Back from the Skerryvore gig, one night at home and then down to the Stansted hotel for an overnighter before our flight to Seville. We had visited the city before, but that was a one night stop as part of a wider cruise itinerary; we’d enjoyed the city, its culture and history, so when this deal cropped up, a longer break of five days seemed ideal.
Our base was the Palacio Pinello, a 15thC palace that opened as a hotel in 2014. It proved ideal for us, and it demonstrated early on that tapas in this city is at a different level to any that we had previously experienced. I’ve decided not to bore with a detailed description of each and every experience but below are the main highlights of a particularly enjoyable break…
Thursday 22 November –
- Art Gallery, Museo de Bellas Artes (museum of Fine Arts). A particularly beautiful building, opening as a museum in 1841. I’ll gloss over the appropriation of the art works confiscated from convents and monasteries by the state. What it does mean is a collection based around the religious works of many of the leading Spanish artists. Not our first choice of subject matter, but beautifully presented (and free to EU members)!
- After a quick but incredibly cheap and tasty lunch at La Jolla we strolled down to the BullRing museum (The Real Maestranza). One of its most unique features is the slightly oval shape of the ring. The front rows of seats, originally made of stone, were replaced with brick ones in 1914, although the earlier ones remain underneath. The bullring also has a museum where visitors can learn more about the world of bullfighting through an exhibition of costumes, photographs and paintings. It had to be escorted, which was a little shambolic, but it did have a series of Goya etchings which probably explained a lot. Second visit of the day and another conflicted visit, but that made the history all the more compelling.
Friday 23 November –
- On the way down to the Santa Cruz area called in to the church adjoining the Cathedral, which proved to be almost as richly decorated as the Cathedral itself. We’d visited the Cathedral and Giralda before, but a quick visit to the ground floor confirmed its splendour
- The Hospital of the Venerable was in the heart of the Jewish Quarter (Santa Cruz) and so we combined the two. Came across the 17thC building by accident initially but when we actually tried to find it to actually enter it proved singularly difficult. Some might find the Venerable ‘monument’ a little disappointing for the admission price, but we thought the inner courtyard, cloisters and adjoining church alone were worthy of a visit.
- After a Beer diversion we headed for (and found) the Seville ‘Mushroom’, otherwise known as Metropol Parasol, a wooden structure located at La Encarnación square, in the old quarter of Seville, Spain. Although it was subject to delays, cost overruns and much public disquiet, the views of the city from the innovative public viewing platforms cannot be denied.
- We then wandered around the city (old and new) before coming up against the Alameda de Hercules, a lively and vibrant area of Seville with original, 2,000 year old Roman columns as its centrepiece
Saturday 24 November –
- Saturday weather was warm and sunny so we revisited the Plaza de Espana and then explored Triana, which is over the river from Seville. Indeed, it’s famous for having its own strong identity – it’s known in Seville as “the independent republic of Triana” – this district is celebrated for its azulejos (ceramic tiles), made in workshops here originally using mud from the river bank; its sailors, bullfighters and flamenco artists and gypsies had to live here as they weren’t allowed intramuros, inside the main city walls; much drinking and tapas ensued!!
Sunday 25 November –
Back to the Santa Cruz old town to visit the Flamenco museum, (a little small but the videos and costumes gave an excellent taster) followed by tapas at the Bar Estrella. Well, I say followed, we wandered around the narrow streets and alleyways for what seemed an eternity, only to ‘come across’ the Estrella, a bar that would have been literally two minutes from the hotel if we’d turned right instead of left! But that, in essence, is the true joy of the city, very much a place to wander around and get lost.
Monday 26 November –
A late flight meant another full day, one in which we visited the Jewish Museum (Centro de Interpretacion Juderia de Sevilla), not surprisingly back in Santa Cruz. It was very small with minimal content. It was however well curated and what was there was very informative. Wouldn’t have missed it on a trip to Seville but does I think need to expand a little. Also took the opportunity, as it was another warm one, to have a rooftop beverage at the Hotel Alcazar (shock, horror, right next to the Alcazar), which is a Moorish castle or palace and would itself have been a worthy place to visit, had we not already enjoyed it back in 2013.
Back to the hotel for “another small beer” and to wait for the taxi to the airport. A lovely trip, with plenty of tapas to try across a number of bars and restaurants. But the food highlight had to be the tapas in the Pinello itself. Whether in the bar or the hotel restaurant, this was, to us at least, tapas at another level, even by the high standards established by the city itself.
And then the flight home and a 2.00am arrival back at home. And then what next we wondered…..????