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Ancient History

The history of Seville, Andalusia’s biggest city, dates back two millennia and the passage of time and the people instrumental in its growth are intrinsically woven into the tapestry of Seville’s distinct personality.

The Roman settlement of Italica, about 8km north of the city, was founded in 206BC by Scipio ‘The African’. It was soon abandoned for Seville, or Hispalis as it was formerly known, some short distance down the Guadalquivir. Some remains of this period can be seen at the ancient site, though the ruins are partly reconstructed from the new town which was added by Hadrian. They include what is thought to be one of the biggest of all Roman amphitheatres, with a capacity for 25,000 spectators.  This was used for gladiator and wild animal sports; even in its early days the inhabitants of Seville appear to have had a taste for blood sports. Remnants of its early history pervade the city today, from the famous aqueduct to the twin columns in the Plaza de la Alameda de Hercules, topped with the statues of Hercules and Julius Caesar.

Modern history

But it is the imprint of its Islamic legacy that most readily captivates and inspires the visitor to Seville. As they stormed across North Africa, Spain – so close to Morocco – must have seemed irresistible to the Moors, the name the Spanish gave to the mixed Arabs, Syrians, Egyptians and Berbers of this conquest. In 711 they made Spain the westernmost province of Islam and stayed on her soil for nearly 800 years. Captured in 712, Seville entered a long period of Muslim influence, its rulers fostering the arts and learning, turning it into the capital of the whole Almohad realm.

The legacy of the Moors infuses all the romantic characteristics of Seville: exquisite Islamic art and architecture; winding high-walled narrow streets; the intoxicating aroma of orange blossom; the familiar patio-enclosed inner courtyard between public street and private house; the soothing sound of the ubiquitous fountain to alleviate the withering heat of Andalusia’s punishing summer sun and the pungent and voluptuous flavours of saffron, almonds, garlic and coriander all deeply imbedded in the local cuisine. All these and more conjure the deep historical roots known as Andaluz which inhabit the modern soul of Seville; stylish, ancient and proud, yet convivial, intimate and sensuous.

Present day

‘To the moors Andalusia was earthly paradise’ wrote Jan Morris in her famous book on Spain. ‘To the travel agents it still is’. Arriving by car from the airport, the first-time visitor may experience a brief panic of anticlimax as the motorway skirts the unmemorable suburbs of the city. White light bounces off the flat concrete of Franco’s modern Seville, the tired fabric of old clothes fluttering lifelessly like moths at the window pane, endless washing lines framing the monotonous balconies of high-rise blocks. But the charmless outskirts belie the magic of what lies within.

The heart of Seville bursts with thousands of teeming tourists thronging her streets throughout the year, pouring into her imposing Gothic Cathedral, disgorging into the famous Alcazar or King’s palace on the opposite side of the square, the two giants of her stormy past standing shoulder to shoulder. Along Mateos Gagos, the cobbled tree-lined avenue stretching from the epicentre of Seville to the famous Jewish quarter, tapas bars spill out onto the pavement, plates of Seville’s famous cuisine are delivered lacksadaisically by the country’s idlest waiters and anyone with a sense of self-preservation bags a table in the ‘sombre’. It is not for nothing that Seville is known as the ‘sarten’ or frying pan of Andalusia. Temperatures in the summer rise to 45 degrees and there is rarely a breath of wind to bring respite to the earnest explorer. Still, this being Spain, you are never far away from a shop selling a garish, painted fan.

Best bystander experience

The Sevillanos, described by the poet Unamuno as ‘finos y frios’- refined and cool - are in and of themselves a tourist attraction. The accent here is thick and lispy, almost impossible to decipher for even the most accomplished of Catalan or Spanish speakers. Nor do the Sevillanos hold much truck with English, even of a loud and slowly annunciated variety. A guidebook with some basic vocabulary, and a healthy peppering of ‘th’ whenever the opportunity presents itself, is therefore a helpful tool for the linguistically adventurous.

