Salut Sevilla
As with Barcelona, Seville’s architecture was beautiful, taking on a more royal and elegant style, mostly due to the cultural mix from Christianity and Islamic ideas. The Catedral de Santa Maria de le Sede is by far the most extravagantly decorated church I have ever visited along with the famous Real Alcázar, where the surrounding gardens add to the stunning palace, all the way to the Plaza de Espania, where I got to live out my Star Wars dream. I stepped into the sets of Game of Thrones and Star Wars during my visit to Seville. Every twist and turn in this city is beautiful, however by this point I was so exhausted from travelling and it was incredibly hot reaching 38 degrees with little wind and so I took the time to explore Seville. This was the weeks leading up to the heatwave that attacked Europe during this summer, the week after I left, temperatures entered the 40s.
Cathedral of Santa Maria
The Catedral de Santa Maria de le Sede is by far the best cathedral I have ever been inside, from the main section of the church where gold appears to light up the entire area, to all the extra rooms and sections. It is the third largest in the world, after St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome and St. Paul’s in London.
As with most cathedrals, the tower, La Giralda, is accessible and climbable, but this one was different as there were no steps, rather it was an inclined path that led to the top to where the church bells hung, more than five on each side of the square tower.
The views from the top were spectacular, looking down upon the cathedral along with the rest of the city.
Lots of small windows and lookout points are dotted on the way up, to see the cathedral from different angles and admire the architecture.
Be sure to allow plenty of time to visit the cathedral as there is so much to look at and appreciate. The Santa Cruz Cathedral has many areas of worship, with at least three in the main section. The walls are covered in religious paintings, sculptures and carvings, so there is always more to find and look at as every inch is covered.
My favourite part of the whole cathedral was the Tomb of Christopher Columbus, in which the tomb that has his remains is held up by four bronze figures, depicting the four kingdoms of Spain during his life, Navarre, Leon, Castille, and Aragon. Each figure is cloaked in their coat of arms, along with armour and crowns. This piece was originally in Cuba but was moved to Spain after Cuba’s split and independence.
The Greater Sacristy room, although absolutely breath-taking, does smell a little stuffy. The white room is a complete contrast to the dark ominous main area of the church, and where the ceilings are one of the most eye-catching pieces of art. Pillars lining the walls are carved into scenes and art, leading up to the rounded ceiling where religious figures are depicted. More paintings, statues, and artifacts litter the room, further enhancing the magnificence of the room.
The treasury inside the cathedral holds stunning pieces of jewellery and religious artifacts, such as this beautiful crown. This room leads onto an incredible religious wall, where it is a collage of paintings encased by gold carvings and coat of arms.
There is not one inch of this cathedral that is not decorated or carved to perfection, and it is so large it takes a considerable amount of time to truly take in the beauty of Seville’s cathedral.
The Real Alcázar
The Royal Alcázar Palace is a ball of Islamic and Christian culture, where it is the oldest royal palace still in use today. When entering the Alcázar, the first area visitors come across is one of the many courtyards, which leads to further courtyards, halls, and palaces.
The Hall of Justice contains iconic and traditional Islamic plasterwork, followed the Palace of King Peter who enjoyed the Mudéjar architectural ideas and implemented them.
These lead to the Patio de las Doncellas (Courtyard of the Maidens) which is a very popular spot for pictures as the square courtyard has a stunning blue pool running through the middle.
One room in the Christian section contains tapestries, where I overheard a tour guide explaining how one of the tapestries is a map that is surprisingly upside down but places the cities of Barcelona and Lisbon as the most distinctive amongst Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, and Gibraltar.
Peacocks roam the grounds, adding to the incredible experience. I have never seen one in person, and to be surrounded by at least 20 was amazing, unfortunately none spread their feathers, but they did drag them along the floor behind them which showed the incredible colours and beauty of the bird.
The many gardens of the Alcázar are truly spectacular and a must see in Seville, with perfectly trimmed hedges, fountains, and the stunning Grutescos Gallery that overlooks the stunning modern gardens.
The Royal Alcázar was a filming location for the tv show Game of Thrones, where I walked the beautiful grounds of Dorne.
Plaza de Espania
I got to live out my Padme dreams of walking around Naboo as the Plaza de Espania is the filming set for Naboo in the second Star Wars film, Attack of the Clones. It was just as beautiful in person as it was watching it on a screen.
Arriving early was the best decision, as I beat the crowds as well as the heat. When I arrived at 8am, the sun was just rising above the building, slowly lighting up the plaza and the water that surrounds the building. I cannot imagine how busy the plaza becomes by midday, as when I was leaving it had already began to fill up despite only being half 9 in the morning.
During my visit, a concert was being set up which meant visitors could not walk over the main bridge nor take the Plaza in from the centre of the area, but this did not take away from the beauty of it.
Visitors can walk around the Plaza as well as go up one set of stairs onto the balcony and view the curved building and grounds from there. The bridges are covered in beautiful blue tiles, as well as the building that is decorated with more tiles on the outside.
The Plaza de Espania is incredibly beautiful, definitely worth a visit and the perfect place for good photos.
Maria Luisa Park
The Maria Luisa Park is connected to the Plaza de Espania where lush green trees and plants fill the area along with a stunning fountain inside the Parque de las Palomas, surrounded by three stunning buildings; the Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions, Pabellon Real, and an Archaeological Museum.
This park contains many beautiful landmarks and fountains, such as the fountain of the frogs. This peaceful green escape is perfect for an early morning walk after visiting the Plaza de Espania.
Airbnb
The Airbnb I stayed in whilst in Seville was absolutely amazing, a huge space that sleeps 4, fitted with a large kitchen, a beautiful bathroom, the bed was so comfortable and big, and a sitting area accompanied by a tv and speakers. Not only this, but those living in the building share the terrace, which is easily accessed from this apartment as it is on the top floor. The terrace was huge, perfect to eat dinner on or watch the sun rise. Not only this, but the company where very accommodating and helpful when my train was slightly delayed.
Airbnb: Dream penthouse at the Heart of Seville, hosted by Seville https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/29153655?source_impression_id=p3_1693335619_F6Tw7C3ME3Dpga6Q
The history and culture are intertwined within the architecture and everything tells a story. I would have loved to have visited more museums but the heat was too much and I was very tired after a week and a half of constant travel. Sevilla is very walkable, everything is within walking distance and easier as the roads are often narrow. If Seville isn’t on your bucket list of places to visit, let this be a prompt to put it on there as this city is so incredibly beautifully, and hot!
