Things to See and Do

Plaza de España

In a city of 700,000 people (Spain’s third largest) there’s no shortage of things to do. A great place to start however (and a good spot to get your bearings) is at the centre of the Plaza de España, made famous from the 1929 World’s Fair as the home of the Spanish pavilion.

It’s free to enter and walk around the ring of mosaics, each one dedicated to a separate province in Spain, and Star Wars geeks might also be interested to know that the central bridge here was used in Episode II: Attack of the Clones. Be sure to have a wander in the adjacent Maria Luisa Park too and take shelter under some of its huge palms.

Cathedral of Seville

The history behind Seville’s magnificent Cathedral, otherwise known as the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See, is pretty lengthy and complicated. A visit here, on the other hand, needn’t be either.

When it was finished in the 16th century the Cathedral of Seville upstaged the Hagia Sophia as the largest in the world. None of that scale is lost today. Walk around the building, the whole 11,520 square metres of it, and marvel at its size. Home to no less than 80 chapels as well as Spain’s longest nave, the €8 fee to get in here is decent value. Watch out too for the remains of Christopher Columbus, the conquistador part responsible for such opulence.

Barrio Santa Cruz

Seville’s Jewish quarter, Barrio Santa Cruz, is best visited after a trip to the Cathedral (given its close proximity) and best discovered on foot. Famed as the most picturesque and elegant of Seville’s neighbourhoods, it’s easy to get lost in the narrow alleyways here for hours on end only to surface out onto beautiful tree-laden squares like Santa Cruz and Dona Elvira.

Among the stores here selling tourist stuff centred on Flamenco and bull fighting you can find some neat little artisan shops too.

Real Alcáza de Seville

Originally a fort built by the Moors to protect their city of “Sbiliya”, the Alcáza later morphed into a fantastic palace beset with ponds, courtyards, patios and baths.