Vibrant, exciting, traditional; all words that can be used to define the city of Seville. Friendly people, breathtaking sites, where history and
culture abound are also accurate descriptions and the reasons why you will want to visit this beautiful city. We spent a day there during a recent cruise, and not only was it not long enough, but we cannot wait to return.
Located in the south of Spain in the Andalusian countryside, Seville is about a two hour bus ride from the port of Cadiz where your ship will dock. The cruise line offered plenty of excursions but we choose to go with Spain Day Tours for the smaller groups and more expansive options. Excursions offered by Spain Day Tours can be explored at https://www.spaindaytours.com/. This company is part of the larger parent company of Top Day Tours (https://www.topdaytours.com/) which also offer shore excursions in Italy, Turkey and Greece.
Our first stop was a tour of the exterior of the Spanish Pavilion which was built for the 1929 World’s Fair. The event was to celebrate the colonies in North and South America. Each country built their own pavilion, which still stand today, however most house offices or government consulates now. It was fascinating to experience the unique architecture of each building as we drove through the area. The Spanish Pavilion was by far the most lavish. We entered through an unassuming door off a side street with the promise that what waited for us on the other side would take our breath away. We were not disappointed.
Our bus then dropped us off in the Old Town, a UNESCO heritage site. We wandered through narrow winding streets designed to provide shade from the heat and protect the residents by disorienting possible enemies. But fear not as all that awaits you around each bend is lovely shops, restaurants and boutique hotels.
We eventually made our way to the entrance of the Alcazar, the highlight of our tour. The Alcazar is a royal palace used when the current royal family are visiting the south of Spain from their home in Madrid. Fans of Game of Thrones will recognize the gardens as the setting for Dorne. Our guide took us through the public areas of the palace as well as an extensive tour of the gardens. The Moorish influence is still evident in the lavish decorations, arches and squares of the palace.
Our next stop in the Old Town was the Seville Cathedral, the third largest Gothic cathedral, diminished only by St. Peter’s in Rome and St. Paul’s in London. We had time to wander among the wood, brass and gold leaf altars, and admire the stained glass, religious icons and paintings throughout. Some of the bones of Christopher Columbus are enshrined in an altar in his honour, and his son Diego is also buried there.
Had we the time Seville has a bullring and accompanying museum we would have loved to explore. No matter your personal stance on bullfighting the tradition and culture are very much alive and well in the south of Spain.
Seville was hosting the Royal Cup of Soccer on the day we visited and the city was awash with fans, sporting their team’s colours, setting off fireworks and cheering, chanting and singing in the streets. It was well behaved exuberant fun that was infectious for all. It made the city seem even more alive and welcoming, if that was even possible.