A Short Trip to Spain and a Visit to Seville

My friend and I spent four full days in Seville and really took our time to explore the city. Our hostel was close to the centre and the main bus stations, so we didn’t use the public transport during our stay. I see that as a good thing, since when I travel, I often choose the wrong bus line or the bus going in the wrong direction and end up going who knows where.

I’ll briefly describe my TOP three attractions you shouldn’t miss.

1. Alcázar (»Reales Alcázar de Sevilla« in Spanish)

This is definitely an attraction you shouldn’t miss. The royal palace, which is still the royal family’s residence, is partly open to visitors. You can see painted ceramic tiles everywhere and you don’t even want to think about how much labour went into them. The palace also includes the royal gardens that are a great place to relax, sit down on a bench and read a book. The ticket costs 14 euros for adults, but there’s free entry for foreigners as well on Monday afternoons. We opted for the cheap “option” and booked the ticket directly on the palace’s website, ending up paying a mere euro per person. In case you, too, choose this option, be prepared to spend a maximum of two hours at the palace since your visit will be limited.

2. A flamenco show

If you love dance, then you shouldn’t miss a flamenco show. It’s a dance and music style that is mostly typical for Andalusia. The Spanish Roma or gitanos are said to be the pioneers of this romantic dance, but the Cubans, Arabs and the Jewish also influenced it. Shows usually consist of singers, guitarists and dancers, but it can vary depending on the dance style. I was completely mesmerised by the dancers. It’s really incredible how they can sync their whole body language – from pounding their feet to moving their fingers. My friend and I booked a ticket for the museum and a show at GetYourGuide (if you’re a HI member, you get 10% off your booking).

3. Plaza de España with María Luisa Park

The famous “Spanish Steps” were built for the 1929 Expo as a monument with the goal to make symbolic peace with its former American colonies. The thing that stuck with me the most are the mosaic benches that are located on the building’s ground floor. The benches and frescoes in the background are made of ceramic tiles known as azulejos. It’s a style found specifically in Portugal and Spain. Each of the 52 frescoes represents a Spanish province. After you visit the plaza, I recommend taking a walk through the María Luisa Park. Walking in natural shade feels especially pleasant on a hot day.

In addition to the above attractions, I also recommend the following: the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See, Torre del Oro, Metropol Parasol (the Spanish mushroom) and the Museum of Fine Arts of Seville (Museo de Bellas Artes de Sevilla).

When’s the best time to visit?

I visited the city in May, but the temperatures were barely tolerable. Forty degrees Celsius is more appropriate for a siesta than roaming around the city. March is definitely the best month of the year. The city is full of trees that provide natural shade that’s particularly useful in the summer. A lot of the trees are actually orange trees, which start to bloom in late March. Walking around the city is a special attraction in itself then, as you’re constantly accompanied by a pleasant aroma emanating from orange flowers. And if you visit the city some other month, you’ll probably see a lot of oranges on the trees. In case you feel tempted to pick one of the fruits, let me warn you that these oranges won’t be as sweet as the ones found in shops. The orange trees in Seville only produce orange fruit that are bitter, so they’re not as suitable for orange juice, but do well in jams.

Seville is a wonderful city, one I’d gladly revisit during another season. If you’re planning on visiting Portugal, don’t let the national borders stop you. Portugal and Spain are geographically very close, and yet they’re culturally, linguistically and historically very different.