Travel | Seville, Spain

Ahhh Seville. The late evening strolls under the orange glowing lights of the Cathedral, the vividly colored buildings with white bordered windows, and the historic glamour found even in the smallest patterned tiles - there's just so much to love about you! Unfortunately, I only spent three days in this city but I could have easily enjoyed a lot more time here. If you ever visited Seville or plan to in the future, then you'll surely know what I'm talking about.

With just a short time frame, we were able to visit a few key sites, including the Seville Cathedral, Plaza de Espana (the largest plaza in all of Spain, pictured above), the Alcazar (mosque), and the Museo del Baile Flamenco (Flamenco Dance Museum). We dove into some traditional Moroccan baths and treated ourselves to plenty of gelato and desserts along the way, of course. 

Keep reading for my top tips for traveling to this amazing city...

1. Start early or start late! This is something I wish we followed a bit more during our brief stay in Seville. The middle of the day is not only the hottest during the peak season (12-3pm) but it's also common for shops, restaurants, and other businesses to close during this time. Additionally, it's the most common time for tourists to be out exploring the main sites (Cathedral, Mosque, Plaza de Espana, etc.), which means long lines and crowded spaces on top of an already hot day. I'd suggest you start early in the morning (8 or 9am) and see a site or two until mid-day. Grab lunch, rest, then go back out around 4pm where you can still visit some more attractions or stroll through the city when its cooler and less crowded.

2. Go to Museo del Baile Flamenco for a breathtaking flamenco performance. Hands down, the most mind blowingly artistic dance shows I've seen. The artists are all high class professionals and the atmosphere just brews so much creative stimulation - from the intricate sounds of the guitar, to the vibrations of the flamenco dancers feet, to the smells of red wine drinks among the audience, to the visuals of artists completely enveloped in the art of Flamenco. The museum provides a great introduction and history to the dance, and also offers a nice selection of gifts you can purchase for everyone at home who was not lucky enough to experience such amazingness!

3. Eat at Petit Comite. Again, stimulation overload. One of the best meals I've had in my life. Best part? Doesn't even come close to breaking the bank and it feels like your eating at a friends nice cocktail party - the waiters feel like they're happy to see you there and speak as though they are welcoming you to their place. The restaurant serves tapas (max of 3 per table), which range from unusually decadent combinations (i.e. grilled duck with seasonal fruits) and desserts that will take you to heaven and back. My friend and I ordered 3 drinks, 3 tapas and 2 desserts (yes, I told you they were delicious) and paid just 25 euros each. Amazing. I'd go back to Seville just for this restaurant experience again.

Lodging:

Corral del Rey (boutique hotel, Seville): I had the absolute pleasure of staying at this stunningly fresh boutique hotel situated in the very heart of Seville in the neighborhood of Barrio Alfafa. Aesthetically, the hotel manages to create an elegant yet extremely warm sense of comfort in the middle of an otherwise busy tourist area during the peak summer season. The customer service was beyond superb. From being greeted with refreshments upon arrival (especially great since it was ridiculously hot outside!) to getting daily, in-depth advice and suggestions for places to explore around the city, we left feeling like they were truly invested in ensuring we enjoyed Seville. We stayed in an apartment room situated just opposite from the main building. Not only did it have two rainfall showers (I've always wanted one in my house!), it also had an iPod speaker system, small living room area, and perhaps the most comfortable bed I've slept in after a long time. Even better, it always smelled amazing everywhere. Seriously. Everywhere. And came with a continental breakfast spread with bread, cereals, fruits, coffee, and juice. All I can say is how much I can't wait to return back to this magical city and to this incredible hotel. Highest recommendations!

That's a quick overview of my fabulous time in Seville! Have you been before or are you planning a trip there? Leave a comment or share the post with those who might find themselves in this charming place!