Seville

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Seville 12th - 14th Sept 2014
We enjoyed three busy and wonderful days in Seville. The weather is so amazing. It is 32 or 34 degrees in the afternoon but it is a beautiful dry heat and mostly we found a cooling breeze. We had a great central hotel (Becquer). Did the "Feel the City Tour" for 3.5 hours the first morning that walked us all over the city and the guide gave us a great local's insight to the city and its people.

The city itself is beautiful. So atmospheric with its mix of modern life, ancient buildings and great river. And of course, in true Andalucian style, life is lived outdoors, in the parks and plazas, and on the streets with their on-street restaurant dining and bustling tapas bars.

We spent our time soaking up the city and its atmosphere, toured the Alcazar (palace) and took in a traditional flamenco show. Probably best we let the photos tell the story, but one thing is for sure, we would love to return to Seville and Andalusia.

View of the Cathedral from the 'exit' side, its fantastic from all angles!

Graffiti from 500 odd years ago. When students graduated from university a huge party would be thrown including the slaying of a bull and they would write their names using bulls blood as paint. The blood permeated the stones in such a way that it became permanent. Over the years and the industrial revolution, the buildings became thickly covered in black grime. Some time ago when the city made the surrounding area walking traffic only they cleaned the buildings and the ancient graffiti was revealed. 

Lola led our 3.5 hour walking tour of the city

Our tour guide Lola outside the oldest bakery in the world

Seville Bullfight rings seats 12,000

The hotel that royalty and movie stars stay at, sadly that didn't include us.

Our hotel was very nice though, with a rooftop pool and a view over the city

Some photos of the incredibly beautiful Plaza de Espana where our long walking tour ended

Exhausted after all that walking...This incredible tile work celebrating 
Valencia was one of 50, one for each province of Spain.

Triana, on the other side of the river (and with Seville's first, and much maligned
by locals, skyscraper in the background).

No photos were allowed during the Flamenco performance. We went to Casa de la Memoria for an hour long show for 18 euro pp. There were plenty of expensive dinner and show type places available for tourists, but as Lola said, you don't go to the opera and eat, why would you at Flamenco?!  They take their flamenco very seriously here.

The queue for the 9pm show as we left

Gatecrashed a wedding to see the beautiful interior of the Iglesia Santa Cruz

There was even a choir to serenade us whilst we waited for the bride
(but we beat a hasty exit before she arrived).

Seville Cathedral from the 'entrance' side at dusk

Typical Andalusian restaurant decor

And finally, some photos of the Royal Alcazar with its ornate tiles and expansive gardens

The Madonna of the Seafarers was a large painting in one of the Alcazar 
buildings and close up the expression on her face is mesmerising.