Sevilla (Spain) > Reviews > Sevilla: the City of Oranges and much more

Author's product rating:   

Advantages:	Architectural beauty; fantastic weather; great food; beautiful people .  .  .
Disadvantages:	Very few

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Sevilla... the word is almost as beautiful as the city itself. I have been fortunate enough to experience quite a few places across the globe, and I could count on the fingers of one hand (and I could probably afford to be missing a few fingers) the number of places that have left more of an impression on me than Sevilla. I visited in the summer before I came to university, on an itinerary that took in the usual tourist hotspots in Andalucia; Granada, Cordoba, Cadiz, and so on.

The whole atmosphere was one that I found particularly intoxicating; you are constantly immersed in grand architecture, of which the Real Alcazar and the Catedral (the pillars of which remind me of that scene in Moria in the Lord of the Rings where the hordes of goblins start swarming down from the ceiling) are paradigmatic examples. The weather is absolutely beautiful - hot enough that everyone acquires the relaxed attitude inevitable from living in that sort of climate, and yet not too hot that it is arduous to walk around outside.

There are an endless litany of things to do - whether you enjoy seeing the sights, or sitting in those shady Spanish bars consuming inhuman amounts of tapas and indulging in a cool pint of Cruzcampo (look out for the fat Cruzcampo man, he comes in two sizes), watching a bullfight or flamenco performance, or simply sitting on a river bank soaking up the sun and watching the fishermen, Sevilla has it all. Oh, and the nightlife is great as well - don't plan to be back at your hotel before 6. That's fine though, because you can catch up the lost sleep in the afternoon.

We even managed to catch the Liverpool v. Real Betis Champions' League game during our time there - not one of the most classic matches I have ever watched, but the experience of sitting in a home supporters' stand wearing a red shirt and cheering every Liverpool move has to rank as one of the more misguided ventures I have undertaken! Nonetheless, it was great fun, and it is worth going to a game just to see the passion that the Spaniards have for their football.

All in all, Sevilla is a beautiful city, and could keep even the most flighty of us occupied for a couple of weeks. Whatever it is you look for in a holiday, you can find it in Sevilla, and I look forward to having the opportunity to go back there in the near future. I hope to see you there!