About Seville

Its location

Seville (Spanish: Sevilla) is the fourth biggest city in Spain, with a population of more than 700,000. The city is located in the south of Spain in the region of Andalucía, of which it is the capital and where you can find the seat of the government and parliament of the regional government. Seville is on the plain of the Guadalquivir River which crosses the city from North to South. The river can be navigated from Seville all the way to its outlet near Sanlúcar de Barrameda, on the Atlantic coast. In the past the port of Seville played an important role in commerce between Spain and the Americas and it remains today one of the most active river ports of the Iberian peninsula. Seville has a rich Moorish heritage and used to be a prosperous port that carried out trade with the Americas.
The streets and squares in the historic quarter of the capital of Andalucía are full of life. They are home to many buildings that are World Heritage sites, and you can find traditional culture in areas such Triana and La Macarena.

Art, food and culture

The romantic winding streets of Seville are sure to blow you away with their colours, sounds and aromas. The history of the city, its customs, legends and its thousand-year-old traditions, artistic expression and display of culture are truly fascinating.

Seville is a prominent business and service centre in the south of Spain and has many hotels distributed all over the city which enable visitors to discover endless attractions. Museums and art centres, theme parks, cinemas, theatres and clubs are some of the many leisure options that a great city like Seville holds.

The birthplace of tapas, Seville has over a thousand bars where the food is unlimited so you certainly won’t go home hungry! Tapas are a wide variety of appetizers, or snacks, in Spanish cuisine. They may be cold (such as mixed olives and cheese) or warm (such as chopitos, which are battered, fried baby squid).

Spanish people are generally very sociable and the serving of tapas is designed to encourage conversation because people are not as focused on eating an entire meal before them – they can pick at different small delicious dishes. Andalucía has a thousand different flavours waiting to be tried. From the sherries of Jerez (Cadiz) and Montilla – Moriles (Cordoba), to the classic platters of fresh fried fish known as pescaíto frito from Cadiz and Malaga, cured ham from Huelva and Cordoba, olive oil, and other such typical dishes as gazpacho and salmorejo (a kind of thicker gazpacho).

A little history lesson

The Tartessians were the original founders of Hispalis. Next to this settlement, in 207 B.C., the Romans built Itálica. It was the centre of their Western Mediterranean dominions for seven centuries until the Roman empire was overrun by Northern barbarians at the beginning of the 10th century. The long Moorish occupation of the Iberian peninsula, from 711 A.D. to 1248 A.D., left indelible traces in Seville as in all of Al-Andalus. La Giralda, the tower of an important mosque, is the most well-known of the remaining Islamic monuments. In 1492 Seville played an important role in the discovery and conquest of America. The 17th century was a period of artistic splendour in Seville. Painters such as Velázquez, Murillo and Valdés Leal, and sculptors like Martínez Montañés were born in Seville and left behind important works. The city also assumed an important role in world literature and was the birthplace of the myth of Don Juan. On two occasions in the 20th century Seville has been in the spotlight of the world's attention. In 1929, it hosted the Latin American Exhibition, which left important urban improvements in the city. More recently, Expo 92 reinforced the image of Seville as a modern and dynamic city.

Weather

Very hot summers: Hot sun almost every day from June to September. Virtually no rain. July and August almost too hot. Daily highs up to 40°C and nightly lows of 18°C. In the summer it is short sleeve weather all the time, evenings included.

Mild winters: Mixture of beautiful clear, sunny winter days with overcast but warm days. Evenings noticeably cooler. Daily highs about 20°C and nightly lows rarely below 10°C.

Climate data for Seville:

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Ave. high °C (°F)	15.9 (60.6)	17.9 (64.2)	21.2 (70.2)	22.7 (72.9)	26.4 (79.5)	31.0 (87.8)	35.3 (95.5)	35.0 (95)	31.6 (88.9)	25.6 (78.1)	20.1 (68.2)	16.6 (61.9)
Daily mean °C (°F)	10.6 (51.1)	12.2 (54)	14.7 (58.5)	16.4 (61.5)	19.7 (67.5)	23.9 (75)	27.4 (81.3)	27.2 (81)	24.5 (76.1)	19.6 (67.3)	14.8 (58.6)	11.8 (53.2)
Ave. low °C (°F)	5.2 (41.4)	6.7 (44.1)	8.2 (46.8)	10.1 (50.2)	13.1 (55.6)	16.7 (62.1)	19.4 (66.9)	19.5 (67.1)	17.5 (63.5)	13.5 (56.3)	9.3 (48.7)	6.9 (44.4)

What to visit

Seville is one of Spain's major cities and is also the capital of the Andalucía region. With an enormous amount to offer both the tourist and business traveller, Seville is a friendly and captivating place to visit. The busy city centre is well pedestrianised and many of the best attractions are within easy walking distance.

The historic centre of Seville is located on the left-hand side of the river in a spot previously protected by the Almohade wall (of which some ruins remain today). It contains some of the most famous neighborhoods of the city such as Santa Cruz, San Bartolomé, San Vicente, San Lorenzo and El Arenal. On the right-hand side of the river stands the Arrabal suburb. These are the most interesting areas for the traveller to visit.

