Seville has a mystic pulse influenced by a layer cake of religion. Christianity, Islam and Judaism have all contributed to Seville’s legacy through its architecture, traditions, music and art.
Compared to other parts of Spain I have visited, Seville feels pampered. It’s in the heart of Andalucía and cared for like a first-born child. The city is clean; roads are neatly cobbled and paved with clear distinctions for cars, bikes, and pedestrians. Paths are lined with towering sycamore trees providing shade, with peeling trunks revealing swirling patterns like the colours of oil in water. Houses are brightly coloured, adorned with intricate iron balconies, with paintings, tiles and murals of Christ and Virgin Mary.
Modernity effortlessly weaves through the city’s history. Modern trams weave past gothic buildings like foxes, exploring a new urban environment with bold confidence. International high-street shops sit next to traditional stores selling ceramics, leather, flamenco dresses, and embroidered shawls.
Maybe Seville’s importance is due to its history having one of the greatest harbours—carrying the pride of Columbus. A Spanish explorer who descended from a Jewish family, sailing around the globe from Seville, bringing wealth and influence on the Crown, who now rests in the Cathedral.
Seville Cathedral and Giralda Tower
The Seville Cathedral towers in the historic centre commanding the attention of tourists. If you visit, you are likely to end up here.
It’s the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world, made from limestone, marble, and alabaster. It was built on the ruins of a mosque, and the influence of its Moorish past remains, including its orange tree courtyard outside the Cathedral.
The Islamic minaret also survived as the bell tower for the rebuilt Cathedral – the Giralda Tower. I lost count of the floors on about 32 walking up the ramps. Once at the top, there are views over Seville, which are partially obscured by metal netting. On tip toes, trying to view the city, 100 meters in the sky around the crowds, the tower’s bell rang out with a thunderous heavy metal clang above my head, jolting me from my view. Fear instantly reminded me of the height and fluttered in my chest like a trapped moth. My posture coiled, shrinking my existence back to the safety of the walls back down. It was a brief view, which will be remembered by the unexpected, deep, resonant gong vibrating through my chest and rattling my bones!
I found a more spiritual experience in the magnificence of the Cathedral. The splendour of the high altar, carved from wood and coated in silver with historical and biblical figures like an epic storybook, and the grandeur of Christopher Columbus’s tomb, elevated by four figures representing the historical kingdoms of Spain to symbolize the power and authority of the regions that were central to Columbus’s life and legacy.
In El Arenal, just outside the Cathedral, I stumbled across the Plaza Del Cabiildo. It’s a beautiful semi-circular colonade painted with floral motifs. It was a beautiful, unexpected find.
Real Alcazar
Outside the Cathedral, you can’t miss the bright red wall with the emblem of a lion carrying a cross right above the door. This is the entrance to the Alcazar, a historic royal palace. The palace dates to the 10th century as an Islamic citadel, but, like the Cathedral, it was redeveloped in the 11th century.
It’s richly decorated in Mudejar style—a combination of Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance with intricate Islamic details. The palace contains ornate wood carvings, horseshoe arches, and azulejo tiles. It has Arabic script bearing an overarching phrase, ‘God is the greatest,’ that runs throughout the decoration.
The palace is vast and has extensive gardens. Its’s easy to spend a few hours here amongst the many tourists milling around; many who are attracted by its popularity as a location in Game of Thrones. Wherever you can, walk in the opposite direction of the crowds and large tour groups.
I wandered through the palace with child’s eyes appreciating how easy it would be to get lost on the huge estate. If you visit, hunt the Gargoyles around the garden, notice the birds pecking the eyes of a sheep in the colourful tiles, count the unique tiles of lions and castles cemented within the floor, marvel at the star pattern on the ceiling of King Pedro’s bedroom, imagine standing in the balconies high up overlooking the Salon de Los Embajadores, or seek the the twelve doll faces hidden in the intricate plasterwork of the Patio de Las Munecas.
