“ one of the grandest and most vibrant cities in all of Europe” were built for the Iberio- American Exposition of 1929( an event which took the city 19 years to prepare for). These include the epic Plaza de Espana – a plaza located in the Parque de Maria Louisa, which is definitely worth stopping off at and taking a wander through. It’ s a huge semicircular building that is accessed with a number of tiled bridges that take you over a moat. The Plaza is part of the southern end of the city that was completely redesigned for the 1929 Exposition, and you can spend many hours wandering the wide boulevards underneath the shade of huge leafy trees. For architectural enthusiasts, Seville also has other historical buildings of note, including the world’ s first tobacco factory, the impressive Roman Catholic cathedral in the centre of the city’ s old town, and pic: ALEXANDER SAVIN
travel pic: WAVE RYDER
BUZZ RECOMMENDS
SEVILLE
Helia Phoenix wanders through the history and culture of Andalusia’ s beautiful capital city.
Seville has been regarded as the jewel in Andalusia’ s crown for hundreds of years, and though times may have changed, the city has deservedly retained this status. Famous for its party atmosphere, Seville is one of the grandest and most vibrant cities in all of Europe. You can spend hours getting lost in the winding streets that are crammed full of historic buildings, bumping into beautiful men and women clad in traditional costume, and enjoying the hidden surprises in its diverse neighbourhoods. The city boasts some incredibly beautiful buildings and wide open spaces, many of which
“ one of the grandest and most vibrant cities in all of Europe” were built for the Iberio- American Exposition of 1929( an event which took the city 19 years to prepare for). These include the epic Plaza de Espana – a plaza located in the Parque de Maria Louisa, which is definitely worth stopping off at and taking a wander through. It’ s a huge semicircular building that is accessed with a number of tiled bridges that take you over a moat. The Plaza is part of the southern end of the city that was completely redesigned for the 1929 Exposition, and you can spend many hours wandering the wide boulevards underneath the shade of huge leafy trees. For architectural enthusiasts, Seville also has other historical buildings of note, including the world’ s first tobacco factory, the impressive Roman Catholic cathedral in the centre of the city’ s old town, and pic: ALEXANDER SAVIN
plenty of museums( try and stop in at the Museo des Bellas Artes, which has beautiful gardens and impressive ceiling reliefs). Once you’ ve had your fill of the cultural stuff, there’ s plenty of shopping to keep pulling at your purse strings. There’ s everything from department stores( the well-stocked El Corte Inglés) to small boutiques; from street markets to high-end designer stores. Across the river in Triana you’ ll find a treasure trove of ceramic shops offering beautifully crafted and interesting homeware. The neighbourhood is nicknamed the gypsy quarter, and with the proliferation of flamenco bars and ceramic workshops, it has a more earthy feel than some of Seville itself – and there’ s a breathtaking view from the bridge that joins Triana to the city. As for when to visit, the Feria de Abril( April Festival) finds the city at its liveliest, with women sashaying down the street in full flamenco costumes and horsedrawn carriages clopping around the city. Be prepared to get your dancing shoes on and party with the locals – the Feria is an intense lesson in enjoying yourself all night long. With blazing hot summers and mild winters, it’ s an ideal holiday destination for those wanting nice weather, friendly locals and a historical city centre small enough to walk around in a day.
WHAT TO EAT There’ s only one thing to eat in this city, and it’ s that tasty traditional Spanish tapas. Paella is only served in most places from 2pm onwards, so make sure you check before you order. A local speciality that might not be for the gastronomically shy is the menudo, which is a Seville-style tripe stew. For those with a sweet tooth, make sure you seek out the churros – a fried dough pastry that’ s eaten after being dipped in hot chocolate.
WHAT TO BUY If you’ re going around Feria time then you’ re going to want to make sure you’ re dressed appropriately – and that means getting yourself or the lady in your life a flamenco dress. These are heavy on the wallet though, with handmade dresses ranging from £ 200 up to the thousands. Cheaper on the wallet: buy yourself a pretty fan from any number of street vendors( great gifts – the cheapest ones starting at three for £ 5).
MUST SEE OR DO Seville has some of the most beautiful neighbourhoods of any Spanish city. While you can easily navigate them all yourself using the excellent bus and tram routes, a good way to get an overview is with a sightseeing bus. The green buses will allow you to use your ticket for two days and on two different routes – the‘ romantic’ night-time route is a particular delight. You also get headphones for a guided tour in a range of languages( no Welsh yet!).
Flights & Accomodation: The cheapest UK flights to Seville are with easyJet or Ryanair from Gatwick. Alternatively, consider flying from Bristol to Malaga( with easyJet) and taking a scenic train for a couple of hours up to Seville – a nice alternative to the M4 / M25 slog. Accommodation in Seville can be expensive so book in advance to avoid hefty bills.
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