An unexpected delight

Plaza de Espana
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With only two and a half weeks until our wedding, our last minute trip to Seville was a wonderful treat.  Initially we were worried that less than 24 hours in the city would be rushed but we found ourselves with just enough time to enjoy everything.

Upon arrival, 10:30 am on Sunday, we headed directly for the hotel, got checked in and then set out to explore.  Being a very catholic region, Seville was really quiet and mostly closed when we first arrived, but by noon everything was open.

horse drawn carriages chauffeur visitors

Beautiful Sevillian ceramics
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Our first stop was the Plaza de Espana.  The Plaza was created for a World Expo way back when, and it a definite jewel of the city.  Horse drawn carriages chauffeur visitors around the Plaza and through the Maria Louisa Park across the road.

Next we stood in line for the Reales Alcazar - a former Royal Palace.  At first the line worried us, but once inside the sprawling estate there was plenty of room for everyone and even secluded areas where we were completely alone.  The Palace was beautiful.  Seville was initially settled by the Moors and the Palace, converted from an original Moorish settlement, had a distinct Muslim flare.  We recommend travelers give themselves a fair bit of time to see this site...it is a lot larger and has more to see than we initially expected.

Cathedral
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Across from Reales Alcazar is the Cathedral.  This is the second largest Catholic Cathedral in Europe, second only to St. Paul's in Rome.  The altarpiece in the Cathedral is spectacular - floor to ceiling gold. Christopher Columbus is also buried in this cathedral, although there is some speculation that the body is in fact his sons and not his.  All of this was nice to see and made for a beautiful church, but the highlight was walking up the 102 m tower to get views of the city.  The Tower itself is the centerpiece of Seville and a must do for anyone wishing to see the city.

Flamenco
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Our evening in Seville was equally as touristy, as we took in a Flamenco.  The show was a big disappointment to me, personally, but I gathered that most of the crowd really enjoyed it.  I wasn't sure what to expect, and as a former tap dancer, thought the dancing was rudimentary and the emotion was lacking.  However, most visitors will probably not be as critical as I was.

The next day, I had some meetings so Patrick toured the city on his own.  I will try and get him to write an entry, because all I know is that he toured the bullfighting ring...a highlight for any man!

Reales Alcazar
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Overall we were very pleased by Seville.  I preferred the atmosphere and lifestyle to that of Barcelona...the people were beautiful, it was a slower pace of life and in general there seemed to be a greater emphasis on enjoying oneself.  Loved every minute of it.