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Sevilla Holidays
Beautiful Seville, definitly worth the visit! |
Beautiful Seville, definitly worth the visit!
Tourist information about Sevilla in Spain. Travel to Sevilla and let Spain-Holiday.com guide and accommodate you |
Seville is located in the South of Spain. A provincial capital, seat of the government and parliament of the Comunidad Autónoma de Andalucía. It has more than 700,000 inhabitants, nearly half the population of the whole province. The city of Seville is located on the plain of the Guadalquivir river which crosses the city from North to South. The river can be navigated from Seville all the way to its outlet near Sanlúcar de Barrameda, on the Atlantic coast. In the past the port of Seville played an important role in commerce between Spain and the Americas and it remains today one of the most active river ports of the Iberian peninsula.
La Giralda, the tower of an important mosque, is the most well-known of the remaining Islamic monuments. In 1492 Seville played an important role in the discovery and conquest of America. The 17th century was a period of artistic splendour in Seville. Painters such as Velázquez, Murillo and Valdés Leal, and sculptors like Martínez Montañés were born in Seville and left behind important works. The city also assumed an important role in world literature and was the birthplace of the myth of Don Juan. On two occasions in the 20th century Seville has been in the spotlight of the worlds attention. In 1929, it hosted the Latin American Exhibition, which left important urban improvements in the city. More recently, Expo 92 reinforced the image of Seville as a modern and dynamic city.
Nightlife:
The inhabitants of Seville know how to enjoy their free time and the city offers a wide selection of night spots.
The area surrounding the Cathedral contains a large number of quiet bars and cafeterías, ideal for having a drink and talking with friends.
The Santa Cruz district and the Argote de Molina street are recommended for the first drink of the night.
Betis and Alfalfa streets offer a wide range of bars and discotheques with a lot of night-time activity.
For drinking late into the night we recommend the streets of Marqués de Paradas, Julio César and Adriano, near the old station of the Plaza de Armas.
During the summer, because of the heat, the most enjoyable spots are the numerous open-air bars set up along both sides of the river.
For more detailed information, ask for a free copy of the citys entertainment guide, El Giraldillo, at the Tourist Information Office.
Food and Drink:
The tremendous variety of Sevillian cuisine is based around home cooking, house wives recipes. The most famous dishes are Flamenco Eggs, Sauté Kidneys with Sherry, Stuffed Artichokes and Fried-Fish (the true speciality of the cities of Cádiz, Seville and Málaga).
The inhabitants of Seville are not big restaurant goers; nonetheless, the city offers excellent restaurants serving all the specialities of Andalusian, Spanish and international gastronomy. The most popular way to eat in this city is "ir de tapeo, eat a series of small dishes of food, usually shared amongst groups of friends. In fact, the majority of culinary customs are based around this tradition. To get to know authentic Sevillian food, the visitor must picar (taste) as many dishes as possible from the wide and varied selection of foods offered in bars and taverns. Salads, Gazpacho, Salmorejo and chopped pork are typical summer dishes which help beat the heat. During lent, most of the tapas consumed are based around cod. And throughout the year most bars serve the exquisite ham of the Huelva Sierras, the prawns of Sanlúcar and fried fish. These delicacies are washed down with local wines such as Manzanilla, or the product of nearby regions such as sherry and Montilla or, of course, golden beer.
Nearly all of the citys streets contain bars in which the visitor can taste. In the Santa Cruz district, a large number of establishments serve some very tasty tapas. The Alfalfa district has a series of open-air bars, very lively during the summer. In Triana, Betis and nearby streets, a large number of bars and terraces overlook the river. Arenal contains some traditional establishments where the visitors can enjoy fish purchased from nearby fried-fish shops.
In terms of desserts, we recommend tasting the exquisite sweets made in the citys convents such as the Cortadillos de cidra of Santa Inés or the famous Candied Egg Yolks of San Leandro.
The nearby town of Castilleja is famous for a wide range of desserts such as crumbles, tortes, sponge cake and home-made sweets such as Sweet Bread Fritters, Pestiños and Gañotes.
Flamenco:
Flamenco is a genuine Spanish art, and to be more exact a genuine Southern Spanish art. It exists in three forms: Cante, the song, Baile, the dance, and Guitarra, the guitar. Gypsies are very often named as its fathers, and (it can at least) be taken for certain that they played an important part in its creation. However The popular songs and dances of Andalusia have also influenced early Flamenco considerably.
Certainly there were other influences, too, which is not surprising in a country that has been dominated by most diverse cultures and civilizations during its different historical eras. There were the legendary Tartessos, and then seven centuries of Muslim occupation which hardly could have passed without leaving traces. All that, directly or indirectly, influenced Flamenco.
The first time Flamenco is reported in literature is in the "Cartas Marruecas" of Cadalso, in 1774. Its birth-place was most probably where, between 1765 and 1860, the first Flamenco-schools were created: Cádiz, Jerez de la Frontera and Triana (Seville).
In this eras Flamenco dance started to establish its firm position in the ballrooms. Early Flamenco seems to have been purely vocal, accompanied only by rhythmical clapping of hands, toque de palmas. It was left to dedicated composers, as Julián Arcas, to introduce guitar playing.
During its Golden Age (1869-1910) Flamenco was developed in the periods numerous music cafés (cafés cantantes) to its definitive form. The more serious forms expressing deep feelings (cante jondo) dates from this time.
Flamenco dance arrived to its climax, being the major attraction for the public of those cafés cantantes. Guitar players featuring the dancers increasingly gained a reputation.
Shopping:
Seville offers a wide selection of shops for buying arts and crafts, clothing, leather goods, gifts, etc and its shopping districts are always full of people and activity. We recommend visiting the following areas:
The Historic center, around La Campana and the pedestrian streets of Tetuán and Sierpes, which include traditional shops as ceramics, guitars, flamenco costumes, fans, embroidery, as well as modern shops of fashion, music, etc.
Nervión, near the station of Santa Justa, contains several department stores.
Los Remedios, on the other side of the river which skirts Triana, is the location of several boutiques.
The nearby town of Castilleja is famous for a wide range of desserts such as crumbles, tortes, sponge cake and home-made sweets such as Sweet Bread Fritters, Pestiños and Gañotes.
The ceramics market based in Triana.
The biggest open-air markets are those of the Plaza del Duque and the Plaza de La Magdalena, which sell leather work and costume jewelry. The most traditional event is held on Thursdays on Feria street.
Antique Shops
The Alfalfa neighborhood, especially around the Cabeza del Rey Don Pedro Street and adjacent streets, contains a large number of antique shops and galleries which exhibit and sell contemporary art. The rest of the citys antique shops are located in the shopping district. In these streets the traveller can find a large number of stores for the purchase of art and antiques.
The Antiques Fair is held every year in the old Plaza de Armas train station.
Another opportunity for buying and selling antiques is the market held on Thursdays on the Feria Street.
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