Seville

 Seville,  Highlights

Here  are links to my  four photo albums of the city and  few tidbits

1)  City  Highlights  (34 pictures) 

2) Seville city    (134 pictures) 

3) Alcazar ( the Moorish palace , 106 pictures  ) 

4)  Cathedral and  Giralda tower   (82 pictures)

( Fleminco dance, street events, Triana, people and us   as well  as the videos to be  added later) 

Seville , the  capitol of Andalusia, was  founded  by  Romans, did not really  flower  until the Moorish Almoravid   period   which began in 1085. Calif  Yacub Yusuf built the great mosque where Seville Cathedral stands now. That is the largest cathedral in world with the Gothic architecture.   Alcazar the palace(above) is another  grand  structure of the Moorish period.  We  parked the car outside the city  and lived in  B&B  based apartment next to the Cathedral for three days.  Being at the epicenter of  major tourist  attraction and life of the city did add a lot the travel experience. All  walking  made fitbit cross 20,000+  steps  

In 1492, when Columbus  discovered  America, the city bloomed to its golden age. The city had  exclusive monopoly on the trade  and soon became world's one of the richest and  fastest growing cosmopolitan city. In 1649  city got the setback when half the population of the city was  wiped out in plague. inn 17th century  river Guadalquivir became more silted and less navigable and commerce was  officially transferred to the port city of Cadiz  That ended the golden era of the city. 

 Plaza de Espana – Plaza de Espana (below)  is filled with government offices, statues, and opportunities to learn about some of Seville’s history.  There are murals and paintings here that depict the various regions of Spain. This is next to  Parque de Maria Luisa – This park offers the opportunity for a wonderful day filled with gardens, patios and sculptures. 

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• Visiting the Cathedral of Sevilla  , Alcazar, Plaza de Espana, walking  tours of the city,  Triana (Gypsy neighborhood), Fleminco dance were  highlights.   Walked inside the cathedral to view its impressive architecture and intricate design. It is also where Christopher Columbus is buried. The bell tower also offers a panoramic view of the city.
• Walk through the historic Jewish Quarter – This area of town is located around the old Cathedral. (Ironic!) It is filled with small winding streets and is generally regarded as the most charming part of the city, but it is also fairly touristy. You’ll find a lot of crowds here but you can still escape them by trying to get lost in this maze of streets.  This is next to  Metropol Parasol,  futurist, modern  structure built in 2012
• Visited  Europe’s oldest residential palace – The Alcázar is the oldest residential palace in Europe that is still in use. It serves as a royal residence when the monarchs of Spain come to visit Seville. The palace is a beautiful example of Moorish architecture, and is a recognized UNESCO site. Long lines  made  it mandatory  to pay premium to take  help from the tour operator.
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• Learn about Spain’s colonial history – The General Archives of the Indies is a 16th century building that contains an incredibly valuable collection of documents and artifacts related to Spain’s colonization of the New World. It has  80 million pages of  documnets  Highlights include the personal diary of Columbus and the Treaty of Tordesillas, which divided the New World between Spain and Portugal. Could not find time to see this and many other  art museums  

My   customized  walking &  Driving map 

36 hours in Seville ( Ny Times,  Restaurants)  

Restaurants, Flemingo shows 

36 hours in Seville ( Ny Times,  Restaurants)  

THE DETAILS
1. Metropol Parasol.
2. Red House Art & Food, Amor de Dios 7; redhousespace.com. Wabi Sabi, Viriato 9; wabisabigallery.com.
3. Casa Morales, Garcia de Vinuesa 11; 34- 954-22-12-42.  Bodeguita Romero, Harinas 10;  bodeguita-romero.com. Las Columnas, Alameda de Hércules 19; 34-954-388-106.
4. El Garlochi, Calle Boteros 26.
5. Palace of the Marquis of la Algaba.
6. Feria Market.
7. La Despensa Ecológica, Regina 24; 34-954-221-593. Verde Moscú, Regina 17; verdemoscu.eu. Un Gato en Bicicleta, Regina 8; ungatoenbicicleta.com.
8. La Azotea, Mateos Gago 8; laazoteasevilla.es.
9. Casa Anselma, Calle Pagés del Corro 49; 34-606-162-502.
10. Convento de San Leandro, Plaza de San Leandro; 34-954-224-195. Convento de Santa Ana, Calle Santa Ana 34; 34-954-380-603. Convento de Santa Paula, Calle Santa Paula 11; 34-954-536-330.
11. Past View, Metropol Parasol; pastview.es.