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Seville - The Real South Spanish Spirit: Fiesta Festivals Flamenco Bars Tapas and Fun
Seville: Festivals flamenco and tapas bars are the highlights in Seville Seville: The southern Spanish city Seville has inspired travellers for centuries. The beauty and charm of Seville is a blend of flamenco culture, traditions, history, festivals and south Spanish lifestyle: The legacy of Moorish and Christian architecture, the myths of Carmen and Don Juan, flamenco music, its incomparable fiestas, the brilliant sunshine and magic light and its inhabitants that really knows how to enjoy life.Seville is absolutely one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The old Jewish quarter, Santa Cruz, is really unique. The narrow streets and graceful courtyards, the scent of jasmine and orange blossom in spring, the many typical Andalusia style squares and colourful flowers on the balconies and the magic light in the south of Spain makes Seville a very special city. When you visit Seville you immediately notice that the people are different from other places in Spain, they are somehow more Spanish! Seville is one of the best cities in Spain to enjoy delicious Spanish tapas and wine or beer at the many typical Tapas Bars in the city, and again the Santa Cruz quarter is to be mentioned when looking for tapas, wine and fun in Seville.
 Seville Festivals
There always seems to be something going on in Seville: The people in the city loves to party and there are many celebrations and festivals trough the year. The two most important events are Easter (Semana Santa) and The April Fair (Feria de Sevilla – Feria de Abril). Easter or Holy Week is celebrated with beautiful processions day and night. The religious Easter celebrations in Seville are considered to be the very best in Spain and the city is crowded. La Feria de Sevilla or Feria de Abril is the biggest party you ever will find. During the fair the party is going on day and night. Women and men dressed up in colourful flamenco dresses, flamenco music, horses, horse carriages, lights, flamenco dancing, wine and food, bullfights and a huge temporary amusement park: That’s LA FERIA DE SEVILLA! For many reasons, Seville and its province are something more than just another tourist destination: in this corner of Spain’s geography, history and traditions live on in a time of their own; always contemporary while blending the realities of yesterday and today. There are festivities all year round in the province of Seville. Every year, each of the 104 villages celebrates its saint’s day, holds a fair or organises a pilgrimage…, not forgetting Holy Week. Full of local colour, all these captivating events will arouse the interest of the visitor, heightening the enjoyment of his stay. Most of the province’s fairs and fiestas take place from April to October. A good number of Flamenco Festivals of some renown are also held, mainly in the summer, while February is the time for carnival; May, Cruces de Mayo; June, the festivity of Corpus Christi; and January, the Procession of Twelfth Night. As there are so many villages all over the province holding so many fairs and fiestas, it would be impossible to describe them all, or even to provide a summary of the main ones: they are all of interest, they are all full of tradition and beauty; there is nothing artificial about them. They all give the visitor the chance to join in the fun and enjoy the hospitality of the people of Seville. In the city, a combination of external factors, such as the climate and the broad cultural spectrum which has forged Seville’s character since its foundation, is still reflected today in the form of its fiestas, some of which are known and admired all over the world; for instance, Holy Week and the April Fair. Easter - Holy Week in Seville Unquestionably, Holy Week is Seville’s grand fiesta, unique in its aesthetic and spiritual intensity. In the days between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, nearly 60 brotherhoods take to the streets to re-enact the Passion of Christ. Although many of the brotherhoods were founded by people of note or ecclesiastic congregations, their origin dates back to the first guild meetings of the sixteenth century; hence the tradition of starting out at their own particular church to join a procession of penitence in which all districts and social groups are represented. One of the salient features in Seville’s Holy Week is the involvement of the sevillanos themselves, either as part of the processions or as spectators, adopting a different attitude in accordance with the theme of the procession, with unfailing respect for the brotherhoods. Seville’s brotherhoods are active all year round, holding solemn ceremonies of devotion to their respective images of Christ and the Virgin Mary. They also do a lot of charity and social work. In most cases, the brotherhoods have two pasos (huge, mobile altars borne on the penitents’ shoulders): one depicting Christ and the other, the Virgin, placed beneath a canopy. The procession makes its way along the streets of the city to Plaza de la Campana, where the “official itinerary” begins. Passing City Hall, the procession ends at the cathedral. So that everything runs smoothly, the brotherhoods must strictly abide by the times set by the General Board of Brotherhoods of Seville, the brotherhoods’ highest governing body. Many of Seville’s Holy Week images are admired and revered beyond the bounds of the city. Instances which immediately come to mind are the Virgen de la Esperanza Macarena and Señor del Gran Poder. Their respective brotherhoods bear them along the streets in the procession held early in the morning on Good Friday. Moreover, some of the images worshipped by Seville’s brotherhoods are true works of art, born of the hands of artists like Martínez Montañés, Juan de Mesa, Ruiz Gijón, Bautista Vázquez el Viejo and Francisco de Ocampo. April Fair in Seville Two weeks after Easter or holy week the Seville April Fair takes place. It was conceived in the mid-nineteenth century by two councillors (curiously, a Basque and a Catalan) as an agricultural and cattle fair, consisting of just three stalls. Although the idea was to boost trade, it was not long before the stalls outnumbered the livestock, making the fair into Seville’s greatest social event. Its rural origin, reflected today in the typical Andalusian figure on horseback, wearing a short jacket and a broad-rimmed hat, blends in harmoniously with the signs of urban progress. This social event is swathed in two entirely different atmospheres: the morning fair and the night fair. At the morning fair, which, incidentally, does not start until about three o’clock in the afternoon, the sevillanos, who are not to be hurried, calmly turn up for lunch on horseback or in pony carts. The meal, a relaxed affair, usually lasts until the early evening. In contrast, at the night fair, there are no horses or pony carts as, in accordance with municipal regulations, they must be removed from the fair’s enclosure by eight o’clock in the evening. At night, the atmosphere is livelier and, for some years now, there has been a predominance of young people. At both fairs, some sing and dance while others savour the tasty dishes and refreshing wines, all made locally. The stalls at the April Fair may be public or private. Public ones include those set up by the various municipal districts. Here, like the stalls belonging to the local football associations, brotherhoods, employers’ associations, political parties and other societies, admission is free. Private stalls belong to groups of friends, relatives or associations and collectives, where admission is limited.