The rest of the city is built around a series of expansion projects, the most important being that carried out for the Latin American Exhibition of 1929, built along the southern stretch of the Guadalquivir River. In 1992, near the Cartuja Monastery, a new area was developed to the west of the city where Expo 92 was held.

Straddling the Guadalquivir River, central Seville comprises an abundance of twisting streets and narrow lanes, adding much character to the city. Most public squares feel rather small and intimate, although the Plaza Nueva is quite a size and stands next to the Plaza de San Francisco, while the Avenida de la Constitucion is a prominent and very straight thoroughfare and home to the city's main tourist information centre. Further regional tourism offices in Seville are to be found on the Plaza del Triunfo, at the Santa Justa train station and also at the San Pablo Airport.

The city of Seville may be the fourth largest in Spain, but it is a place where you can see open countryside from the city centre, and even pick the legendary Seville oranges from trees.

Seville city centre is an interesting maze of old, winding streets and there are also a couple of large avenues, which divide the city into separate areas. With a subtropical climate and an average on more than 300 days sunshine, the coastline nearby has many wonderful beaches and has become a very popular place to relax, particularly in and around the Costa del Sol.

The large River Guadalquivir lies on the western side of the city centre and this beautiful expanse of water provides the perfect place for a romantic stroll, and there are also scenic boat trips that start from the Torre del Oro. Across the River Guadalquivir are various churches, monuments and neighbourhoods, all waiting to be discovered. This area features more than its fair share of Seville apartments, hostales and pensiones.

Seville has a large number of tourist attractions and some of the most visited include the Parque Maria Luisa - a vast parkland in the centre, the Plaza de España - a semicircular plaza that formed the centrepiece at the city's famous 1929 Exposition, Seville Cathedral, the Giralda Tower, the Plaza de La Encarnación, the Alcázar fortress-palace and countless further major monuments.

There are many important museums in Seville, providing interesting information about this city, such as the Museo de Bellas Artes - one of the finest museums in Andalucía, with a truly splendid ceiling. Those planning to indulge themselves in a spot of Spanish art appreciation should head to the Hospital de los Venerables, which boasts a large collection of paintings, in the Santa Cruz area of this city.

The main regions of Seville include El Arenal, situated on the western side of the city, which was once home to the port. El Arenal is home to a large bullring - the majestic Plaza de Toros de la Maestranzas, the Moorish Torre del Oro - a 13th-century tower built to protect the port of Seville, the Teatro de la Maestranza - a modern theatre and opera house, and many excellent restaurants. The region of Santa Cruz is located on the eastern side of the city centre. Santa Cruz is probably the most picturesque part of Seville and the busy Calle de las Sierpres is amongst the city's principal shopping streets.

The cathedral and the bell tower La Giralda are situated in the Santa Cruz area. La Giralda is open to the public and the top of the tall tower provides spectacular panoramic views of Seville's spreading cityscape. The region of La Macarena is to the north and presents an interesting mix of Baroque and Mudejar churches, traditional tapas bars and the Calle de la Feria - a small, lively shopping street full of small shops.

Throughout the year, Seville holds many exciting and atmospheric festivals and events, and these celebrations are particularly enjoyable for tourists. The city is a real jewel of Europe and there is always something to see and enjoy in and around the lively Spanish city of Seville.

 

For the outdoorsy

The visitor will also discover the immense natural wealth of this region, which sits halfway between two continents, in natural treasures such as the Doñana Nature Reserve, declared a World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, and the Sierra Norte Nature Reserve. They will be the ideal setting for practising outdoor sports, including hiking, horse riding, and cycling routes. If, on the other hand, golf is your sport of choice, then you will be glad to know that Seville has four excellent golf courses in its vicinity.

The Region of Andalucia

This is a land of culture, history, fiestas, nature areas and excellent food. You’ll be able to visit everything from outstanding monuments to a wide variety of different natural landscapes… and you'll have the chance to take part in several unique popular events and sample a range of delicious gastronomic products.
One way to discover the culture of Andalucía is by exploring the sites which have been awarded the UNESCO World Heritage designation. In Granada, you’ll see the Alhambra palace, the Generalife gardens and the mediaeval Albaicín neighbourhood; in Cordoba, its historic centre with the great Mosque; in Seville, the cathedral, the Alcázar palace and the Indies Archive; and in Jaén, the monumental sites of Úbeda and Baeza. You’ll also be able to experience festivals such as Easter Week, the Carnival in Cadiz, the Rocío pilgrimage in Huelva and the April Fair in Seville.
You'll find a variety of natural landscapes which range from the beaches of the Costa del Sol, Costa de la Luz and Almería to the extensive olive groves of Jaén. You can visit the Doñana National Park –also declared a World Heritage Site–, or go skiing in the Sierra Nevada ski resort.

Seville Fast Facts

Useful links

City of Seville:
turismosevilla.org
visitasevilla.es

Andalucia and Spain:
andalucia.org
spain.info