History
Seville has a long and fascinating history. The Romans governed Hispania for more than six centuries. Amongst many other towns in the Iberian Peninsula, they founded Itálica, which is close to the city centre of Seville. The Romans built long roads to link the major towns to the countryside.
However, the Muslim civilisation had the longest lasting impact on the city, building magnificent monuments such as Torre del Oro, the area of Triana and the oldest parts of the Alcazar.
In 1929, there was an Ibero-American Exhibition (Expo) which built the Plaza de España. This impressive monument depicts the Spanish provinces as well as the bridges and canals, and the park within the plaza, Parque María Luisa.
In 1992, a World’s Fair occurred to commemorate Christopher Colombus’ 500th anniversary for his historic voyage. This fair took place in Cartuja Island (where 3Si office building is located), which attracted hundreds of thousands of people from around the world to Seville.
Culture
Seville is full of culture, from museums to ancient architecture. There is no shortage of cultural sites, landmarks and things to do before and after sunset.
A huge part of the culture is flamenco dancing, which can be seen at many shows and restaurants in town.
Seville has many magnificent courtyards which can be admired through iron gates for its natural and architectural wonder.
Main attractions
Plaza de España is one of Seville’s most famous monuments and is one of its most iconic landmarks, built in 1929 and located inside the Parque de María Luisa.
Here you can take a stroll around the plaza and park as well as a romantic boat ride down the canal or a horse drawn carriage ride through the square.
Real Alcázar is an impressive palace which consists of beautiful tile covered rooms, countless courtyards and gardens. Real Alcázar was built for the royal family inside a Muslim fortress.
Torre del Oro is a former defense tower located along the promenade at the Guadalquivir river. You can climb to the top of the tower to enjoy the views of Seville or walk along the promenade.
Las Setas, Metropol Parasol is one of the world’s largest wooden structures. It is essentially a giant art piece that was built in 2011 by the German architect Jürgen Mayer. The shape of the parasol resembles a mushroom which is where it got its name ‘Las Setas’.
Enjoy this video of Seville which highlights some of its top attractions including flamenco dancing.
Food
You will never go hungry in Seville as it is a gold mine for foodies who want to discover local dishes.
Seville has many markets as well as the best tapas bars and must eat dishes. But first you will need to adapt to the Spanish eating routine, as most restaurants open for lunch around 1pm and dinner around 8pm, and locals don’t eat at until at least 2pm for lunch and 9pm for dinner. Breakfast, on the other hand, starts around 8am and is often as simple as tostada y café con leche (toast with many different toppings to choose from and coffee with milk.).
Don’t forget to visit some of the oldest markets. Mercado de Feria for the freshest fruit, fish and meats. Another local market is Mercado de Triana which is just across the river in the Triana neighbourhood.
If you liked this post maybe you will enjoy reading our previous article about homeware, transport and social media in Sevilla.
Videographer, Photographer & Content Writer: Jane Shirley