Seville, Spain

The capital of Andalusia is famous mostly for its romantic beauty, as well as its well-deserved reputation for theatricality and intensity. Of all the places in Spain, this comes closest to the quintessential image of a place filled with passionate bullfighters, coy ladies smiling from behind black lace veils, orange trees, flowery patios, and gypsies dancing the flamenco with castanets at their fingertips. In fact, though the exact origins of flamenco are hard to trace, it is fairly established that it began with Andalusian gypsies who mixed their indigenous culture with that of their Moorish rulers, and Christian music.

The backdrop for the classic tales of Don Juan, Carmen, and Figaro the Barber, like all of Andalusia, shows the deep Moorish influence of 7 centuries, among other elements, through its thick-walled buildings with heavily-grilled windows and cool inner patios. In its 16th-century Golden Age, Seville was given a monopoly by Ferdinand and Isabella as the port of entry for all the wealth streaming in from the Americas. The effect of this fateful appointment is a legacy of richly ornate buildings, priceless art collections, impressive public squares, opulent private mansions, and an undiminished sense of pride. This is simply one of Spain's most pleasing and gorgeous cities!

Areas Within the Destination

El Arenal: Bound by the Rio Guadalquivir and guarded by the 13th-century Torre del Oro, this was once a munitions and shipping district. Today, it is dominated by the Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza, a dazzling bullring. The neighborhood streets are busy with many bars and wine shops that are especially popular during the summer bullfighting season. The east bank of the river is a tree-lined promenade with excellent views of Triana and La Isla de la Cartuja across the water. Other popular attractions include the Baroque hospital and its chapel filled with Murillo paintings, and the Museo de Bellas Artes' stunning collection of art from the Seville School.

Santa Cruz: The Old Jewish Quarter is a maze of white alleyways and patios that is recognized as the city's most picturesque neighborhood. Many of Seville's best-known sites are here, like the enormous Gothic cathedral and its landmarktower, La Giralda. Also here is the splendid Reales Alcázares, with the royal palaces and lush gardens of Pedro I and Carlos V. North and South Americans in particular are fascinated by the Archivo de Indias, documents from Spain's conquest of the Americas. One of Seville's favorite shopping streets, Calle de las Sierpes, is surrounded by market squares that appear in some of Cervantes' stories.

Triana: This insular area used to be the gypsy quarter and is now a traditional working-class district made up of tightly-knit, flowery streets. The feeling of independence is tangible and its excellent reputation for ceramics and pottery is centuries old. The prettiest entrance to the district is via the Plaza del Altozano, a square with wrought-iron balconies called miradores. Close-by you'll find Calle Rodrigo de Triana, a characteristic street with houses painted in white and ocher. Its namesake is the Andalusian sailor who first spotted the shores of the New World on Columbus' voyage of 1492. The 13th-century Iglesia de Santa Ana is a lovely church with the Gypsy Font believed to pass on the gift of flamenco song to the children of the faithful.

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