe screen prints! Incredible.

Warhol at Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo

So, our highlight of Seville? The people and the culture, no question. On a Saturday night we visited the lively Corral de Esquivel bar on Alameda de Hércules, which was packed with people our age behaving like (sensible) teenagers. They don't stop living and enjoying life in these parts, and it was great fun to be part of this for a short period of time.

Street life, Seville

Next time we spend a few days exploring other towns and cities in Andalusia, all within touching distance of Seville.

Rooftops of Seville