Each morning we venture out (usually on foot) to explore the city. We try to hit at least one highlight each day. Here are our favourite sights so far.
Plaza d’Espana
Our first outing in Seville was to the Plaza d’Espana, built for the 1929 Ibero-American Exposition. We walked to the centre and took the tram to the Parc de Maria Luisa. It was a great choice to get the boys acclimated to sightseeing. They loved the tram, the fountain, the boat ride, watching the horse carriages and the flamenco dancers busking in the plaza. They also loved that it was a backdrop from one of the Star Wars movies. We made it back there when our friend Peter came to visit, but unfortunately the Park was closed. We did get to see the rather impressive military museum and will be heading back to spend another morning or afternoon exploring the park (perhaps on one of the 4 person bikes), next time we have a sunny day.
Real Alcazar
It was easy to see why this was chosen as a setting for the television show Game of Thrones. This former palace built for the Moorish rulers is a fantastic combination of gardens, pools, fountains, tiled floors, and tapestries on the walls. The boys loved the maze and following the peacocks around the gardens.
La Catedral & La Giralda
We visited the La Catedral and were amazed by the vastness of the building, it is the worlds largest gothic cathedral . The columns are huge and the arches and ceilings are pretty awe inspiring. We stopped at a side chapel on the way in and the kids were amazed by the gold altarpiece. This was easily surpassed in the main cathedral with the enormous gold altarpiece the silver side altar and the gigantic organ. We were also able to see a chapel dedicated to Magellan and the tomb of Christopher Columbus. It was evident at every turn how prosperous a city Seville was when it was the main port leading to the Americas, and what an important role the church obviously played to the people of that time. We climbed up La Giralda tower (Olivia in the carrier) and braved the winds to take in some incredible 360 degree views of the city. We returned a couple days later to take in a mass. It was amazing to see the cathedral without the mass of tourists and in everyday use. The children were surprisingly well behaved throughout the service and had lots of questions about the “treasure box”, crackers, smoke, and the people praying. The organ was incredible and the singing (while not to the standard Katy was expecting) added to the experience. There was a considerable lack of female representation during mass. We see convents all over Seville, so obviously women play a major role in the church, but all the major positions are noticeably still filled exclusively by men.
Museo de Belle Artes
On our first rainy day we decided to take in the Museo de Belle Artes located in a former convent. With our recent bedtime bible stories this was a bigger success with the boys than we expected. We jumped on the little C5 circle route bus and stayed dry for the morning. The boys were a hit with the seniors on the bus, so we were able to practice our spanish and learn a little more about the city from a lovely older lady. They happened to have a large Murrillo exhibit at the museo on loan from one of the churches. While there were some amazing canvasses on display from Murillo, Zurbaran and Valdes Leal. The boys favourites were those of the bullfighters and the battles, especially a work called “Death of the Maestro”.
Metropol Parasol
One of the boys favourite places in Seville is the “Mushrooms”. It is a unique architectural insulation that really does resemble a clump of mushrooms. In the basement there is an exhibition of the roman ruins found below, on the ground level there is a great food market, on the upper level there is a playground and fountains (not operational this time of year, but perfect for the boys’ Beyblade battles), and you can even go up on top to get a great 360 degree panoramic view of the city. There are also a few great places nearby to get Churros con Chocolate, which has been a favourite treat for the boys.
Calle Feria Market
Just down the road from us is one of the first little Sevilla gems we discovered, the Calle Feria Mercado. It is a food market in the mornings with seafood, meat cheese, bread, fruits and vegetables, but also has a tapas market in the afternoon and evenings. For 4 Euros you get a bebidas (drink) and a tapas at one of the various stalls. We have sampled some great paella, calamari, fajitas, noodles and salted cod with a vino tinto or cana. There is also heliados (gelato) for the boys and they brought down the big screen to watch the FC Sevilla match on the weekend. It seemed that the boys and I were more into the game than anyone else, so we are guessing that the locals are fans of the other local team FC Betis. We are hoping to get to a live match before we leave.
Alameda de Hercules
The Alameda has been a go to spot with the boys first thing in the morning, late in the afternoon and after dinner. They chase the birds, play in the playgrounds and interact with the local kids. There are plenty of places for us adults to grab a seat and have a coffee, beer or glass of wine with a tapas while keeping an eye on the boys. There has been a craft market and a small carnival type fair there as well at times which was a big hit for the kids. Especially riding the bumper cars.
Toro del Oro
The tower was originally a defensive lookout on the banks of the Guadalquivir River. It is now a maritime museum holding a model of Columbus’s ship and exhibits that included details of the Magellan and Columbus expeditions and of special interest to us from Canada and the BC Coast, those of Malaspina, Galiano, Cortes, Valdes and Cordoba.
Casa de Pilatos
A grand palace located in the middle of the Santa Cruz area of Seville. A mix of Italian Renaissance style with Roman statues, moorish Mudjelar style. We took a wonderful tour of the rooms upstairs with the furniture and artwork still in place that gave you a real feel of what life would have been like in the palace. The boys were enthralled by the audio guides which gave us the opportunity to really enjoy the palace.
Guadalquivir River Cruise
We took an afternoon cruise down the Guadalquivir River that gave us a different perspective on the city. There were some amazing views. It was a lovely way to spend a sunny afternoon.
La Maestranza Bullring
This was the first thing the boys wanted to see in Seville. While they were disappointed not to be able to see a real bullfight (we weren’t sure we really wanted to take them to one anyways), we all appreciated the tour. The spectacle of the bullfight was well represented by the costumes, paintings, mounted bull heads, and the stadium itself.
Hotel Alphonso XIII
After sitting through mass at La Catedral we took the boys over to Seville’s most exclusive hotel for coffee. The Hotel Alphonso XIII was built for visitors to the 1929 Exhibition. We were eager to check it out, as the building our apartment is located in was designed by the same architect. He also built a wonderful building on the Avenue de Constitucion. We ordered a couple cafe cortados, chocolates for the boys and pastries to share and pretended we were wealthy for a little while.
Still to come….
A Flamenco Show, Triana, and weather permitting a football match.
It's About the Ride 
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