The day generally begins at the crack of noon with a bone-crunchingly strong cafelito taken with tostada – con ‘jamón', ‘tomate’ or both. This happens ‘en la calle’, as does life, in general, for the people of Seville. A dousing of olive oil is a prerequisite for all food consumed, from first thing in the morning until the last tapas of the evening, and breakfast is no exception. (For the record, Seville is the only place in Europe where a temperature of 50degrees Celsius has been recorded. That's 122 degrees Fahrenheit, definitely siesta time....)

At some point for Sevillanos the working day commences, though quickly to be interrupted by the important institution of lunch - the one eating event that always takes place at home with the family, and most importantly, is followed by a long siesta. In the summer, particularly, you won’t see any Sevillanos out on the street between noon and 6pm. Why would anybody want to suffer such intolerable heat? It is only the tourists who labour under the midday sun, trying to fathom indecipherable quirky dishes whilst listening politely to the melancholic wailing of a wandering bard with his guitar.

The working day resumes once the important business of the siesta has been completed, but nothing must stand in the way of the early evening ‘paseo’ another one of Seville’s famous institutions. Women trussed up in their close-fitting finery, sleek men smelling richly of unguent and children in impossibly smart outfits take to the streets of the city to sashay en masse, greet their neighbours, check one another out and sip manzanilla the celebrated sherry taken as an aperitif, always chilled, generally accompanied by tapas. ‘Tapear’ literally means ‘to cover’ and tapas originated from the slices of bread that were used to cover the mouth of the glass to stop insects falling in - from humble beginnings great things are born. Since so much sleeping has taken place during the day, it is only right and proper that nocturnal activities make up for lost ground.  And the Sevillanos know how to let their hair down. Just as the day starts on the street, the street is where it ends.

The city is awash with lively bars open until the early hours of the morning, and the order of the night is to move seamlessly from one to the other, sipping and nibbling as you go. Sevillanos don’t tend to ‘dine’ in the evening – they snack. And whilst they drink throughout the night, the mood is always upliftingly merry, never maraudingly drunk. Being part of that throng of movement, tripping one’s way down the cobbled streets under the silver moon, catching some spontaneous dancing here and rousing stamping and clapping there, is one of the joys and pleasures of this magical city. 

Best Hotels

For sheer grandeur, the Alfonso XIII takes some beating. Conceived nearly 100 years ago as Europe’s most luxurious hotel, it boasts old style opulence and emanates Arab heritage of the most decadent order. It is centrally located, overlooking the magnificent Guadalquivir, with nearly 147 rooms of formal decor and generous proportions. This is the place to dress up and do Seville in style.

Also Worth a Look

There are a number of beautiful boutique hotels in and around Seville which offer something more relaxed without missing a beat in terms of authentic style and atmosphere. Las Casas de la Juderia is an ensemble of traditional Andalusian style houses, approached down serpentine narrow steets in the heart of the city’s old quarter. It is magical, owing to both its traditional architecture and perfect location - a minute’s walk from the calle de Santa Maria la Blanca which is the ideal spot for breakfast in the morning sun - a stone’s throw from all the local sites and tourist attractions of the city.

A little way up the street Casa Numero 7 is a small, elegant and curiously English townhouse owned by a charming aristocrat from Jerez. Enjoy a glass of excellent pre-prandial fino on the roof terrace overlooking the city’s splendid skyline before diving into the morass of tapas bars of barrio Santa Cruz on its doorstep.  Nearby the Casa Imperial is tucked behind magnificent wooden gates, akin to the entrance to the secret garden. It has 24 rooms organised around three exquisite courtyards. Slightly removed from the urban hub, it offers an oasis of calm and tranquillity. Finally, the EME Catedral Hotel, which overlooks the cathedral, has 60 ultra-modern rooms, four restaurants and a sleek spa.

There are literally hundreds of small pensiones around the city – traditional bed and breakfasts - run by local families offering charm, old style hospitality and basic but comfortable service. If budget is the order of the day, take your pick of the many cheap options on offer.