Seville Highlights Los Reales AlcazaresMany believe that the beautiful buildings in los Reales Alcazares in Seville where built as a Moorish fort by the Emir, Abderraman II. But no. The superb and absolutely stunning palaces Reales Alcazares in Seville where built by Moorish workmen, but for King Pedro the Cruel of Castille. The Reales Alcazares is an absolute must see when you visit Seville. Casa de PilatosCasa de Piltos is one of the finest palaces palaces in Seville. It was built by The First Marquis of Tarifa in the late 1400's, to resemble Pontius Pilate's residence in Jerusalem. The palace is owned now by the Duke of Medinaceli and is the most beautiful private residence in Seville, which is luckily open to the public. You'll see beautiful Roman busts, an interesting fusion of Renaissance and Mudejar architectural styles and a collection of family paintings including ones of Barbera de Braganza who once lived there. La GiraldaThe tower La Giralda is a landmark in Seville.
Discover SevilleDiscover Seville in the south of Spain: There are many more interesting cultural visits and walking tours around the City of Seville that are well worth to discover. Seville is a bustling and very big city full of rich history an many places to visit. The must sees in Seville are really very hard to count: Historic Buildings, typical Andalusia Quarters, Catholic Monasteries and fascinating picturesque south Spanish streets are waiting to be discovered by first time visitors to Seville. And then to be visited again and again by those that already discovered the enchant of Seville. Seville is a beautiful city that is full of life and enchantment or as the Spaniards say: Embrujo! Discover more of the magic Seville: Click HERE >>
Day Trips from SevilleDay Trips from Seville: Seville is a perfect destination for day trips to many of the the most interesting and fascinating points in Andalusia in Southern Spain. Among the places worth to visit while staying in Seville you find Jerez de la Frontera that is the origin and hometown of sherry wines. Cadiz, the capital of Costa de la Luz and of course the historical city Granada / Grenada where you also find the Alhambra and Generalife Gardens. Another very interesting day trip from Seville is the city of Cordoba where history and monuments are found everywhere.
More information about Seville:
Getting there and away There are several convenient ways of reaching Seville, which is now not only a popular choice among tourists but also the gateway to the Autonomous Community of Andalusia. The city is endowed with a first-class port on the only navigable river in Spain’s inland, the Guadalquivir, along which freighters and cruise ships sail. For those wishing to travel by rail, the main station is Estación de Santa Justa, where the High-Speed Train and Talgo 200 Terminal is located. On these trains, the journey from Madrid to Seville takes just two and a half hours, while Córdoba is only 40 minutes away. The San Pablo International Airport is just 10 km away from Getting around Seville There is a municipal bus service, with terminals at Plaza Nueva, Plaza de la Encarnación, Archivo de Indias, Macarena, Puerta Osario, Pasarela-Prado de San Sebastián and Gran Plaza. Saver vouchers are on sale, covering three days and entitling the holder to change routes. Visitors might prefer the tourist voucher. If the visitor feels like a sightseeing tour of the city, he may opt for a horse-drawn carriage. Tours start at Parque de María Luisa, the cathedral, Plaza del Triunfo, Plaza Virgen de los Reyes and Torre del Oro. Another option is to tour the city on the bus services run by Sevilla Tour and Servirama, both of which leave every thirty minutes from Torre del Oro, Plaza de España, Isla Mágica and Monasterio de la Cartuja. Tours round the city’s leading sights last one and a half hours.
