Seville in Springtime - An Andalusian Adventure

Hola dear readers and future travellers, welcome back to my blog. The sun is shining, the birds are tweeting and the flower buds are emerging. Spring is here at last in the UK and Europe. It came a little earlier for me as I went on a trip to Spain at the end of February and early March. I decided to embark on what I called an Andalusian Adventure, exploring the Southern Spanish region and two of its cities: Malaga and Seville. It was amazing! Abundant in history, stunning landscapes and thriving cities – Andalusia made the perfect Spring destination to shake of the Winter blues. Already there was blossom blooming on the trees whether in the cities or the countryside.

My recount is probably too long for one post, so I thought I’d start with Seville, writing about Malaga in a later post. Getting to Andalusia is fairly easy by plane as it is the gateway for the millions of tourists who flock to the Costa del Sol every year. I flew direct from Newcastle to Malaga and made my way to and from Seville by train. Seville has an airport itself but is unfortunately not connected to Newcastle. That said if you are in London, Birmingham, Manchester or Edinburgh, you can get a direct flight to Seville from the UK.

The Media Distancia train from Malaga to Seville

Whilst it was a long day of travel (4am wakeup for a 6am flight to Malaga), the train ride was worth it. I took the Media Distancia (MD) train from Malaga Maria Zambrano Station to Seville Santa Justa Station (I alighted at the quieter San Bernardo Station which was near to my hotel). The Media Distancia train is run by Renfe, Spain’s national rail company, and the journey took around 3:30 hours. Whilst slower and less ‘plush’ than the high-speed AVE train, taking the direct MD train made sense for me, as I did not need to change trains at Cordoba. MD trains are also cheaper than the ‘higher speed’ alternatives, so if you’re not fussed about a slower speed, the MD trains could be the option for you.

The MD train was punctual, generally clean and most of all, scenic, passing through the El Chorro Gorge and the Andalusian Plain. Our train trundled past thousands of orange and olive groves. Clouds dispersed over rugged mountains and the sun shone over vast solar farms and flat marshland. In the latter, there were orange and pink flamingos plodding in the waters – a pleasant surprise. Fun fact: flamingo in Spanish means ‘flamenco’!

The MD train also served small towns and villages such as El Chorro (suitable for reaching the stunning Caminito del Rey walk), Antequera, Osuna, Marchena and Dos Hermanas. Osuna gained fame in 2015 as a filming location for Game of Thrones: the Bullring was used as the Meereen Fighting Pit where Daenerys Targaryen was rescued by her dragon Drogon in the fifth season. No peril or dragon was found on this train journey which entered into Seville by the late afternoon.

SEVILLE

The administrative capital of Andalusia, Seville (or Sevilla) is full of character, colour and energy. Seville is the fourth largest city in Spain: following after Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia. Seville was the setting for famed operas such as Bizet’s Carmen, Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro and of course Rossini’s The Barber of Seville. In the last several decades, Seville has been a filming location for Star Wars and Game of Thrones. Throughout history, Seville has been home to Romans, Visigoths, Arabs and Jews. In 1248, the city was taken by the Christian Crown of Castile under the Reconquista. In 1469, the Marriage of King Ferdinand II and Isabella I united both the Crowns of Castile and Aragon, forming the Kingdom of Spain. Seville became a key and wealthy city during Ferdinand and Isabella’s reign. It’s location on the River Guadalquivir allowed ships to sail to and from the Americas; Christopher Columbus’ first voyage in 1492 set sail from nearby Palos de la Frontera. The Spanish Empire and Colonisation of Americas had begun.

The Plaza de Espana and Parque Maria Luisa

One of Seville’s top attractions is undoubtedly the Plaza de Espana and the adjacent Parque Maria Luisa. It was completed in 1928 for the Ibero-American Exhibition of 1929: an event which celebrated Spain’s links with North and South America. The Plaza itself is stunning and contains colonnades, a canal, and alcoves using ceramic tiles (Azulejos). A quiet walk through the north entrance leads you into the bustling Plaza.

Tip: If you want to marvel at the Plaza at quiet hours, visit in the early hours of the morning for a golden photo-opportunity.

A short walk from the Plaza leads into the beautiful and peaceful Parque Maria Luisa, an oasis of calm. The gardens were donated to the City of Seville by the Royal Infanta Maria Luisa in 1893 so that the residents could enjoy the grounds. The Park is especially handy in summer as it offers much needed shade from the heat of the sun. In springtime, the gardens come alive with blossoming trees, fragrant flowers and chirping birds. Keep your eyes peeled for the green parakeets which fly to-and-from the many palm trees of the park. Walking under the palms, you almost feel like you are in a jungle or desert oasis. The park contains several smaller pavilions from the Ibero-American Exhibition of 1928. However, it is the majestic Plaza de Espana which takes centre-stage.