Hotels Out of Town

Ten minutes drive to the west of Seville is Hacienda Benazuza, Seville a beautiful 10th-century farmhouse that has been transformed into a magnificent luxury hotel. For food aficionados, this place should not be missed. Twenty minutes to the east is Casa de Carmona, Seville, an elegant and stylish 16th-century palace in the historic town of Carmona, famed for its breathtaking views and impressive monuments. For an altogether different experience, Trasierra, Seville is a family-run hotel an hour’s drive north of the city set high in the Sierra Morena. With no pretensions to luxury, it is far more pleasurable as a result of eschewing star ratings. Magnificently located, beautifully yet simply designed, it is the perfect antidote to a heavy agenda of city culture. Don’t expect activity here – the pace is slow, what lies beyond the olive groves is frankly irrelevant – it is the views, the peace, the fabulous homemade food and unobtrusive hospitality that make it the quintessential rural retreat.

Best Restaurants

Seville is the home of tapas – the Sevillanos are not great restaurant goers – and little attention is given to design, lighting and overall ambiance in all but the most sophisticated restaurants. For this reason the most rewarding places to eat are those that offer a combination of beautiful venue – ideally outside – and fresh, reasonably priced food.

It is easy enough to spot the best bars and restaurants in town as they are generally frequented by the locals, who leave the mediocre tourist traps to the undiscerning one-hit traveller. Eating well in Seville requires experimentation. There are undoubtedly some pretty unconventional takes on gastronomy – such as the cola del toro (bull’s tail) – sitting alongside the more familiar ‘jamón ibérico’ and ‘tortilla español’ but the joy of eating out is to ‘picar’ – taste and see. Sizes of portions range from tapas, medio racion to racion. Stick with the former, order a selection and you’ll soon find your way to your favourite local dish.

Almost everything close to the cathedral, which is the epicentre of visitor activity, serves poor food at an unreasonable price. As a general rule of thumb, if it has a menu in English, French and German, with strange photographs of unidentifiable fluorescent dishes, don’t do it.  Exceptions to the tourist trap rule are some of the bars on Mateos Gagos, notably Las Columnas and Bar Giralda. If you want to do lunch in style Casa Robles is a minute’s walk from the Cathedral. It has a slightly formal atmosphere, and in keeping with many of the eating spots in this locale, hot and hapless tourists may be treated with an air of disdain. However you can bag a table on the shady side of the street, watch the world bustle noisily by, and pick at delicious morsels of freshly prepared tapas. Recommended dishes include the solomillo al jerez, a thick-cut piece of tender beef sirloin that is char-grilled to perfection and served with a mushroom and sherry sauce

Emanating out from here, there are a host of idyllic bars and small restaurants in some of the prettiest plazas of Santa Cruz, which whilst undeniably geared towards tourism you cannot beat for charm and aesthetic delight.  La Albahaca offers a wonderful location and the finest variations on Seville’s best tapas. If you eat here in the evening there is an after dinner flamenco show right opposite. Corral del Agua is equally romantic, nestled in a quiet leafy courtyard by the Alcazar wall. A stone’s throw away Egaña Oriza offers Basco-Andaluz cuisine - superb local ingredients cooked in an innovative style. Try ceviche de rape y mero con berberechas al aceite virgen extra (raw marinated monkfish and sea bass with cockles in extra virgin olive oil) and arroz calodoso de paloma torcaz en su jugo (stewed woodpigeon with rice).

Restaurante Modesto, lovingly referred to by locals as ‘Restaurante Molesto’, on account of the superbly arrogant waiting staff, is a fabulous spot to have lunch in the sun, only a short distance from the hurly burly of Santa Cruz. It backs onto one of Seville’s most exquisite squares, borders the gorgeous Alcazar gardens and, if you have children, there is a pretty park – the Jardines de Murillo – only ten paces from where you are sitting. The dishes are all consistently excellent – dig into a media racion of pescaito frito followed by simply grilled fresh meat or fish – there is a good wine list and if you offer a bit of basic Spanish you might even solicit a smile.

