Sevilla

Seville is, to me, the most beautiful city in Spain. However, one must remember I have lived there twice and spent a great deal of time on holidays there.

The Seville people are friendly, fun loving, family orientated, proud and loud ! Nothing in Seville is done by halves, wether it be the annual ¨Semana Santa¨(easter) parades where various statues worth millions and weighing tons are carried around the streets on the shoulders of ...
...sing, to the ´Feria De Abri´ when Seville celebrates the coming of Spring. Thousands of spanish and tourists visit the Feria (fair) ground daily, from tiny toddlers dressed in traditional flamenco type dresses, to proud dancing horses either pulling carriages or single horses passing from tent to tent with their riders and ladies in colourful dresses sitting ä la grupa (behind the saddle) to sample the dry sherry and tapas. Apart from the rows of ... more

Seville is, to me, the most beautiful city in Spain. However, one must remember I have lived there twice and spent a great deal of time on holidays there.

The Seville people are friendly, fun loving, family orientated, proud and loud ! Nothing in Seville is done by halves, wether it be the annual ¨Semana Santa¨(easter) parades where various statues worth millions and weighing tons are carried around the streets on the shoulders of devoted followers, stopping as someone from a balcony begins to sing, to the ´Feria De Abri´ when Seville celebrates the coming of Spring. Thousands of spanish and tourists visit the Feria (fair) ground daily, from tiny toddlers dressed in traditional flamenco type dresses, to proud dancing horses either pulling carriages or single horses passing from tent to tent with their riders and ladies in colourful dresses sitting ä la grupa (behind the saddle) to sample the dry sherry and tapas. Apart from the rows of casitas (tents) with drinking, eating, dancing and singing, there is an enormous traditional fair which children will love and the view from the top of the big wheel is breathtaking.

At the feria it is really up to you as to how exciting a time you wish to have. In the cool of the early evening it is fantastic to sit outside one of the casitas, sipping a cool drink and just watching the people and horses pass (the horses must, by law, leave before darkness), you will not be bored, spontaneous singing, dancing and guitar playing takes place anytime, anywhere in the pedestrian avenues between the casitas and you experience true, Sevillana spirit happening right in front of your eyes.The only drawbacks can be that public casitas are few and far between, many of the private casitas only invite members inside, but you will still be able to watch the dancers (some of the executing the Sevillanas dance when only 3 feet tall) from outside. Another caution is that public conveniences are not in abundance, - and the ones in the public casitas have A LOT of people using them. You may like to break your trip and leave the feria for a few hours for something to eat and a ´rest break´! On your way home you should always buy ´Churros´and chocolate, a traditional ´pick you up´at then end of every Feria (in Spain it is also a traditional breakfast, but the Spanish do leave the ferias at dawn!). Churros is a delicious long, freshly cooked donut which is doused in sugar and can be dipped or eaten with the rich chocolate drink - don´t breakfast on this if you are counting calories, but don´t miss it all the same !

The shopping in Seville is fantastic, having as it does a completely pedestrianised shopping area which has all the normal shops, plus many traditional spanish craft, clothing and pottery shops. Throughout the streets are numerous restaurants, cafes and bars where you can sample the delicious local cuisine - the trick is to look where the people of the city are gathered - if the local people eat there, it is generally pretty good value for money and good food. Try the local specialities such as Jamon Serrano, local cheese and Olives, Gaspacho (a cold, tomato and garlic soup, extremely tasty and said by the spanish to cool you on a hot day), fresh and fried fish dishes, shellfish, fried green peppers, paella or carne in salsa (pork in a spicy tomatoe sauce). Prices for tapas are generally around 1.50- 4.50 euros, depending where your are. Nearly every bar serves tapas if you do not wish to go to restaurant, and tapas is definately the way to taste as many different local dishes as possible. In a restaurant you can choose a ´racion´(whole plate) or media racion (half plate) or the same or different dishes to sample as many local flavours as possible. Most bars-restaurants have their menu in english, but even if they do not, traditionally tapas are on show under glass in refrigerated containers so you can just point, or they have pictures on the wall, usually with the prices alongside. Local people would normally choose a Menu del dia which provides you with a choice of various starters and mains, possibly with a beer thrown in for about 7-8 euros.

Alternatively, for the faint hearted, there is a all the international take aways and restaurants like Pizza Hut, Starbucks, McDonalds etc. - you will see a lot of spanish people at these restaurants, because they are fairly new to Seville !

Many shops are open all day and late into the evening, but some of the smaller ones have a ´siesta´between the hours of 2-5p.m., opening again until 8-10 p.m.

Please remember during August Seville is CLOSED, like a ghost town, and, with the heat it is hardly suprising. With temperatures well over 40 degrees, it is not a city to visit during August.

There are many attractions in and around Seville, the Ancient Cathedral is awe inspiring, you can take a horse drawn buggy around the old quarter and pass the factory where the famous Carmen was set, wander through many beautiful parks or by the river. Just outside of Seville is .Isla Magica, an enormous theme park which is a must for children and adults, expect to get wet ! you could spend a whole day here if you chose. There are hundreds of organised tours which you can take, a trip up the River Guadalquivir -by river boat or you can hire a paddle boat if you are feeling energetic. Details of many organised trips are available through the internet, it is best to browse if you want to organise your days as they tend to be ´themed´and thus if you like old buildings and monuments you can pick a tour which is geared to those attractions.

The hotels is central Seville can be pricey, but if you shop around you may will some good deals. I have also stayed in many Spanish ´Hostels´ which I thought would be ´rough´, on the contrary, it was cheap, clean, en suite facilities and invariably attached to a bar where you could obtain a reasonable evening meal. If you intend to go at Easter or during the Feria, prices will be high as these attractions are world famous. If you can brave spanish driving, I would look for a place just outside of the city, as within 15 minutes you can be emersed in the white village peace of the real Spain, maybe staying in a villa, on an olive farm or beautiful country house. The country hotels are called ´casa rural´and Spain has it´s own Casa rural lists and award stars etc., just as other organisations. There is nothing better than after a bustling day in the city to find yourself on a jasmine filled terrace, sipping a cool glass of wine or dipping in the private pool of a country house - you will not want to leave !

I hope you may find Seville as enjoyable as I did, and return again and again - as I still do !
 

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