The San Bernardo Area

Nearby to the Plaza de Espana are several hotels including the Giralda Center where I stayed for 5 nights. It was an excellent, clean, modern hotel and certainly one of the best I have stayed in. I would personally go for bed and breakfast and try some of the numerous restaurants in the San Bernardo area for an evening meal.

The Giralda Center Hotel has a rooftop terrace which offers stunning views of the city of Seville. The Pool is open from Spring to Autumn but was closed when I visited. Nevertheless, the rooftop views were still to be enjoyed of both the city and San Bernardo district.

San Bernardo is a quiet yet underrated district of Seville. The area has some of Seville’s classic white and colourful painted houses but without the hustle and bustle of the inner city. The domed Iglesia de San Bernardo dates from the 17^th century and its bells regularly chime, a charming sound at sunset. Just north of the church is the Real Fabrica de Artilleria which was built in 1565 as a weapons factory. The Spanish Crown took ownership of the factory in 1634, running it until 1991. After recent restoration, the Artilleria is now an arts and cultural centre hosting gigs and small-sized concerts. Make art not war is a more appealing message, especially in these times.

Seville Cathedral, Archivo des Indias and Royal Alcazar Palace and Gardens

Playing tourist once again, I ventured into the city centre the next day to view Seville’s Cathedral and Giralda Tower. It is also the resting place of Christopher Columbus; a significant yet controversial figure in history given his mistreatment of the American indigenous peoples. The site wasn’t always a Cathedral; it used to be the Great Mosque of Seville during the Islamic Rule of Spain. You can see the Moorish architecture in the Giralda Tower (built 1184-96), once the minaret for the Mosque. The fusion of the Islamic, Christian and Renaissance architectures made the Cathedral a suitable and deserving UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 – together with the nearby Royal Alcazar and Archive of the Indies.

The Archive/Archivo is a must see. Finished in 1646, this square Renaissance building became the Spanish Empire’s central archive in 1785. The Archive houses thousands of important documents relating to Spain’s rule of the Americas from the 15-19^th centuries. It is free to enter and the inside is striking. With marbled floors and grand staircases, you feel transported to another era.

I visited the Alcazar after viewing the Cathedral, Giralda and the historic Santa Cruz district. The Alcazar requires pre-booking, and the entrance is near the Lion Gate, overlooking the Cathedral Square. The Alcazar was built in the 11^th century during the Islamic Rule of Spain. When Seville was captured in 1248 by the Christian Kingdom of Castille, the royals decided to make the Alcazar their palace. As a result, the Spanish Royal Family still use Seville’s Alcazar today.

Seville’s Alcazar is equal in splendour to Granada’s Alhambra and Cordoba’s Alcazar – both are fantastic historic landmarks in Andalusia. It also exhibits the Mudejar architectural style – a blend of Christian and Islamic art. The most stunning areas are the Courtyard of the Maidens, the Ambassador’s Hall with its golden ceiling, and the underground Maria Padilla Baths. The Alcazar of Seville’s gardens are beautiful in Springtime when the fragrant orange trees come to blossom. Walk along the Pond Garden’s Grotto Gallery to get great views of the Alcazar and even the Cathedral’s Giralda. Be prepared to jostle with other tourists though – it’s a tight squeeze! The large Marquis’ Garden of Retreat lives up to its name, allowing visitors ample opportunity to relax with ducks under citrus and palm trees by the many fountains.

Tip: If you pre-book far enough in advance, look out for the free entry slots offered to visitors on Monday afternoons.

El Arenal and the Torre del Oro

My other favourite district of Seville along with San Bernardo was El Arenal. El Arenal offers a pleasant riverside walk. You can also see the neighbouring Triana district on the west-bank of the Guadalquivir, an area steeped with flamenco and bullfighting traditions. It lies along the pedestrianised walkway of the Guadalquivir River - El Arenal derives from the Spanish word for ‘sandybank’. It was here along the quays of Seville that Spanish galleons sailed to and from the Spanish Empire’s colonies. I saw two amazing sights: the Moorish Torre del Oro (Golden Tower) built in 1220 and a replica of Ferdinand Magellan’s ship Nao Victoria. Magellan launched the first successful expedition to circumnavigate the globe in 1519-22. It wasn’t all plain sailing though, as Magellan was killed by natives in the Philippines. The expedition was completed by crewmate Juan Sebastian Elcano, one of only 40 men to survive the expedition out of an initial 270 sailors. The replica Nao Victoria dates from 1992, built for the Universal Exhibition of that year which revitalised the city in the 1990s. Seville’s modernity can be seen with new landmarks such as the Torre Sevilla, built in 2015, and Las Setas (The Mushrooms) a wooden viewing platform, 15 minutes’ walk away in the city centre.

Departing Seville

After five days of exploring, it was soon time to leave Seville to return back to Malaga. Seville has to be one of the most exciting, historic and vibrant cities I’ve visited. It has something for everyone with both top attractions and hidden gems. Stay tuned for more on Malaga coming soon!