Alcazar Gardens
There are gardens within the Alcazar and outside the palace walls. I found a respite here from the crowds the following day. The park is beautiful, with a monument dedicated to Christopher Columbus in the middle. The park has mustard yellow sandy paths, with a mix of pink and white blossom trees. Outside the park, the road is lined with beautiful Jacaranda trees with stunning violet blooms that dominate through the pink blossoms. Parakeets shrill in the trees, offering a glimpse of their lime-green wings flying between the trees.
I spent more time here than I expected. I had a portable watercolour paint kit and decided to rest and paint the Jacaranda trees through the blossoms. A man with a guitar played opposite. He wasn’t a busker or a professional musician. You could tell his music was his sanctuary amongst the birds and trees. I decided to paint for as long as he played, but it seems, without knowing, he had planned to outlive me!
The Jewish Quarter
One of my favourite areas walking around Seville was the Jewish Quarter in the Barrio Santa Cruz area. Wandering around the narrow, twisting streets lined with pretty, colourful houses, cobbled plazas with tiled benches, with the sweet smell of orange blossoms was one of my favourite mornings.
I followed the area’s legends, the first of which was the legend of La Susona. In 1480, the Jewish community in Seville was coming to an end as Spain enforced Catholicism. Many Jews had either left or converted, but suspicions grew that some conversos (Jewish converts to Christianity) secretly wanted to restore Judaism. This fear led to the creation of the Spanish Inquisition, which was tasked with eliminating religious dissent.
Don Diego de Susona, a wealthy converso, was worried about his position and secretly gathered other conversos to discuss an armed rebellion. However, his daughter Susona had a Christian nobleman as a boyfriend and feared the rebellion would put him in danger. She betrayed the plot to him, and he reported it to the authorities. As a result, the conspirators were arrested, tried, and executed. Devastated by the consequences of her actions, Susona never left her house again. Upon her death, her head was displayed outside her home as a lasting symbol of her grief and the betrayal she felt. A plaque of a skull remains at the house in her memory.
My next stop was the statue of Don Juan. This fictional character devoted his time to seducing women (particularly virgins) and was not shy in beating up anyone in his way, including the husbands and fathers. A few outcomes have been featured in plays and operas. But one outcome is that Don Juan had a rivalry with the father of Doña Ana – a young girl he seduced. It’s said that in a brawl Don Juan killed the father. But in a twist, when visiting the grave, Anna’s father came back to life and suggested a truce over dinner. When Don Juan agreed and shook the father’s hand, he dragged him to hell.
In general, the area invites stories of romance and passion. I stumbled across the Kissing Quarter. The alleys are so narrow here that with stretched arms, you can touch both sides, evoking images of illicit lovers reaching out across balconies to kiss each other. Today, kiss marks are left in the alley as a tribute to the intrigue. I also came across the alley where where Carmen would meet Don Jose and Escamillo based on the opera Carmen.
The Plaza Espana
Another highlight was visiting the Plaza Espana. The building, built in the 1920s, is an exceptional tribute to Spain. It’s built in Mudejar and Neo-Mudejar styles. It has four tiled bridges that represent the four kingdoms of ancient Spain and 48 alcoves—one for each province of the country. The alcoves are decorated with tiles made in Triana, which feature important historical events. There are also musicians and flamenco dancers and outside of the plaza, an extensive parkland to explore. The Plaza is an Instagram hotspot, so be prepared to for crowds if you visit.
Flamenco
There is much to explore during the day, but passion heats up at night. Flamenco is an art that is embedded in Seville’s culture. Certainly, there’s an element that the shows are put on for tourists. But flamenco is still taught in PE at school as a form of dance and expression and to keep the culture alive. Women look forward to annual festivals, where buying new flamenco dresses for the occasion is still part of their tradition.
I chose an intimate venue renowned for its finest dancers for my first experience. Thirty to forty people waited in two rows around a wooden stage with four blue wooden decorative chairs for the performance. Five minutes before the show started, the dancers turned up. After a brief five-minute backstage chat, they agreed on their dance style for the evening and came on stage.
