Did somebody say tapas? See you in Seville
Guidebook writer Paul Stafford shares everything you need to know before visiting Seville, including when to go, and what to see, do, and eat there.
Paul has visited Seville every year for the last five years to update the annual Lonely Planet Guide to Andalucia. In this episode, he shares the best of what he’s picked up across his many trips.
Of course, we talk about the Real Alcazar in the heart of the city, and the strikingly huge cathedral with its famous La Giralda bell-tower.
But we also venture away from the main touristy centre and into the higgledy-piggledy historic neighbourhoods, where the air is perfumed with the heady smell of oranges in spring and summer.
Paul shares great advice for when makes the best time of year to visit Seville, depending on what you’re looking for.
Surprisingly, peak summer is a time of year when Seville is less crowded, because locals and other tourists are busy flocking to Marbella and other seaside destinations.
So, if you can cope with the intense heat, August offers staggeringly good value, while the rest of Europe raises its prices to cope with peak demand.
Express Trip Builder
Stay here: Eurostars Torre Sevilla ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
See this: Real Alcázar of Seville
Do this: Casa de la Memoria Flamenco Show
Eat this: Salmorejo
Buy this: Azulejos (traditional ceramic tiles)
Seville has seen a surge in interest over the last couple of decades, but was having something of an identity crisis in the early 1990s.
It’s surprising to think that today, when so many visitors have fallen in love with the magnificent Mudejar architecture of the city, its flamenco music and dancing, and its tapas culture.
In fact, it was this southern region of Spain that gifted up these two archetypical Spanish pastimes.
And you can easily catch an impromptu flamenco show around town, in the shade of a building on the side of the plaza.
In the early evening, it’s tapas time, and there are some top spots for enjoying your drink and tapa with extraordinary views as the sun sets and the city turns that famously golden hue.
