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Savoring Seville’s Sights and Delicacies

Where to go and what to eat in the bustling Andalusian capital.

Seville, the capital of southern Spain’s Andalusian region, is a city of exquisite Moorish architecture, lively nights, and extreme sociability. Visit and you may feel like you’ve landed in the center of a perpetual celebration, one where you’re constantly raising a glass of tinto de verano, red wine mixed with lemon soda, or fino, pale dry sherry made in the nearby region of Jerez and exchanging “salud!” with friends. (Note: They were strangers when you wandered into the tapas bar just moments before for a bowl of salmorejo, Andalusia’s thicker, creamier version of gazpacho, or a wedge of tortilla de patatas.)

Start at the Center

The historic center of Seville—or Sevilla, in Spanish—with its narrow, winding cobblestone streets, is easy to navigate by foot. Either Hotel Colon, a Grand Melia Hotel, or Hotel Alfonso XIII, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Seville, make a convenient and opulent home base. Both hotels were built for the 1929 Expo—the latter was commissioned by the King of Spain for whom it’s named. A brief stroll from both properties, you’ll find the famed 16th-century Seville Cathedral, the world’s largest Gothic church, and its towering belltower, La Giralda, which you can climb as visitors have done for centuries.

To experience Seville like a local, you’ll want to adjust to Seville time. That means breakfast—typically tostada, a thick slice of toast traditionally topped with tomato, olive oil, and salt—at around 10 am. A few hours later you might stop at an ultramarine, a sort of mashup of a bar and a grocery store, to pick up a bocadillo—a baguette or soft crusty mollete sliced lengthwise and filled with jamón Serrano or lomo de cerdo (fried pork tenderloin).

skip the siesta

The city shuts down for siesta, or rest time, between roughly 2 and 5 p.m. and the few shops that remain open cater largely to tourists. This is a good time to explore must-see sights like Plaza de España in the Parque de María Luisa. The huge semicircular complex, which was also built for the 1929 world’s fair, includes 48 small alcoves, each dedicated to a province in Spain and decorated with colorful, elaborate tile artwork from the region. Also, not to be missed is Real Alcázar in the Barrio de Santa Cruz, Seville’s old Jewish quarter. The monumental royal residence dates to the 11th century and includes various palaces and gardens with mudéjar architecture that reflects Islamic, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Romantic periods.

On the west bank of the Guadalquivir river lies Triana, revered for its ceramics district, beloved by locals, and famous for its history as a home to flamenco dancers and bullfighters. It’s also home to the 13th-centuy Iglesia de Sant Ana, the oldest church in Seville. A leisurely walk across the historic Puente de Isabel II bridge will take you to Triana’s bar-lined riverfront.

“Sevillanos eat dinner late, rarely before 9 p.m., and typically not at a single spot.”

Seize the Night

One of those bars is a perfect place to begin your evening meal. Like all Spaniards, Sevillanos eat dinner late, rarely before 9 p.m., and typically not at a single spot. Instead, dinner may extend over several hours with stops at three or more tapas spots—sidling up to the bar rather than sitting at a table. Begin in Triana on Calle Betis, a scenic riverfront street that offers views of the Plaza de Toros bullring and the 12th-century Torre del Oro—“Tower of Gold.” Gazing across the water you might be inspired to sample a few seafood bites, like gambas a la plancha (grilled prawns) or the chilled seafood salad called salpicón de marisco.

If you’re lucky, you’ll happen upon a flamenco demonstration. The folkloric tradition, recognized by UNESCO as among the world’s intangible cultural heritage, is widely believed to have roots in southern Spain, and flamenco shows take place nightly, sometimes spilling into the streets, at venues throughout Triana.

Crossing back over the bridge, consider making your next stop the buzzing Arenal neighborhood and moving on to bites like fried sardines, verdura a la plancha (grilled vegetables), croquettes, and chorizo cooked in red wine. Then, visit the lively squares of the Barrio Alfalfa for paella, albondigas (meatballs), and an artichoke pickled in vinegar.

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sit and savor

It's possible, of course, to take a break from tapas and enjoy all your courses in a single restaurant. El Burladero in Hotel Colón Gran Meliá offers traditional Andalusian cuisine with modern twists—bull’s tail croquettes and a confit pork salad are among the dishes you’ll find here. At Restaurante San Fernando, located in the gorgeous colonnaded inner courtyard of Hotel Alfonso XIII, you can enjoy foie gras, a tempura of artichokes, asparagus and leeks, and traditional preparations of Iberian ham and lubina, Mediterranean seabass.

After dinner, you might be tempted to wander out to one more tapas bar, perhaps for a dessert of tocino de cielo, Southern Spain’s lighter take on flan, a final glass of fino and one last salud!

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