Sevilla

For our next trip we headed to Sevilla, which took a little over an hour by train. We headed directly to the Cathedral and made it just in time to see and hear the ringing of the bells before we headed into the palace and gardens of Alcázar.

The square in front of Alcázar was beautiful with its monuments, view of the Cathedral and the sound of horses’ hooves clip-clopping as they trotted by pulling carriages of tourists to see the city. It was impossible not to want to get a snapshot of the area so we happily pulled out our cameras like any other tourist and snapped away.

As we headed into Alcázar we weren’t quite sure what to expect, besides what the small portion within our book described as “intricate ceilings” and “extensive gardens.” What we found far surpassed this as we spent over an hour in the gardens, which we only really covered half of before I needed a pick-me-up in the form of a double chocolate chip muffin.

The gardens had everything you could imagine including gorgeous fountains, beautiful mosaics, a maze, lemon trees and an array of flowers. Even eating at the café was a treat as we watched peacocks glide through taking interest in the casualties of peoples’ meals, crumbs.

Room after room within the palace had a new surprise, whether it was a view of the city, incredible mosaic patterns or just its overall structure, Alcázar definitely did not disappoint.

Next, we wandered over to the Cathedral that was hard not to admire. The sheer size of it was enough to put me in awe, but it became an even more special experience when we realized a mass was being held. Not only were we able to see the history of the Cathedral, but we were also able to experience its very current use today.

The one thing that really made me stop in my tracks was the burial of Christopher Columbus. While, the service prevented us from getting closer to the area it was still amazing from afar. I understand there is a tremendous amount of controversy over Christopher Columbus in the States, however it was still interesting to see the burial of someone you’ve learned about since first grade.

By this time we were getting eager for lunch so we stopped to eat at Genova, a spot right outside the church that ended up being one of my favorite meals and favorite sangria in Spain! We ordered based on our waiter’s recommendations and got a small hamburger, risotto, and their equivalent to french fries. I definitely recommend anyone that visits stops by for some tapas here!

After lunch we wandered around the streets for a while and came across a gelato shop called Amorino and had to stop. After ordering I wondered why the gelato was taking so long and turned out to be pleasantly surprised when I received a beautifully crafted gelato cone in the shape of a flower!

We then wandered around some more and ended up at the second oldest bullring in Spain where we took a quick tour of the ring as well as its museum. While I thought I had learned almost all there was about bullfighting in Spain thanks to a Civilization of Spain class in college, we learned much more including the life of a bullfighter who started in the ring at age thirteen and the various trophies matadors received after a fight. I do have to say that I was happy I missed bullfighting season in Spain, despite it’s richness in Spanish history.

Following the bullring we headed over to the Isabel II Bridge, which overlooked the Río Guadalquiver and had great views of the Torre del Oro, a former Moorish defensive tower that is now a Naval museum. We decided to rest our feet for a bit and order a few drinks, including a delicious mojito that I’ll admit rivals my dad’s (sorry Dad!).

After lounging by the river we were off to one of the more well-known parts of Sevilla, the Plaza de España, where there are numerous impressive buildings constructed for the 1929 Ibero-American Exhibition.

The colors and detail that went into this plaza are unmatched, not to mention the enormous fountain located in the center that really sets the atmosphere of the area. This was truly a beautiful spot and a perfect one to end our trip at.