Seville Cathedral, the Alcazar and the Plaza de Espania (and Ronda)

With only two days in Seville we had to choose carefully what we wanted to see. Our hotel, Un Patio es Santa Cruz, was perfect. A small boutique hotel built originally as an Arabic/Andalusi riad, with an open courtyard. The rooftop opening now has a glass roof and the courtyard at the bottom had become part of the reception area but they’ve retained the feel of the Persian garden by growing lots of plants entwined in the balustrades of each level and with pots dotted on the walls all the way up to the top floor.

The Hotel was in the Santa Cruz area which was really handy walking distance from the places we wanted to visit.

We arrived early afternoon but had to wait for a car parking space to become available so watched the world go by for a bit. The hotel receptionist very helpfully gave us a map and general directions, basically left, right, left, right, right, left and a warning that the alleyways are so narrow that Google maps didn’t work! More by luck than judgement we found the Cathedral. Although finding the ticket office proved to be more difficult as it was tucked away around the back. So having found it and bought our tickets we could jump the queue of people at the front who’d bought online tickets but had to have their passports checked to ensure the tickets actually belonged to them. Madness!!

Did you know Seville Cathedral has been the biggest cathedral in the world for more than 500 years (outdone later by the Vatican) and is the resting place of Christopher Columbus, who discovered the new world in 1492. The subsequent gold made Seville very rich.

It actually feels bigger inside than it looks from the outside, it is vast. And of course has all the usual trappings, bling, bling and more bling, artwork, sculptures, high alter, choir stall, etc, etc. Lost count of how many side chapels (each one dedicated to a Saint of course.)

The Giralda tower is actually the former Minaret of the mosque that originally stood on the site of the cathedral built in 1184. It’s 345ft (105m) tall, our ticket included the tower but we thought we’d pass on that as we’d seen enough by then.

We’d managed to buy tickets for a Flamenco show later that evening so we had an hour or so on our hands. So what better way than to sit at a cafe bar and drink a cocktail or two.

The show was in a small bar next to the entrance to an underground car park, not that auspicious but once inside we bagged a front row table. We passed on the more expensive than usual tapas menu and enjoyed the free drink which came with the ticket. The show was very good, the performers were more mature which, I think, gives them more authenticity. They have lived life and experienced both angst and joy, and it showed in their performances.

The following day’s timetable was the Alcazar followed by a visit to the Plaza de Espana. Again the queue to get into the Alcazar was massive and that was of people who already had tickets!!! So we joined the end of the queue (yes all the way round the back again) to buy tickets. Half an hour later we got to the booth to find that only a few tickets were left for later in the afternoon and as we were leaving the next day, beggars can’t be choosers, as they say. So we changed out plan and went off to find the Plaza de Espana. Built for the 1928 Exposion it’s built to impress with a jumble of architecture from Moorish to Baroque style. The building forms an almost semicircle with a similar shaped moat in front crossed by arching bridges all tiled in traditional Adalucian tiles in bright blues and yellows. In the centre is a massive fountain (not working whilst we were there). The buildings are used for government offices so the tourists only get to enjoy the outside and the beautiful surrounding gardens.

By now time was getting on so we had to hightail it back to the Alcazar to join the queue of people who had tickets 🙄 It was worth all the queuing and waiting though.

This is the ancient throne room built in 11th Century. In 1526, Emperor Charles V and Isabella of Portugal celebrated their marriage in this room.

The Gardens were planned to be both pleasureable and useful, with lots of fruit trees and vegetables planted in between the many fountains and rills and have been redesigned many times over the centuries.

By this time we had walked miles, it was 27° and we were bushed. So a comfort break which included a lovely cold beer, some time back at the hotel for a rest then we hit the bars and restaurants in the evening.

On our journey back the next day we stopped off at Ronda, a hilltop town fortified by the Romans. The ‘new’ bridge over the gorge which joins one side of the town with the other took 40 years to build, completed in 1793.

There are many museums and places interest to visit including the old bullring and inspired Hemmingway to write his novel A Dangerous Summer whilst he lived there.

The road down from Ronda into Marbella is a series of hairpin bends for 45mins. We were glad to get back to the apartment. 😳It had been a busy few days. Today we’re having a day off and are enjoying the sunshine.