Two women had typical Romany features with long dark hair, the third woman much shorter with blonde hair, but still with gypsy features and all wearing flamenco dresses, shawls and flowers in their hair. Two women remained seated and started singing and clapping, creating the atmosphere, and the taller lady, Lola, began her dance.
Immediately, it was evident that this dance was full of sorrow; the look on her face told the story that she had fallen foul of a terrible death of love. Maybe grief or the pain of missing a loved one. Lola commanded the audience’s attention with her stamping feet and swirling of her skirt, clenching it tight like she was twisting the hem of heartache.
The audience was captivated by her performance. However, my attention was drawn to the guitarist sitting quietly at the back in his jeans, open dark denim shirt, and boots. His dark curly hair looked greasy and ragged, and his dark brown eyes were primal and intense. His eyes followed the dancer like a matador in the bull ring waiting for his strike.
Once Lola finished dancing, a young male dancer took the stage. He was slender and toned, wearing a suit, neck scarf and hooped earrings in each ear. His style was upbeat and joyous. He was a fantastic dancer, combining ballet with his dance, generating rapturous applause.
Once again, the guitarist followed every move, watching the dancer’s hips and feet with a piercing dagger stare. It was at that moment that I realised the craft of his work. The dances were improvised, so the intensity came from following their moves, strumming the beat in tune with the evolving story. The two female flamenco singers supported in the same way with their singing, clapping and ‘olé’ and ‘guapa’ Jaleo cheers.
Tapas bar crawls
The flamenco set me up for a traditional evening of tapas. The evening took me to several traditional bars to taste the Sevillian specialties.
The first tapas in Casa Placido was a plate of black hoof, or negro Iberian ham – the best available. The pigs are reared eating acorns, which increase the fat content and are cured and hung for years. The process creates an intense smokey flavour, and the fat, in contrast, has a milky texture complimenting the meat. The dish was washed down with honey-coloured sherry wine.
The next stop at Las Teresas was a sweet orange wine, followed by a chickpea dish with creamy spinach and a rich oxtail dish, before moving to Mercado del Barranco for some sweet treats. I particularly enjoyed eating here and came back for tapas the following day.
I already miss eating this way at home. Rather than a large plate of food, small dishes in different bars work much better! I developed a love for the Iberian ham in Seville, having it with toast and tomatoes as an open sandwich for breakfast and on toast with avocado for brunch. I’m sure I will frequent the Brindisia shop in my local town to stock up!
Triana
For a change in scenery, Triana over the Guadalquivir River offers busy bars overlooking the river in a pretty street full of colourful houses. During the day, the food market provides an inexpensive place to eat amongst the market sellers and to top up on the Iberian ham! The area is well known for its restaurants and traditional crafts such as lace and ceramics. A favourite was Selva, the coffee shop; their iced mochas are made with raw cacao and went down particularly well on a warm, sunny afternoon!
Setas de Sevilla (Metropole Seville, otherwise known as ‘the mushroom’)
Another good option for a night out is to watch the sunset over Seville from the Setas de Sevilla. This new structure was designed by the German architect Jürgen Mayer, who won a design competition to revitalise the square. It was destined to be a car park, but Roman ruins prevented it—this often happens in Seville. The construction is made from wood and is a great nod to modernity within the city.
It was wonderful to wander across the walkway with the panoramic views, even if the heavy, skull-white skies only allowed a glimpse of the red orb sun poking through.
Rooftop bars
Another way to view the sunset is from a roof garden. I was fortunate to have a garden on the roof of my hotel where I wrote after a busy day exploring. At this height, the city takes on a different pace. Whitewashed walls and terracotta tiles house private gardens and balconies, providing a sun trap and a place to retreat. The skyline is dominated with aerials, satellite dishes and plants. As the nights close, the energy shifts, and the rooftops glow in hues of amber and rose, casting long shadows over the city’s historic buildings. Parakeets and swallows dance in the sunset, and the Cathedral continues to command attention, glowing in the darkness.
I only spent three days in Seville, so there’s so much more to see. I will visit again, maybe in Holy Week. But until then, Seville has left me with some wonderful memories and a new love for Iberian ham!
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