Sevilha
Seville is a city located in the southwest of Spain, in Andalusia. This region, known for its many agricultural plains, was occupied by the Moors for several centuries. Their traces are visible in the architecture of most buildings in the region and contribute to the charm of these places.
This blog takes you to visit the Andalusian capital as well as Cordoba, a charming city located one hour by train. Good walk !
Our journey begins in Plaza del Triunfo, in the center of Seville. Its very central location makes it an obligatory point of passage in the city. It is located right next to the well-known Cathedral of Our Lady of the See of Seville. Its unique architectural style allows everyone to read the history of this site. Its bell tower, the Giralda, is indeed an old minaret from the Moorish era overlooked by a bell tower dating from the Renaissance. Night and day, the Giralda serves as a landmark for tourists and offers a sublime architectural and historical spectacle. Numerous yellow stone Gothic towers also frame the cathedral to give it its imposing and majestic appearance. Because of its architectural and historical importance, it has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. Little advice : meet near the cathedral at the end of the afternoon. The sun is thus lower and the yellow-orange colors of the stone transform this monument into a magical place!
Starting from Plaza del Triunfo, we reach Avenida de la Constitución, a street on which there are many shops, cafes and restaurants and which leads to Puerta Jerez. From there, it is possible to go to the University of Seville, to cross the San Telmo bridge or to go to the Torre del Oro. The latter, located west of Puerta Jerez on the Paseo de Cristóbal Colón, is a military observation tower that allowed to watch the entrance to the city by the Guadalquivir river. It owes its name to the fact that the boats arriving in the Andalusian capital unloaded their cargo of gold when arriving at its height. Its golden color under sunlight also influences this name. Today, it houses the maritime museum which highlights the importance of the river in the development of the city.
Continuing our route towards the West, we arrive at the Plaza de toros. This emblematic place in Seville hosts bullfights from April to September and brings together thousands of spectators. Our first day of discovery coming to an end, we return to the historic center to enjoy delicious tapas in a charming restaurant, the "Donaire House Bar". succulent avocados stuffed with rice and chicken and was able to taste a potato tortilla. The latter was drizzled with Salmorejo, a delicious traditional tomato cream from Andalusia.
To conclude this day, we go to the Setas of Seville, also called "Metropol Parasol", to admire a beautiful sunset over the city. Their light wooden architecture provides shade for the Plaza Mayor, located just below, and houses restaurants and shops. It is possible to visit this large wooden structure for a sum of €15 for adults and €12 for students. The ticket is valid for 48 hours so if you want to go there the next day to admire the view with a different light, it is quite possible. Once at the top of the structure, a path of walkways will allow you to see Seville over 360°. Take advantage of the last rays of the sun to see the city adorn itself with pink-orange! However, pay attention to the successive levels along the walkways. While during the day the wooden structure is solid in color, a spectacle of colors illuminates it with nightfall.
Palais Royal Alcazar
The next day, we set off to explore the Royal Palace of Alcazar. This fortified royal palace is one of the oldest in Europe still in use by a royal family. Although she does not have her residence there, she was still sporadically staying in the palace until recently.Little advice :buy your tickets online in advance! The queue for the purchase of tickets begins to form in the morning and you may have to wait hours before discovering this architectural marvel. Once the entrance controls have been carried out, all you have to do is discover this palace and its many gardens in the order you wish. Audio guides can be reserved with the purchase of the ticket in order to orient you in this labyrinth of wonders.
Upon entering the palace grounds, we find the architectural style of the Moors with wooden door frames and gilded ornaments. Hundreds of colored azulejos also adorn the interior and exterior of the buildings. The Cour des Demoiselles is certainly the most famous place in the palace. Its central pool surrounded by orange trees and lacework walls will take you on a timeless journey.Little advice :consider going early in the morning. As the day progresses, the number of visitors increases and you have to queue to take a photo in front of the pool.
Various other rooms make up the palace such as the Prince's Chamber or the Courtyard of the Dolls. Each has its own characteristics while being decorated with sculptures and friezes. The Alcove Royale is another and directly overlooks the Cour des Demoiselles. It is characterized by its three aligned arches embroidered with friezes and golden ornaments.
Passing to the outer side, it is now possible to admire the superb gardens that fill the palace grounds. Their many plant species and the fountains that decorate them make these places undeniable havens of freshness. Just like for the rooms of the palace, there are a very large number of them that I will not present here but I will leave you the leisure to discover them if you go there one day.
Plaza d'España
Our walk then continues in a southeasterly direction. If I tell you Seville, what images come to mind first?
If you're like me, I'm sure the Spanish Steps are among your answers. And for good reason ! This sublime square is one of the major attractions of the Andalusian capital thanks to its thousands of colorful azulejos.
Passionate about photography, I couldn't help but take pictures of everything from different angles. I will say that this place is in my top 3 places visited in Europe and my high expectations were fully met. We were even able to attend a tango show under the arches of one of the entrances!
I had the opportunity to discover the Plaza de España by night and by day and, although the colors have nothing to do with it, the night vision also has a great charm thanks to the perfect reflections of the buildings in the water of the river that crosses the square.
The square was built by the architect Aníbal González on the occasion of the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929 in the shape of a semicircle and many benches decorated with mosaics allow everyone to sit at the foot of the buildings. to savor the present moment. These benches are decorated with frescoes from each of the provinces of Spain.
In the center of the semi-circle is a large fountain around which circulate the horse-drawn carriages which transport the tourists in the city, replacing the taxis. I strongly advise you to go up to the 1st floor of the buildings in order to be able to enjoy an overview of this square and the life that unfolds there. Little advice: Stay there until sunset. This is when the colors of the buildings, orange, contrast the most with the blue of the mosaics for a unique colorful spectacle.
Cordoba
At the dawn of a new day, I now suggest you take the train to the city of Cordoba (Córdoba) located about an hour away. Even if the cost of transport is relatively expensive, the trip is worth it. It is indeed possible to observe, throughout the journey, the alternation between fields of orange trees as far as the eye can see and deserted lands. This contrast of colors is very interesting and the journey will pass quickly. Once in Cordoba, I suggest you go to the Roman bridge “Puente Romano”. The latter allows you to cross the Guadalquivir towards the Torre de la Calahorra.
We arrived there around 12:30 p.m. and had the pleasure of discovering a life-size medieval fair in the streets. Many food stalls, knights, gladiators or traditional sausage sellers mixed together and took us straight back to medieval times.
After visiting part of this fair, we returned to the center of the city to discover the Mezquita-Cathedral. This building was a Christian basilica transformed into a mosque and then a cathedral. The visit of the interior clearly shows these different periods of construction through a mixture of architectural styles, games of shadow and light and colors. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984.
The beauty of the interior is complemented by the charm of the Court of Orange Trees. This courtyard is planted with multiple orange trees which bring color and shade to the site. The tower of the Puerta del Perdon emerges from the back of these orange trees offering a sublime picture.
There are also many orange trees in the streets and “taxi” horse-drawn carriages circulate as in Seville. The alleys of this city are also charming with many plants and colors.
Regarding the food, we ate a delicious meal in a small restaurant “Casa Bravo”, located near the Porta de Almodovar. The staff there were very helpful and the traditional Andalusian food delicious. Cordoba is really a city that I recommend to anyone visiting Seville because of its proximity to the Andalusian capital and its very charming side.
It is with this superb discovery that our Spanish adventure ends. I hope you enjoyed the ride as much as I did.
Adiosand see you soon!