Sevilla, Spain’s Most Charming City

Sevilla is the capital of Andalusia and it is located in Southern Spain.  Sevilla is full of life, history, art and stunning architecture.  Its traditions have been preserved for centuries through its people, culture and food.

Best city to visit: Lonely Planet says Sevilla should be first on your list for travels in 2018.

Spain´s economic golden age was in the 16th century and Sevilla was Europe´s gateway to the New World. The explorers Christopher Columbus, Ferdinand Magellan, and Amerigo Vespucci all sailed from Sevilla.  The ‘Torre del Oro,’ was the starting and ending point for trade with the New World.  The riches made at this time placed Sevilla in a position of power, and the center of the arts and culture well until the end of the 17th century.

In 711, the Muslim Moors conquered the Iberian Peninsula and ruled parts of Spain for almost eight centuries.  Their ruling inspired a Europe-wide Christian crusade to reconquer this land.  In 1492 the Moors were expelled from Western Europe.

The Moors left a distinct mark on Andalusia.  The Real Alcazar (UNESCO World Heritage Site) was the palace they ruled from.  The palace has had many rebuilds : It was first rebuilt in the 13th century by Moorish craftmen for its Christian rulers after the reconquest, and it became the king Fernando’s main residence.  Fernando’s son, Alfonso X, replaced much of the palace with a Gothic one. A century after Columbus’s New World discoveries, Queen Isabel built a more European-style wing to the palace.  What you see today is a 14th century rebuild done in Moorish style for King Pedro, but the decor is all Christian, full of images of animals, kings and buildings. The courtyards with fountains and water channels, patios, and the gardens of exotic flowers, represent a mix of cultures, and are spectacular.  Recently, the Alcazar has been featured as a location for the ‘Game of Thrones’ TV series.

Sevilla is home to the world’s largest Gothic cathedral (UNESCO World Heritage Site) which was built on the remains of what was the city’s mosque. The cathedral’s bell tower ‘La Giralda,’ incorporates the mosque’s original minaret. The ‘Capilla Real’ main altarpiece is entirely covered in gold leaf and is composed of thousands of figures; it tells the story of Jesus Christ. Just inside the cathedral stands a memorial to Christopher Columbus where his tomb is preserved.  The cathedral also houses masterpieces of art from 17th century master painters Goya, Zubaran, Murillo, and others.

The Fine Arts Museum in Sevilla, ‘ ·El Museo de Bellas Artes,’ showcases the masterpieces of Velazquez and El Greco.

The ‘Archivo de Indias,’ (UNESCO World Heritage Site) holds the greatest collection of documents pertaining to the discovery of, and the relations with, the New World.  The building was constructed in 1585 and is a good example of Spanish Renaissance architecture.  The building symbolizes the link between the Old and the New World.

The ‘Plaza de España’ located in Maria Luisa Park is an impressive square with a lake in the middle.  It was built in 1928 as a symbol of Spain’s technology and industry for the Ibero-American Exposition.  The square recreates Arab constructions of 10 centuries ago, and emphasizes the regions of Spain and its union with America.

The ‘Parque Maria Luisa’ is located along the Guadalquivir River and was built in preparation of the Ibero-American Exposition.  The botanical gardens were designed in a lush Moorish style, and the park is full of fountains, ponds, palms, Mediterranean pines, orange trees and flowers.

The Moors were very tolerant of other religions, and during their rule, Christians, Jews and Muslims shared the city peacefully.  After the Christian reconquest, Sevilla’s thriving Jewish community were all concentrated in the ‘Barrio de Santa Cruz.’ The neighborhood is full of beautiful squares with fountains, white washed houses and wrought-iron latticework.  The design of the narrow streets was built in order to maximize shade.  The summers in Andalusia can be extremely hot, but the orange trees never lose their leaves and line all the streets, making the Barrio de Santa Cruz the perfect place to take refuge from the heat.

Sevilla celebrates the most epic ‘Semana Santa,’ or Holy Week, in all of Spain.  You won’t see anything like it anywhere else.  Palm Sunday marks the official start of Holy Week.  There are processions every day and they feature ‘pasos,’ floats,  which depict the Virgen Mary, represent the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, or symbolize a small piece of what Easter represents.  Most of the ‘pasos,’ are religious works of art and date back to the 17th century.  The beauty of the floats can also be seen inside the churches where they come from. Visitors from all over Spain and the world go to Sevilla for Semana Santa, and the festival goes beyond being a religious event. It is a fantastic time to be in the city.

The ‘Feria de Abril’ was originally a livestock fair, but transformed into a celebratory fair, where people dress up in typical Flamenco-style dress, dance, eat tapas and drink Spanish Sherry.  During this week, ‘The ‘Maestranza’ bullring is home to the one of the most demanding bullfighting festivals in the world.  Bullfights during the ‘Feria de Abril’ are the most important ones in the season.

I lived in Seville for almost three years when I first moved to Spain.  First, I lived in the Barrio del Porvenir near Parque Maria Luisa, and I also lived in the Barrio de Triana in front of the river Guadalquivir.  Triana is where Andalusia´s Roma people lived and sang about their lives, and it’s the best place to see Flamenco.  Flamenco is an art form made of three parts: song, guitar and dance.  It has its roots in the people of India and North Africa.  The singing is the most important part of Flamenco.  Flamenco is best when the artists improvise; this makes the performance authentic, and the best place to see it is at a local ‘peña.’

The food and wine are delicious in Sevilla, and the bars and restaurants are always full.  The city has soul and the people love life, so there is a great atmosphere everywhere you go.   Enjoying life comes easy in Sevilla!