Spain - Seville

Seville is located in the heart of Andalusia, Spain. It is known for its rich history and stunning architecture. We had two full days here. Unfortunately it rained most of the first day but the second day had much nicer weather.

The real fun began when trying to find a SIM card since our Portugal SIM card did not work in Spain. I had downloaded a map of Seville and took screen captures of directions to TWO Vodafone stores (Europe's primary cell service). The first one looked like it was no longer in business and the second one closed an hour before we arrived. Now what!?! Sharon had a plan C -- find a coffee shop with wifi so we could find our AirBnB. Then use their wifi to find a SIM card. As luck would have it, right across the street from the closed Vodafone store was a store that sold cell phones, accessories AND SIM cards! Whew. 

New country new Sim card

What did we do?

The Alcázar of Seville -- Unfortunately, we were not able to visit this UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a magnificent palace complex with a blend of Mudejar, Renaissance, Baroque, and Gothic architecture. It was originally a fortress for Muslim rulers and later transformed into a royal palace. We tried to get tickets but none were available and the gates were locked when we showed up in person. We never did find out why it was closed.

The Cathedral of Seville -- This is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world and where Christopher Columbus is interred. We took an hour and a half guided tour and got to enter sections other tourists could not. It's an architectural masterpiece, boasting intricate stained glass windows, majestic altarpieces, and the famous Giralda Tower. We did not climb the Giralda. The line was just too long. 

 

How the f@#$ do you work 
this thingy

I got it!

Our tour guide

Private tour inside the choir

Virgin of Antigua Chapel

One of the oldest paintings of
the Virgin Mary

Tomb of Christopher Columbus 

Interred in Seville 1898

The 4 pallbearers represent the kings of 
Spain (Castile, Leon, Aragon, and
Navarre)

Main Alter

Basically a Bible written in
wood. It shows the most
important parts from the 
Life of Christ

Main Sacristy
Monstrance of the Corpus Christi

Courtyard Pictures

Torre del Oro translates to the Tower of Gold. A watchtower designed to protect the docks, its iconic shape makes it one of Seville's best-known monuments.

Bullring of the Real Maestranza de Caballería of Seville was a two minute walk from our AirBnb. We were all set to go take a tour and the rain started. Sharon actually tried in advance (once we knew when we would be arriving in Spain) to get us tickets for a bull fight but we were just a little too late in the season. 

Curro Romero Statue

Statue of Pepe Luis Vázquez

The Plaza de España -- One of the most iconic spots in Seville is the Plaza de España. This semi-circular, Neo-Mudejar wonder is located within Maria Luisa Park. The plaza is adorned with colorful ceramic tiles representing different regions of Spain. Unfortunately THIS was closed too! 😕 The park was closed due to a weather alert. We even tried the next day and it was still closed.

Pics through the fence

Around town

Dancing in the streets

Flamenco Lessons

Picture from San Telmo Bridge

Picture from San Telmo Bridge

Metro

Chestnuts roasting on an
open fire 🔥 

Sculpture of Diana
the Huntress

Queen's Sewing Box

Monument to Juan Sebastián de Elcano

San Diego Glorieta Fountain

Consulate General of Portugal
in Seville

Fountain of the Four Seasons

Statue to Francisco
Palacios 'El Pali'

Monument to Christopher
Columbus 

One of the many streets with
sidewalk cafes

Where did we eat?

We chose Almiranta close to the Cathedral but not on the main drag. It was a great people watching place. After the fact... we saw the rating on Google was below our 4.0 or higher standard but let me tell you the staff were great and we really enjoyed the food.

Patatas Bravas with Ali-Oli Foam

Tartar of Salmon
 Avocado Parmentier and Fried
Spinach (According to menu)
We think it was Dried Tuna Flakes

Croquettes of Ham on Whiskey sauce

The inside

We had a rainy evening so a Grazing Board at home was in order.

Cheese, salami, Chorizo, bread
Seafood salad, pickled veggies

Mercado Lonja del Barranco we found by accident and it reminded us of Time Out Market in Lisbon but smaller. Definitely tourist prices. Food was delicious 😋. 

Salmon, pate, cream cheese & jam
Artichokes hearts with a tomato 🍅 
compote and pepita seeds

A little of this and a little of that

Casa Pepe Hillo was recommended by our AirBnB host. The food and service was good. The pork cheeks was our favorite dish -- very tender. The decor was very 'bullfighting'.

Stuffed Avocado

Aubergines Au Gratin
Very cheesy

Grilled Cuttlefish 

Spanish Style Pork Cheeks
Very tender

Best dish of all

Where did we stay? An AirBnB 'Beautiful apartment in the Arenal' hosted by Isabela Maria.

Bedroom 1

Bedroom 2

And yes a bidet! 

The tiled hallway

How did we get there? Boy howdy! What a day! First we had to return the rental car and then get a shuttle to Faro Airport. Our shuttle driver was great. He even pointed out where we would catch our bus. We had to wait about 1/2 hr for the bus to arrive. Everyone was loaded in and we were off in about 10 minutes. Pretty easy travel day overall. The hardest part was getting a SIM card.

More Roundabout Artwork

Waiting on the bus

Our FlixBus

Crossing over the Guadiana International
Bridge from Portugal to Spain

Arrived at the bus station 

When did we visit? 21 - 24 Oct 2023

Seville is a city that blends the past with the present, where history and culture converge at every turn. We loved the food! We could have easily spent more time here.

"In life, it's not where you go, it's who you travel with!"