Seville: HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY Because of the appeal of its province and the wide range of tourist activities available, Seville has become one of the most popular choices among visitors to Spain: a cultural melting pot, its towns and villages are like mosaics and columns on which the history of Tartessians, Iberians, Arabs and Christians is written and kept alive. Seville is a lyrical destination, where six touristic regions bring into play a mixture of sunshine, nature, sports, poetry and flamenco, gastronomy and history. With a surface area of 14,001 km2, the province of Seville, the largest in Andalusia, is made up of 105 towns, including the capital. The province Seville boasts a vast natural and cultural heritage: about 14 percent of its surface area is classified as natural beauty spots; it is home to 14 historical sites and over 300 monumental groupings, not to mention its wealth of handicrafts, its fiestas and popular customs. In recent years, the province of Seville has undergone major changes, the fruit of the efforts of a modern, dynamic society. The quality of its services and technological innovation have earned it a place among southern Europe’s leading tourist areas. Situated in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula, it is part of the Autonomous Community of Andalusia. The capital, Seville, has a population of over 1,700,000. The province, in the heart of Vega and La Campiña, on the banks of the River Guadalquivir, is a developed area stretching over El Aljarafe, the marshes (Marismas del Guadalquivir) and Doñana, towards the northern and southern mountain ranges (Sierra Norte and Sierra Sur). In terms of climate, the province is situated within the Mediterranean zone. The average annual temperature is between 18 and 20ºC and there is plenty of sunshine all year round (about 3,000 hours). Seville is blessed with mild winters and dry, hot summers, with warmish temperatures in spring and autumn. Rain can be expected between early autumn and the first days of spring. After the dissolution of the Western Roman Empire, the Visigoths came to settle on the Iberian Peninsula and during the reign of Leovigildo, political unity and independence were attained for the first time. In 711, the Moslems invaded almost the entire peninsula, calling it Al-Andalus, and took Seville, the largest major city, giving it the name of Isbiliya. They made it into the country’s Islamic capital, the seat of the General Government of Al-Andalus and a port and military base from which to undertake expeditions. However, in a matter of just 10 years, the Christians who had settled in the north of the peninsula started to advance, thereby commencing the period of the Reconquest. As a result, a process of miscegenation evolved and the city turned into a social, cultural and religious mosaic as Moslems, Jews and Christians lived side by side. From then on, times of war alternated with periods of peace while Seville gained further prestige with major works like the mosque, Mezquita Mayor, and the Giralda. In the thirteenth century, while Moslem Spain was beset by a period of chaos, poor administration and internal conflict, Fernando III el Santo took the opportunity to launch his reconquest of Andalusia. The year of 1248 witnessed the start of the Christianisation process, in which Seville was to play a leading role. The port, the point of convergence of goods shipped across the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, would enable Castile to form part of Europe’s trade flow and, two centuries later, would be the scene of Columbus’ departure when he set off to discover America. Moving on to the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, Seville sank into a profound economic crisis during which the city’s growth came to a sudden halt. The crisis had several causes, including the transfer of the Indies fleet to Cádiz, the expulsion of the Moriscos Moslems converted to Christianity), the outbreak of a plague in which half the population died and the loss of territories in Europe. Later, as the nineteenth century and the Age of Romanticism dawned, the French arrived while the city, already socially depressed, was hit by another outbreak of plague. Fortunately, the tobacco industry appeared on the scene, along with a number of important reforms aimed at the economy, education and urban development. The factory, La Cartuja, was founded; the Triana Bridge was built; gas lighting was installed in public places; and the first April Isla de la Cartuja AVE, the high-speed train Fair was held. By the middle of the century, the crisis was over and a new period of peace had begun. The twentieth century came hand in hand with an extraordinary cultural period, featuring, amongst others, the Generation of ’27 and, in 1929, the Latin American Fair. The city was replanned and revamped for the occasion. In the latter half of the century, Seville, having earned its place as a key tourist destination, undertook a gradual modernisation process, considerably enhanced by the 1992 World Fair, which was held in the Andalusian capital and gave it the cosmopolitan boost it needed. The year of 1992 also marked the 500th anniversary of Columbus’ arrival in America and the start of the Voyages of Discovery, which would become the leitmotif of the city centre. Designed to handle up to 8,000,0000 passengers a year, the airport runs regular flights to a number of Spanish and European capitals. Seville possesses a rich history, equalled by few. Many were the civilisations to cross the river and settle in this, one of the peninsula’s most fertile regions. In the beginning, the city acted as both bridge and port. The early human settlements took root on a small plateau which had escaped the floods when the Guadalquivir River rose. When, at the time of their confrontation with the Carthaginians, the Romans invaded the peninsula, Seville was inhabited by the Turdetanos, the descendants of Tartessus. After the Battle of Ilipa, which marked the end of the war, the Romans built a settlement on the other side of the River Itálica (206 B.C.) to provide a place of rest for their legionaries. This event was the beginning of what would be the swift and intense Romanisation of the peninsula, which, in the process, took a great step forward in the economic, political and cultural fields. Seville was certainly no exception. | 
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Spain - España