Seville SEP 2015

We arrived in the afternoon to an intense 33 degree heat and checked into our cute and centrally located apartment in the Santa Cruz area. After a short walk around to get our bearings we stocked up on the all-important essentials for the weekend. Then we were back in the apartment chilling out under the air con with a bottle of cava whilst getting ready for the evening ahead. We had dinner at Casa Robles which is around the corner from the Seville Cathedral. It was nice enough but unfortunately the language barrier meant a lot of guess work was on the cards. Oh well, you can't go wrong with a selection of Tapas. The plazas were full of people enjoying a drink and the night air was filled with the vibrant chatter of people having a good time. On route home and feeling very merry due to the bubbles, we stopped for a night cap at Moss bar in Plaza De La Encarnacion. It was a very trendy bar but it was a pity that it was so empty. Rather unsteadily we ambled home and promptly fell into bed.

The cacophony of noise from the street below was tremendous and ensured that we both had an awful night's sleep. We are definitely going to need earplugs if we are to make it through the weekend. Feeling very delicate we slowly surfaced and had breakfast. After a very slow start to the day, we hailed a taxi only to find that he dropped us off at the wrong place. Finally we found our bearings and realised that we were at the Tower of Perdigones in Seville's old quarter. The viewing platform at the top has great views of the city as well as the 1992 World Expo fairground, Cartuja Island and the Guadalquivir River. We tried in vain to see all the sights in the La Macarena district but most of the churches and convents were closed due to it being a holiday in Spain. It was a pity as some of the gardens and patios looked lovely. Feeling a bit weathered under the aftrenoon heat we had a well-deserved tapas break at El Rinconcillo. This bar is said to be the place where tapas were first invented and dates back to 1670. Refreshed and re-vitalised we headed along cobbled and narrow streets full of character into the Santa Cruz area. We spent a lot of time at Casa de Pilatos which is still one of the finest palaces in Seville and is thought to resemble Pontius Pilate's home in Jerusalem. The architectural and decorative style of the palace is very reminiscent of Renaissance Italy but over the years other embellishments were incorporated and now there are a mixture of decorative styles ranging from irregularly spaced arches, gothic balustrades, Roman statues and Moorish architecture. It definitely was a highlight for us and we thoroughly enjoyed the peace and tranquillity of the Jardine Grande. Navigating through the streets once more, we arrived at Calle de las Sierpes which is the main pedestrianised shopping promenade. Following Avenida De La Constitucion we arrived at the Gothic Seville Cathedral and La Giralda which is built on the site of a great mosque and has a bell tower which you can climb for views of the city. The area around Plaza Virgen de los Reyes is surrounded by many of Seville's best known sites and is lined with horse drawn carriages that take you on a romantic tour of the city. To the east of the cathedral and Real Alcazar is a maze of narrow streets that form part of Seville's old Jewish quarter. It is made up of a warren of white alleys, lovely small plazas and flower decked patios. We walked around enjoying the peaceful surroundings, stumbling across hidden gems until we reached the Jardines de Murillo where we finally sat down to rest our weary legs. Too tired to go back to our apartment to freshen up we decided to have dinner and retire for an early night. Luckily our casual attire did not look out of place so we happily enjoyed a nice meal at Corral del Agua nearby. We dined in a pretty patio with plants trailing around the walls. It felt secluded and quiet, as if we were hidden away in a secret garden. We walked back to the apartment to digest our meal and chill out before gladly calling it a day. With earplugs stuffed in our ears we were ready to block out all noise from the world outside and get a good night's sleep.

Feeling well rested and after a hearty breakfast we ventured out for another full day's sightseeing. We started at the Museo Arqueologico in the Parque Maria Luisa. It is a great leafy and green recreational space with fountains and flower gardens and provides welcome, shady spots when you want to relax and get away from the hot summer sun. We walked to the beautiful semi circular Plaza de Espana. It was the centrepiece of the Iber-American Exposition of 1929 and is lined with stunning tiled benches depicting the regions of Spain and Andalusia. There were many photo opportunities but after a while we had to escape the intense midday heat. We made our way along the shaded promenade on the banks of the Guadalquivir river to the Torre del Oro in the El Arenal area. It is a Moorish tower which once formed part of the walled defences that linked up with the Real Alcazar and the rest of the city. We walked around the backstreets taking in the sights and watching the locals going about their day. There were several weddings taking place and we glimpsed many blushing brides looking absolutely beautiful. They were surrounded by well-dressed guests filling up the streets, while photographers captured all the wedding bliss. The area is very well known for the Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza, Seville's 18th-century bull ring and one of Spain's oldest. Corridas have been staged here for more than two centuries and during the bullfighting season the streets are packed with people. We crossed the river into Triana, a small quarter famous for its potteries, tiles and ceramics. It was once Seville's gypsy quarter and remains a traditional working-class district. The streets are narrow and quaint and there is a lively atmosphere in the air. We walked around the cobbled streets and ended back at Calle Betis at one of the Riverside restaurants. With great views of the river we tucked into our grilled fish tapas before heading back to Santa Cruz to visit the royal palace and gardens of Real Alcazar. The palaces originally built by the Almohad rulers, have been added and extended to by the various monarchs over the years. The architecture includes a mixture of azulejos, complex plasterwork, beautiful patios and halls, extensive gardens and pavilions that offer a welcome refuge from the heat and bustle of Seville. We were very excited to visit Real Alcazar as some of the scenes from Game of Thrones were filmed here. Unfortunately we were unable to pin point the exact locations but nevertheless, it is a beautiful complex. When the crowds finally leave at the end of the day, the peace and serenity must feel like heaven on earth. We had dinner at the recommended La Hosteria del Laurel in the Jewish quarter and were not disappointed. The food was delicious and we savoured every mouthful. Satisfied and content we strolled back to our apartment to have yet another chilled night. Our legs, feet and bodies ached and we couldn't wait to be horizontal.

Today is our last day and once our packing was complete, we had a final walk around Plaza De La Encarnacion and took the elevator up to the viewing platform of the giant modern structure in the middle of the plaza. The contrasting view between old and new is very evident and dotted in between the roof tops are pleasant, green little terraces where lucky residents can soak up the sun. With a final look back at the relaxed Sevillanos enjoying their Sunday afternoon, we said goodbye and made our way to the airport.

Seville is a lively city, steeped in a history which it owes to Moorish and Christian influences. The architecture is beautiful and the white washed streets of Santa Cruz are quaint and romantic. If the macabre is more to your taste then you can always visit Seville's world-famous bull ring and watch the sacrificial ritual between man and beast. With an enviable climate, great food and a good quality of life it is easy to see why so many flock to the region.