I am going to Spain in April and am looking where to study Spanish. I have asked around and people have recommended I spend some time in South of Spain, in Andalucia. I therefore decided to do some research on what there is to see and do in Seville when I go in April.
Here are some of the reasons to visit Seville
1) Capital of Andalucia
With a population over 700,000 with 600,00 living in the metropolitan area, is the fourth largest city in Spain. Being the capital of Andalucia does not in itself warrant a trip over there, but it means there are lots more bars, restaurants, museums to see. Seville has a rich history and has numerous historical monuments and places of interest such as the Cathedral, Alcázar, Plaza España, the Giralda and the different barrios like Santa Cruz. There are also a lot of museums, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Andalusian Center of Contemporary Arty, the Archaelogical Museum
2) Home of the Flamenco
The famous flamenco dance originated in Seville. It is also home to bull fighting but being against animal cruelty, I cannot recommend going to see a show. In Barrio Santa Cruz, there is the Flamenco museum where you can learn all about the history of Spain’s most famous dance. Tablaos are the places to see professional and choreographed shows with well known national and international dancers. The price of the ticket depends on whether the show offers dinner or just a drink. Your hotel/hostel will be able to tell you which are some of the shows to see on your visit.
3) Delicious food
Seville is also known for its tapas and gazpacho, the cold soup made of tomatoes and vegetables. Tapas are little dishes or snack size foods eaten throughout Spain, but Seville is the home of tapas. There is so much choice, it is recommended to have 3 or 4 tapas dishes each person when out at the bar. Seville has apparently, more than 2,ooo tapas bars. Seville is also known for its salmurejo – which is a smother type of gazpacho and huevos a la flamenca which are eggs baked with tomato, chorizo and/or ham. I will definitely need to bring my running shoes to Spain if I come to Seville with the amount of food I will be eating.
4) Night life
The Sevillians apparently know how to party. There are lots of Seville night clubs to go out in especially in the Barrio Santa Cruz. Some of the clubs are open until 6 in the morning. There are a range of different clubs, funk, techno, disco to suit all. A lot of people start the night in Barrio Santa Cruz and then go onto Calle Betis and Plaza Alfalfa. In central Seville, you can get to most of the places walking, or there is a good public transport system with night buses running hourly, so can easily get home. One club that I have read about is Birdie Club which is a cafeteria in the morning and a busy night club at night. It is apparently the best place to go out in Seville for those who love dancing and partying.
5) Shopping
There are lots of places in Seville where you can indulge in fantastic shopping. The centre of the shopping disctrict is Sierpes Street and there are several streets runningoff of it. Near the Santa Jsta train station, there is a shopping mall and the old station on Plaza de Armas has several shops. On Thursdays, there is a large street market at the Almeda de Hercules and Sundays, the Plaza del Duque and Plaxa de la Magdelena also have markets
I am glad I will be visiting Seville in the spring, which is one of the recommended times to go to this city. There are two festivals at this time, the Semana Santa Easter and the April Fair. I will update this post with more info and photos from my trip.
