The 30 best Hotels in Seville

About Seville

If you come to Seville you will fall in love with the beauty and the charm laying in its gastronomy, in its orange trees, in its patios where time seems to stand still and, most of all, in the kindness and joy of its people who enjoy life outdoors with a nice, cold beer in their hands and lots of laughs. The city of the light and the color waits for you by the Guadalquivir so you can discover its hidden corners and its sunsets next to the Giralda. But everything slowly, without a hurry, getting soaked up in the scent of the orange blossom.

Moving around

Getting to Seville is easy thanks to the international airport and to the network of high-speed trains that connects the city with Madrid. The metro opened in 2009 and with it you can move around easily. The bus is also a good choice because there are plenty of lines that connect places of interest in the city. You can also choose a clean mean of transport and get a bike to ride along the many bike lanes around the city.

Out & About

There are several landmarks that you must see such as the Cathedral or the Giralda, the international symbol of Seville which offers amazing panoramic views from the top of it. You can go all over Parque de María Luisa riding a horse or visit Plaza de España, surrounded by romantic gardens. It also has a representation of every Spanish province. A boat ride along the Guadalquivir will give you a different perspective of the Andalusian city. The Reales Alcázares combine Gothic art with Moorish, Renaissance and Baroque elements. Besides, you can relax in its beautiful gardens listening to the sound of water of the fountains. Santa Cruz neighborhood is the old Jewish Quarter. Following its labyrinthine streets, you'll get to the Hospital de los Venerables which has the most beautiful patio of the city. Triana is the most popular neighborhood and there you can enjoy flamenco and art in every corner.

What's going on in

Everybody remembers the Universal Exposition of Seville in 1992 and Curro, the mascot of the fair. In November, the SICAB takes place. It's the most important equestrian event in Spain devoted to purebred horses. Seville's Semana Santa (Holy Week) is one of the most important religious events in the city. Different hermandades (fraternities) work hard all year long to prepare this festivities. During the parades, these fraternities march next to the images of the saints and virgins dressed as penitents. The Feria de Abril is worldly known. During the feria, there are plenty of casetas in the fairground. Most of this casetas are private but don't worry if you don't know anyone in the city because there are also public casetas so you can enjoy dancing sevillanas and drinking manzanilla. The feria starts with the alumbrao which is the moment when the lights get switched on and it ends when the lights go off the last night just before the firework show. During these festivities, the city fills up with music, joy and color.

Shopping

In Seville, the most traditional shops get mixed up with the most modern. There are three main shopping zones: Triana, where you'll find the best shops of pottery, for example; the casco antiguo, with all kind of clothing shops, and Nervión where fashion lovers will find everything they look for. The market called el jueves is very typical. It's set in the street Feria in the morning. There you can find books, antiques, paintings, second hand clothes, etc.

What's cooking?

As in many other cities of southern Spain, in Seville is very typical, almost a ritual, to go out de tapeo. The old part of town is the best zone for it. How do you know if a bar has good tapas or not? You just have to check for the amount of shrimp shells on the ground. The more, the better. You may find curious that, in many taverns, they write what you're having with chalk on the bar as you order. Some of the typical dishes in Seville are: gazpacho and salmorejo, rabo de toro, caldereta, pescaito frito, huevos a la flamenca or, for dessert, pestiños.

Weather

In Seville, most of the time the weather is hot and dry. Temperatures are quite high during summer and rain is practically nonexistent. The thermometer gets so high that some streets downtown are covered from the sun to try and make the heat bearable. Winters are quite mild. The best time to visit the city is during spring and autumn, when temperatures are nicer.

So...

Seville is the city of the light and the color, here time seems to slow down, everything goes at its own pace, with joy. Get tangled in its rhythm and in its ambience and get the most of the capital of the south.