Moving south Arenal offers some equally enticing eating experiences especially La Isla and Casablanca, Seville.  The former is situated next to the maestranza and comprises two Andalucian style dining rooms, unremarkable in decor, but one of the best places to eat seafood in Seville. Trucked or flown from either Galicia or Huelva, it is always fresh and inventive. Members of Real Betis are often spotted eating here. The latter is one of the most famous tapas bars in Seville, heaving with locals, which is always a good sign that you're in the right place. Tables must be reserved in the restaurant area, but it is possible to eat equally well in the bar. It is small, with a lively atmosphere, and seafood is a speciality - try breaded prawns, hake with clams, or the traditional, but impeccably executed, staples of manchego with quince paste.

To the west Restaurante Eslava is in the quiet and beautiful district of San Lorenzo. It is a charming owner-run restaurant with a homely feel next door to its permanently full tapas bar of the same name. The food is simple and creative, and it has remained over the years a huge favourite amongst the Sevillanos. Salmorejo – cold soup based on tomato and bread – and boquerones – white anchovies – are just some examples of the unpretentious but delicious food served here.

For a smart night out Restaurante Abades is Seville’s latest and most fashionable eating spot. It is located on the banks of the Guadalquivir offering a unique, panoramic view of the city by virtue of its modern design, a striking departure from the traditional setting of most of the city’s restaurants. A little austere for some, the food is minimalist Mediterranean, and pricey for the portions, but the real draw is a refreshing change from the classic Andalucian formula.  

Best shopping

The leather shops in Arenal are sensational. You can pick up traditional Spanish riding boots – which have for the last couple of years been retailing at eye-watering prices in designer boutiques from London to LA – for around 50 euros. Handmade bags, gun slings, hats and other hunting paraphernalia are all on sale here at extremely attractive prices.

Best markets

The old Sunday flea market in the Alameda de Hercules, which positively pulsated with seductive gypsy charm, has recently closed down. Nearby El Jueves, the Thursday flea market, snakes along Calle Feria. It is an Aladdin’s cave of junk and bric-a-brac, said to date back to Moorish times when the market was held the day before Friday prayers.

Best spiritual experience

The people of Seville don’t do anything by halves, including religion. ‘Semana Santa’ or holy week is an extraordinary and mesmerising experience for even the most hard-bitten of cynics. From Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday, large, richly bedecked images and tableaux of scenes from the Easter story are carried on colossal floats from the city’s many churches through the winding streets to the Cathedral. The processions that accompany them march through the night and thousands of people throng the sidewalks to watch them. The solemnity of the occasion is overwhelming: the silence of the long, arduous journey; the heavy smell of incense impregnating the air; the lugubrious shuffling of feet; the images of suffering; the mournful faces looking on. Watching is free if you’re happy to be carried along by the crowd, but tickets for prime viewing spots come at a price.

Best hedonism

No guide to Seville is complete without mention of the world famous feria. The feria – a week-long festival of music and dancing – comes in the wake of the collective suffering of Semana Santa, and shows how resilient the Sevillanos are, with a great capacity for bouncing back. The Feria represents the spontaneous outburst of spring erupting chaotically from the subdued winter months; the elevated status of flamenco for which Seville is its world stage; the beginning of the bullfighting season and Seville’s insatiable appetite to party.

Having taken a week off in the name of religious mourning, the city quite literally closes down for a second week to rejuvenate its spirits. Most of the centre is cut off and there is no access to cars. The streets are dedicated to the magnificent parades of men and women, young and old, bedecked in their vibrant flamenco outfits, heading by carriage, by horseback and by foot to the feria.

The feria itself takes place at a location in Los Remedios on the outskirts of town. It is an extraordinary mixture of flamboyant narcissism and hedonistic fun. Essentially a festival of drinking and dancing, it maintains an impressive tempo for six days and nights. Nowhere is the social hierarchy of Seville more shamelessly displayed than in the quality of the horses, the expense of the carriages, the number of dress changes and the exclusivity of private tents. As a visitor, you are easily lost in the heat and dust of this frenetic fiesta. In truth, it is a local affair, organised for locals and by locals and notwithstanding the electrifying atmosphere and terrific spectacle of prancing horses and swirling scarves, visitors are generally consigned  to the role of lookers on. 

