Day 3 and 4: Seville

We arrived in Seville and it was now 9pm on Tuesday evening (day 2). The hotel was definitely better than the one we stayed in the previous night, if anything, a little far from the centre.

After checking in and washing up it was almost 10pm, so we postponed all tours and visits to the next day in order to have dinner (one medium pizza each) in the first restaurant that we found.

The next morning we woke up feeling quite rested, ready to explore an entirely new city. Given that the spirit of the journey was "low cost", we immediately avoided the bus and other methods of transport, ending up clocking quite a lot of miles on foot, like two perfect tourists.

Leaving the hotel, we walked through a lovely and relaxing district which lead to the back of the Metropol Parasol (also called Setas), a modern structure built very recently and designated as a space for events and various restaurants.

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We didn't pause for long and carried onwards, taking one of the main streets that leads to the Cathedral. Once we had left these alleys full of shops and bars, we found ourselves exactly in from of the immense Cathedral of Seville.

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It was truly imposing, both due to its dimensions and because of the majestic and Gothic style that makes it stand out. We decided to pay for the ticket to climb the Giralda tower, an icon of the city. The view from up there is wonderful, despite the flight after flight of spiral staircases. From the Giralda, you can admire the upper part of the Cathedral, full of steeples and domes, and the “white” district of the Juderia below.

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Already excited by the little that we’d seen of Seville, we decided to keeping strolling around without a precise plan. We passed the Archivo de Indias, we went inside the university as if we were two students studying there, and we wandered around the Casino de la Exposiciòn, an abandoned building but still very pretty and maintained in a good state.

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From there we ended up directly in Plaza de España, and my jaw dropped for the umpteenth time. I’m the type to exaggerate, but between Córdoba and Seville I really couldn’t find a perspective or a corner of the city that I didn’t like. The days we spent there were amazing, and the colours, the flowers, the architecture seemed to me to be new and unique. I was experiencing an aspect of Spain that I’d only ever seen in passing.

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Plaza de España is really big and spectacular. From what I read, its semicircular shape represents the embrace of the nation and of its ancient colonies. There are some bridges on the canal that crosses through it and its possible to take a boat ride. The square is located within the Maria Luisa park, one of the main gardens of the city. We didn't see much of it, but I absolutely recommend visiting it.

It was late afternoon and we’d stumbled upon the Flamenco Museum, at the very moment that a dance show was starting. Somehow we found two seats close to the front row and, drinking some excellent sangria, we enjoyed the show. It was free, and it lasted around an hour and I don’t think I’ve ever seen such an intense show. The dancers were very talented and, again, I had this feeling of being transported to a faraway and magical land.

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Then it was evening again. We decided to conclude the day going towards the hotel and eating again something nearby. Rather than going back along the same streets we walked on the way there, we took a long tour, in order to pass by the riverside promenad and the Isabell II bridge which was lit up at night.

The “Day 4” began with a visit to the Alcàzar Real, the royal palace built by the Moors sometime during the 1300s. The style was very similar to that of Cordoba with its big rooms, mosaics, stone carvings, courtyards and gardens with many palm trees and fountains. I won’t speak too extensively on the pure majesty of this place, because you’re now more aware of my evident love of Mudejar art.

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Our last stop in Seville consisted of a guided tour of the famous Arena de Toros, and through the attached museum. I’m not a huge fan of the “corrida” (bull run), but this place is definitely worth visiting, given the historical importance that this place held and holds in this city.

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Next, we stopped to eat in a lovely and sophisticated restaurant: sometimes it's ok to spend a little extra every now and then! Using the WiFi there I started looking for a place to sleep that evening. The new destination, by recommendation of the receptionist of our hotel in Seville, was Cádiz. Malaga, according to her, was a bit too much of a "standard big city", so less characteristic of the region.

This time I wanted to use Airbnb for booking a house, but I had some problems with authentication, as it was the first time that I used it. So it took a while to search, find and book the right place. Asides from the bureaucracy, the site is good and I still find it very useful for organising holidays. It was only at the beginning that it was a bit complicated due to security, privacy and the registration process. It was necessary to provide ID and data about yourself, and to create a profile with a photo and various other info, so you can be better recognised. It was the same as the BlaBla Car, where neither party knew each other, so it's good to have a clear profile of who you are right from the start, so each person knows who they'll be dealing with in the future. Having said all this, the site is trustworthy and the prices are also much more convenient as opposed to hotels.

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