Size: Sevilla is the fourth largest city in Spain boasting a population just a smidge under two million people. It is the capital and largest city of the famous Autonomous Community known as Andalusia. You can read about Andalusia's smaller, but equally as worthy cities, Córdoba and Granada by clicking the links in the names.
My time in Sevilla during this tour of Spain was far too short. I want to be very clear there is a lot more to do here than I was able to accomplish. I'll go ahead and tell you what things I did get to see that I enjoyed.
Places Of Interest: I, first and foremost, would recommend a walking tour of the city, if you can find one. We were lucky to have a, personal, local tour guide who gave us a tour of the city as part of our tour. I can almost guarantee daily walking tours of Sevilla exist.
They'll likely take you through the (#2) Old Town/Jewish Quarter (officially known as Barrio de Santa Cruz) where they can explain in great detail the history of this beautiful, well preserved, and historical area. It is here where you will find a plethora of local tapas bars, cafes, craft shops, and souvenir stores. Most likely, you'll see the area full of locals and tourists alike enjoying their day chatting with friends and family.
Again, if you do a walking tour of Sevilla, they'll likely take you to (#3) Plaza del Triunfo, where you'll get great views of the (#4) Catedral de Sevilla and it's famous bell tower. Here you can see, right next to the Cathedral, the (#5) Archivo de Indias which is where Spain has managed to keep all its documents related to its overseas empire which includes Spain's former colonies in Central and South America. This historical building was the very building it did its administrative work on its overseas colonies from.
My number one site in Sevilla is without a doubt (#1) Plaza de España. This magnificent plaza was only built in 1929. Considering the history of Sevilla and the rest of Spain, it's not old. The plaza was built for the Ibero-American Exhibition of 1929. This work of art is a must when visiting Sevilla. Take a leisurely stroll through the complex. Make sure to check out the tile art representing a scene of the history of each of Spain's 50 provinces throughout the country.
The final, and sixth, thing I recommend is (#6) Torre del Oro. This tower dates back to the 13th Century. It was the Almohads, a type of Islam the invaded the Iberian peninsula in the 13th Century, who built this defensive watchtower along the river. The name translates to, "Tower of Gold" in English and the name has long been a curiosity to tourist and historians. There are several theories as to why it's named gold, because, when you see it, it clearly is not gold, nor was it ever actually gold.
Things To Do: Sevilla is the best place to see a Flamenco show in all of Spain, and since Flamenco originates from Spain, the entire world. Historians are still unsure where exactly in Spain Flamenco originates from, but it's known it was definitely the Andalusian Roma in southern Spain. It could have been Cadíz or Granada. Since Sevilla is the largest city in southern Spain, Sevilla has become the epicenter of Spanish Flamenco. The show's here do not disappoint. The artistry, the passion, the instruments and singing. It's all so worth it. Trust me, just do it. You won't regret it.