It is practically impossible to either fly to or stay in Seville around Easter and if you manage to book a room, be warned that it will come at a heavy premium.

Best Recovery Plan

The Sevillanos swear by ‘chocolate y churros’ – hot chocolate and doughnuts – after a heavy night of excess. Throughout the feria numerous kiosks line the long walk home, handing out sustenance to staggering passers by. For something healthier, pay a visit to Aire de Sevilla (+34 95 501 0024; www.airedesevilla.com), a series of thermal Roman baths and a Hamman.

Best local experience

‘Bull fight’ is a poor translation of Spain’s infamous national sport which is in fact more accurately relayed as ‘running of the bulls’. When the notion of ‘fight’ is dispelled it is perhaps possible for the visitor to make some tentative first steps in understanding the concept of la corrida. By the Spanish, it is not regarded as sport so much as art – indeed it is reported in the Arts pages of the national newspapers – and its followers or ‘aficionados’ reach for refined and educated language when discussing its place in Spanish history and culture. They talk of the ‘honour’ in a brave death of a toro bravo – bred solely for fighting as it is. For many, including some native Spanish, it is an abhorrent ritual slaughter, nothing more or less, and no amount of sophisticated language will forgive its gratuitous violence and cruelty.

Be you fascinated, horrified, or both, by the Spanish appetite for bullfighting, La Maestranza of Seville is one of the most important rings in the world and people flock in droves to see the best matadors – and finest bulls – meet head to head. The feria marks the beginning of the season, which lasts until the end of summer – but note there are none in July and August. Tickets can be bought officially at the bull ring, but are widely available on the black market (Paseo de Colόn 12; +34 95 450 1382; www.plazadetrosdelamaestranza.com).

Best music

No guide to Seville is complete without a nod to its most famous ‘gitano’ dance. Gypsies in Spain date back to Moorish times and their image and identity is intricately bound up with what has become something of a national emblem. Formal shows are staged almost every night in the centre of town during the tourist season, but the mesmeric power of flamenco is best enjoyed in an impromptu performance in a small smoky bar in Triana, once the city’s gitano quarter. Alas, there is no failsafe guide to such an experience. Occasionally dancing and singing break out spontaneously, erupting from nowhere, bringing unsuspecting audiences to a standstill.

For the intrepid traveller banging on the door of a closed drinking hole at 4am can reap surprisingly rich rewards. But there is nothing wrong with buying a ticket to a tourist show – available throughout the season – and sitting back with an audience of international spectators to enjoy the fun. The bienal – which stages the best guitar, dancing and singing – takes place in theatres and open-air venues throughout the city in September every other year (next in 2010; www.bienal-flamenco.org). If you fancy having a go yourself, drop in on a class at the Manuel Betanzos Flamenco School (+34 954 340 519; www.manuelbetanzos.com) in Triana.

Best secret

The fabulous outdoor swimming pool at Alfonso XIII is technically only available to residents. During the hot summer months when the heat can feel interminable it is a mouth-watering oasis – you might try to get away with a soothing swim if you have lunch at the hotel’s poolside restaurant.

Best Secret Agents

Made For Spain (+34 91 448 7275; www.madeforspain.com) is a bespoke specialist who can arrange everything from visits to fashion ateliers, private visits to museums and flamenco or cooking classes. Also try A Question of Taste (+34 95 471 3710; www.aqot.com), a Seville-based company offering fabulous food and wine tours of the region.

Best Avoided

Percebes (goose barnacles) is a popular tapas dish that hails from Galicia. Look like penises. Their taste does little to redeem their alarming appearance. Definitely not for the faint-hearted.

Best Reads

Seville, Cordoba and Granada: A Cultural History by Elizabeth Nash; As I walked out one Midsummer Morning by Laurie Lee; For Whom The Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway and On bullfighting by A L Kennedy 

Best Insider Tip

Flirt unashamedly. The Sevillanos respond positively to overt body language.

Agree? Disagree? Feel free to send us your comments.