The historic part is full of narrow shady lanes, in between beautiful buildings with courtyards full of flowers. The town has a list of famous monuments and buildings including the impressive cathedral with its tower, Giralda, Seville's landmark or the king's palace Alcazar in its typical Moorish style, surrounded by high walls.

The Archivo de Indias, a Renaissance building serves as an archive of all the documents related to the discovery of America and many buildings are located around one large square.

It is said that the inhabitants of Seville "live in the street" and at night the streets and bars are full of locals and tourists. Many of the local bars in this traditional part of town close already around midnight, but until then you will find here many typical bars offering delicious "Tapas" and regional wines. In the Park of Maria Luisa you will find nice summer terraces, many of them in the old pavilions of the Exposition of 1929, close to the Theater Lope de Vega.

Our program allows you plenty of time to discover your new country, culture and customs. Below are some of our recommended highlights. Some tours and packages can be organized when booking your program, please see the program price page for more information.

city tour
Walk the old town, historical center of Seville, formerly the district of Moors and Jews. Visit the impressive cathedral with its tower, the king's palace, the Archivo de Indias and the Archiepiscopal Palais. More monuments worth visiting in this district are the churches Hospicio de los Venerables and Iglesia de Santa Maria la Blanca, the latter located at the edge of the beautiful park Jardines de Murillo.

Walking from the Giralda towards the river you will find in Santander Street the Torre de la Plata , a tower which served as silver depot in the times of the Moorish domination. Just to its right there are the Hospital de la Caridad and the church Iglesia de la Caridad.

barrio santa cruz
This romantic part of town, formerly the district of Moors and Jews, is located right in the historical center of Seville. You may have a walk through the narrow shady lanes, inbetween beautiful buildings with courtyards plenty of flowers, and visit some of the town's major monuments:

The impressive cathedral with its tower, Giralda , Seville's landmark. The king's palace Alcazar in its typical Moorish style, surrounded by high walls. The Archivo de Indias, a Renaissance building which serves as an archive of all the documents related with the discovery of America. The Archiepiscopal Palais. All those buildings are located at one single large square.

More monuments worth visiting in this district are the churches Hospicio de los Venerables and Iglesia de Santa Maria la Blanca, the latter located at the edge of the beautiful park Jardines de Murillo. Walking from the Giralda towards the river you will find in Santander Street the Torre de la Plata , a tower which served as silver depot in the times of the Moorish domination. Just to its right there are the Hospital de la Caridad and the church Iglesia de la Caridad.

park of maria luisa
This great park is named after Infanta Maria Luisa, who presented to the town half of the gardens of her Palace of San Telmo in 1893. In 1929 took place here an Ibero-American Exposition, and many interesting buildings were constructed. Specially remarkable are the works of architect Hannibal Gonzalez, his great Plaza de España, Pabellón Mudejar, Pabellón Real and the Archaeological Museum, as well as many smaller buildings of latin-american style.

along the river
If you walk from Plaza de España towards Guadalquivir river, you arrive first to a sort of "micro-castle", the so-called Costurero de la Reina ("the Queen's Sewing-Room"), at the edge of the gardens of San Telmo Palace. This palace is a very beautiful example of Baroco Sevillano, the regional baroque style. Directly behind it you'll find the Real Fábrica de Tabacos , the old tobacco factory (the most prominent worker of which was Carmen, the opera-figure), being today Seville's university.

palaces
There are many beautiful palaces and manorial houses in Seville, many of them strongly influenced in their architecture by the Moorish past of the city. Most impressive is perhaps Casa Pilatos, built in 15th and 16th century. Should some taxi-driver tell you that this "House of Pilatus" was a holiday-house of the famous Pontius Pilatus, who used to come to Seville in Easter-week to watch the famous processions - don't believe him, better click here to know the truth. Another building that is absolutely worth a visit is Palacio de las Dueñas , a palace belonging to the Dukes of Alba.

the "new" seville after 1992
The World Exposition EXPO'92 has brought many changes to Seville. No fewer than 70 kilometers of new streets were built, a new train station, Santa Justa, and the high-speed train AVE connects Seville with Madrid in less than 3 hours. Also Guadalquivir river, which had been detoured around the city for centuries, was now brought back into its original river-bed.

Some impressive new bridges, which are among the city's most important monuments of this century, have been constructed: Puente del V Centenario, Pasarela de la Cartuja, Puente de las Delicias, Puente de Chapina, Puente de la Barqueta, and Puente delAlamillo.

isla de la cartuja
The "Cartuja Island" was the exhibition ground of the EXPO, today you find here large gardens and an artificial lake. Many of the pavilions are still in use, and there are numerous performances here, such as concerts, theaters, etc.The most interesting historical building at the territory is certainly the Cartuja Monastery.

Christopher Columbus was buried here. Lateron it was the seat of an important producer of traditional ceramics, while today, after having been restored, it serves as a museum.

museums
Customs Located in the former convent of the Merced Calzada at the Plaza del Museo. Construction works of the convent started in 1602. It is an example of Andalusian mannerism of the 17th century, designed around three Patios and a large stairway. The Museum of Popular Customs of Seville is located in the former Pavilion of Ancient Arts, which was built by Anibal Gonzalez for the Ibero-American exposition of 1929. The building is in Neo-Mudéjar style.

excursions

santiponce
Just at 8 kilometers from Seville there is Santiponce, with its great Roman Ruins of Italica . Italica was founded in 206 b.Chr. by Publius Cornelius Scipio, Roman emperors Trajan and Hadrian were born here. Remaining today are the colossal Amphitheater, a theater and rests of dwelling houses.

Many of the statues, mosaics and other objects that were found here are exposed at Seville's Archaeological Museum, and in the Palace of the Condesa de Lebrija. Another attraction of Santiponce is the Monastery of San Isidoro del Campo, founded by Guzmán el Bueno in early 14th century.

carmona
Absolutely worth a visit is the picturesque Carmona, at 33 km from Seville, with its impressive fortifications. Carmona was originally a Carthaginian, later a Roman settlement. Of this latter epoch are conserved parts of the town-walls and the Roman Nekropolis. Also the palace, Alcazar, is of Roman origin, though the major part of today's building was errected by the Moors.

ecija
This town is located at the border between the provinces of Seville and Cordoba. This traditional manorial town has several beautiful palaces, remarkable are in particular the palaces of Marqueses de Peñaflor and Condes de Valverde. The importance of the town under the Moors, who called it Astigi, is shown in its great Arabian baths.

Interesting are as well the rests of the Moorish town-walls, among them the two doors Puerta del Puente and Puerta Cerrada. Ecija is popularly called "the town of the towers", for the large number of church towers that form its skyline.