Caliente Sevilla! Trip to Andalusia, southern Spain

A week in beautiful Seville, a city waiting to be discovered, with a fantastic climate and happy people.
We stayed in a lovely apart hotel in the popular and central district of the Macarena.

 

Here we go!!

We're back on the road for the second leg of our trip around the world (!) After Portugal, we stayed in the heart, it is the turn of Spain. Thomas chose to Andalusia, in particular its capital, Seville, to my great pleasure and because it is a beautiful and romantic, and because they told me that there is a pretty hot!
After the daring journey with Iberia, we arrange the Patio de La Cartuja, a nice apartment for us all in the characteristic area of the Macarena, between the Alameda de Hercules and the river Guadalquivir, which in Arabic means "big river" - the Instead the Romans had called Betis, his name still on the riverside district of Triana and the team's most beloved cities, this year unfortunately relegated to Serie B Spanish.

The Cathedral and Giralda

After a hearty breakfast and luxurious all'Historico Horno San Buenaventura, the discovery is part of the Cathedral. Built on an existing mosque - the Arabs were in Seville until 1200 - is the largest Gothic cathedral in existence. Mollto rich and decorated, the highlight is the tomb of Cristobal Colon, our Columbus. You go out on the beautiful patio degi Oranges, then climb the Giralda, the ancient minaret converted into a bell tower. In giralda there are no steps, but a consi, and series of ramps leading up to the top - the Arabs appear to have built so to climb on horseback. From the top you can enjoy a magnificent 360 degree views of the city! A real spectacle!
The afternoon was dedicated to a slow walk along the riverfront, which is very experienced from Seville: some running, who goes by bike, about skateboarding, sunbathing and even those who can swim!

Discovering Parque Maria Luisa

The Parque Maria Luisa was the site of the first universal esposizionoe which was held here in Seville 20 years. It 'a huge park full of well-kept paths, birds baths, fountains, shady groves, dotted with pavilions now home to museums and exhibitions, all to run in a rickshaw! Available to museums we visited the archaeological, really beautiful and well maintained and most completely free! Entry even give us the leadership in Italian! The atmosphere is very nice and full freedom in the Plaza de Espana even put your feet in the central fountain! that delicious must! On the other hand the heat is so strong that one needs to Ceder something to be ...

The fabulous Alcazar

Enter nell'Alcazar is just like entering the Arabian Nights, a very different place from everything. It was the residence of the Sultan, then caught by the King of Spain after the Reconquista, and really qulcosa of malioso and fascinating. It 'a succession of rooms, secret courtyards, alleys grassy, fragrant hedges, fountains, citrus ... The decor is distinctly Moorish, both in azulejos - ceramics here are a bit' everywhere, in everyday life, but this does not diminish the beauty or preciousness, indeed, make available to all - in architectural parts.
this beautiful place would not never go away, so we are still a bit 'to walk through the alleys or feed aglil ducklings that wallow undisturbed ìprofumo smelling sweet orange.
Just out - sooner or later Alcázar dovevanmo go ...- we console with a ride in the picturesque Barrio Santa Cruz, the old Jewish quarter of Seville, with its white houses and its secret patios full of flowers colored. You hear the sound of guitars and spicy Andalusian tapas. the typical Spanish snacks: how nice!

The cruise

Sunday should be a bit 'lazy, so we dedicate ourselves to lazily stroll "our" neighborhood, the Macarena, comfortable and popular, famous for Madonna from which it takes its name, which is the ultimate expression of devotion in processions through the Semana Santa. It feels a bit 'part of the world, buying freshly baked bread, chips, there are people chatting happily to the tapas bar ... beautiful does not always feel only tourists but also become part of normal life. daily.
We head towards the Torre del Oro, another symbol of Seville, where ferries leave for the river cruise. From the river you see another city, always fascinating, but more hidden, less obvious. It comes close to created for Expo 92, with modern buildings and a theme park, Isla Magica. all on the big island in the river, the Cartuja, the name that gave the Carthaginians, even before the Romans arrivasero us here.
The cruise is very relaxing and a guide in all languages, except in Italian, takes us fairly.
The evening throughout Alameda de Hercules, the long square near our hotel Patio de la Cartuja, full of cool clubs, but also refreshing water fountains regenerative blowers.

viva san firmìn!

is the day of San Fermin! In truth, the real party is in Pamplona, northern Spain, but all speak of it as a national event, even on TV do the countdown! us to celebrate our way, we go to visit the Plaza de Sevilla deToros, which is the second in Spain, by its size and importance. I am a bit of truth 'hesitant, I always thought of bullfighting as a violent show, but I do get. the arena is full of museum and art gallery - the largest collection of paintings and prints with turomachia theme - and then there's a nice guide that explains todo. we enter ever more dynamic and mentality of the bullfight, so that eventually I almost want to watch a show! There are many rituals and many meanings to take in a bullfight peresenti and so many stories, dramatic and fascinating talk a bit 'is also the spirit of a people.
The guide tells us stories of rivalries between fighters, and children died young prodigy, devotions and prayers and also the sad end of a cow killed her mother because of the ferocious and aggressive bull had gored Manolete famous: they wanted to avoid that could generate other bulls murderers.
A bullfight lasts about two hours, see the "participate" six bulls and three matadors - each fighter must take Mataré two bulls and one ear of each one as a trophy - In addition to toreadores, participate picadors on horseback, and banderilleros that have a duty to annoy and weaken the bull. The bullfighter comes only at the end of a series of choreographed maneuvers and implemented by those who preceded him. Everything has to be a lot of details, from clothing, to the parade, the care of the Bulls - who continue to give me a lot 'of pain, however ...

Torre del Oro

All'Arenal you go, the neighborhood where he was the ancient port city on the river, visit Torre del Oro, an ancient watchtower now almost hidden by surrounding buildings, but a symbol of the city. On Tuesday there lì'ingresso grautito the museum is housed in the sailing there and then you can climb to admire the city from above!
There is still time to jump in Triana, the neighborhood of choice for Seville, where are preparing decorations and lights for the feast of 16 lugliio feast of Our Lady of Mount Caramel, which the people are very devoted.
is nice to walk on this river and more in nice market full of life and color! Seville is here still tend to use markets and small shops rather than the mega super and hypermarkets have we maintain confidential reports, prrticamente families with shopkeepers ... other times! We go back a bit 'sadly toward our house in Seville, to greet her with warmth and postpone the next visit. Lueger hasta Sevilla!