Seville is the soul of Andalusia, flamenco was born in its gitano neighbourhoods, its Alcázar palace remains partly in use by the Spanish royal family six centuries after it was built, and the whole old quarter smells of orange blossom for several weeks each spring.
The Alcázar and Cathedral
The Real Alcázar, a Mudéjar palace built by Christian kings using Islamic craftsmen, has some of the finest tilework and courtyard gardens in Spain, book the timed ticket in advance and go early, before the tour groups and the heat both build.
Seville's cathedral, the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, holds Columbus's tomb and a bell tower (the Giralda) you climb via ramps rather than stairs, built so guards could ride horses to the top, the view over the old quarter's rooftops is one of Seville's best.
Flamenco and Tapas Culture
Skip the tourist-oriented flamenco dinner shows in favour of a peña, a small, informal club where locals gather to watch genuine performances, less polished but far more intense than anything staged for visitors.
Tapas in Seville is a genuine way of eating dinner, not a novelty, order two or three small plates per person, move between bars rather than settling at one, and always order what's chalked on the board rather than the printed menu.
Recommended Stay · Seville · Historic Centre
Hotel Alfonso XIII
A Mudéjar-revival palace built for a 1929 exhibition, with a central courtyard garden that feels like an extension of the Alcázar next door, the grandest address in the city.
