Andalucia's Golden Triangle: 3 Days in Seville
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Seville
Andalucia’s Golden Triangle, Part 2
Pretty Sevilla, you have left such a big impression on my heart! A bustling city that somehow seems to feel like a welcoming small town, filled to bursting with old world charm. A maze of narrow streets lined with orange trees, where you can pick oranges from the branches and be surprised by their bitter taste. A dream destination for foodies looking for authentic Spanish tapas, wines and sherries, where it’s easy to make new friends while securing a spot at the bar. A definite culture shock for a Canadian like myself, where you can watch flamenco dancers and expand your Spanish vocabulary.
Sevilla was our second stop in the Golden Triangle of Andalucia, the southern region of Spain, and if I’m being honest was one of my absolute favourite cities I’ve visited to date. We only had 3 days in Seville, and I wish we had been able to stay longer.
Conveniently, it is an excellent place to use as a base for exploring the region. Many other beautiful Andalucian towns are easily accessible as day trips from here.
Where to stay in Seville
Our hotel, Posada del Lucero Sevilla, was perfectly located for exploring. Set up in the authentic style of the region, it is a small boutique hotel with an open air interior courtyard, all rooms facing inward toward it. I would definitely recommend them for outstanding service and convenience. There are many Airbnbs in the area as well, often with a similar setup.
So where do you begin exploring a place with so much to take in? Let me show you the stops and activities I would not miss in this charming Spanish city.
Things to do in Seville
Royal Palace of Seville (Real Alcázar de Sevilla)
Continuing our theme of seeking out grandiose palaces, the Real Alcazar is a perfect place to start in Sevilla. An amazing piece of history, it was built in the 14th Century for King Pedro I and serves as a fascinating example of Moorish architecture. Its inner courtyard has been famously photographed many, many times.
This palace is nothing short of amazing. Intricate carvings, green and yellow decorative tilework, Moorish arches and courtyards open to the sky. A maze of rooms and hallways,
I highly recommend purchasing the audio tour, if for no other reason than to give you some direction, or you may risk missing some rooms. It is possible to tour the Royal Quarters upstairs, but there is no photography allowed and admission is sold separately.
Pro tip: Book your tickets to the Real Alcazar ahead online. Even early in the morning the ticket line can get incredibly long. The line for prebooked tickets was very short at our scheduled time and we by-passed everyone else waiting. Also, show up for your visit to the Royal Quarters at least 15 minutes in advance or you may not be admitted entry.
As beautiful as the interior of the palace is, the gardens are even more gorgeous and extensive. Fans of Game of Thrones may recognize them as the filming location for the Water Gardens of Dorne. Snacks are available in the garden as well, but you may have to guard your food from the peacocks!
Be sure to check out the ancient baths beneath the palace, accessible from the gardens.
You can spend a lot of time in this palace, so schedule accordingly. It took us 4+ hours to tour here.
Seville Cathedral
Just steps from the Real Alcazar’s palace gates, is the Seville Cathedral, a Roman Catholic place of worship. Both the Cathedral and the Real Alcazar are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The Seville Cathedral is an impressive piece of architecture, and even more exciting, it holds the tomb of Christopher Columbus and is his legitimate burial site.
Take your time touring inside and exit through an orange tree filled courtyard for the beautiful view above.
Italica
A short bus ride from Plaza de Armas will take you to this ancient Roman city. Still being excavated to this day, Italica is believed to have been founded in 206 BC, which makes it the oldest settlement I’ve encountered to date. It’s crown jewel is a large amphitheatre of crumbling stone.
You can tour inside of the amphitheatre, walking through stone passageways leading to its centre.
What I loved most about Italica was that its distance from the city made it slightly less trafficked by other travellers. We were able to enjoy it fairly peacefully, without waiting in lines or fighting for photo spots.
Plaza de España
If you love photography, you absolutely cannot miss Plaza de España. A classic European plaza, complete with a fountain, and rowboats to row through a channel. The architecture here is beautiful, and is one of the most iconic views of Sevilla that you will see.
I recommend a trip at sunrise or sunset. It is so pretty here at this time, and crowds will thin out quickly.
The Metropol Parisol (Las Setas)
Las Setas, or the Mushrooms in English, are a feat of modern art. They consist of a wooden structure, designed with walking paths on the top, where you can get an overhead view of the city. I recommend visiting at night, for an amazing view of Seville Cathedral and many other monuments lit up.
Eat tapas
Ok. Let’s talk tapas. Now we’ve covered Spanish mealtimes previously in my post on Madrid, but some of you may be wondering, ‘what exactly is this “tapas” she keeps referring to?’ Well, let me explain.
Tapas is a style of eating invented in Spain that is very popular in Andalucia, where they have an entire verb, tapear (to have tapas) dedicated to it. It would be best described, I suppose, as an activity.
Generally it involves bar hopping, and tasting appetizer sized trays of shareable foods, often savoury in flavour. In some bars, tapas are even free with a drink! It is common to go out for tapas in the evening, having drinks and snacks and getting to know people who are doing the same. And it is so much fun!
So what kinds of foods are served as tapas? In general, one of Spain’s proudest homegrown foods is Acorn-fed Iberian ham. There is a lot that goes into producing this product, and the result is an incredibly delicious flavour!
As such, ham is somehow involved in many of the tapas you will try, as are seafood and Spanish cheeses (manchego, idiazabal).
Common tapas are tortilla espanola (Spanish omelette), patatas braves (potato wedges in hot sauce) and croquettes.
Where to eat in Seville
El Pinton is the cutest restaurant with wonderful tapas that is absolutely instagrammable. We also stumbled across Gusto near the Cathedral, which gets amazing reviews and they are well deserved. Our favourite restaurant unanimously was La Linterna Ciega, a pub-style tapas restaurant, which offers craft beers (not a common find in Sevilla).
One excellent way to experience Spanish tapas while hitting some of the city’s oldest and most cherished pubs, is to take a Devour Food Tour. We absolutely loved our night with this tour company and met wonderful people from all over the world.
Honorable mentions:
We did not make it to the following stops but they are highly recommended.
Torre del Oro and Seville’s riverfront - A watchtower overlooking the Guadalquivir river. Beautiful place to walk.
Plaza de toros de la Real Maestranza de Caballería de Sevilla (The Bullring) - Also near the riverfront. We did not visit as I personally do not support bullfighting, however, the building can be toured and bullfights can still be watched here.
Feria de Abril de Sevilla - Ok. This one is more of a timing suggestion. Sevilla hosts an amazing April fair each year, where you can celebrate flamenco dancing and wear traditional dress. An excellent reason to visit in Spring!
I hope you loved reading about our 3 days in Seville as much as we loved visiting. It is a place at the top of my list of recommendations for travelling and I wouldn't hesitate to return. If you’re on the fence about this one, just book it!
Check out Cordoba and Granada, next! And for a complete guide for a two week vacation in Iberia, check out my Spain and Portugal itinerary.
Hasta pronto,
Hill XO
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