All I knew about Seville before I went was sun, marmalade and tapas. That was it, oh and the summer sun is blistering hot.
Seville is a gem. There is a royal palace, medieval streets and very safe for the female solo traveller to meander her way back from tapas at midnight, stop for an ice cream and not be accosted because the streets are brimming with people.
Hotel
I always choose somewhere central when travelling solo. Now that I work even harder, the stars I see before me are four. Yes four stars but to be fair accommodation is pretty cheap in Seville. I went in May and I just booked a trip to Venice for my birthday this year. I like to spend it chic and hot.
This hotel was chic 4 star – the bathroom small but perfectly formed. There was a little fridge, kitchen thing and the bed super comfortable.
So remember location, location, location: the river was 4 skips away. Well you’d have to skip over the road to see it!
What’s there to see?
The answer enough but be prepared to queue. There’s the palace but I never went in. I can queue but this was surreal even the prepaid line had a queue. I like a palace but still.
The medieval quarter is something to behold. The streets are narrow and it’s easy to be swept up in the romance of it all. Forget google and go old school with a paper map.
There is a monastery where the nuns sell sweets – my time keeping is as bad as my map reading and I missed the closing time by 10 mins. My hips were grateful!
Tapas
The first day I walked past all the tapas places brimming with locals and felt intimidated. I’m used to sharp elbows and smiling my way into the lone seat at the bar. However, I speak little (as in 5 words of Spanish) and no I couldn’t. Even though I wanted tapas and wanted it when the locals ate any time after 9pm I felt too scared. I resigned myself to ice cream – yes it’s a good group. There are almost as many ice cream parlours as there are tapas bars.
On the Saturday, I mustered up the courage to go to the tapas bar Los Claveles opposite the reputed oldest tapas bar in Seville. I stopped by one of the tables and waited. The waiter didn’t speak English but a few gracias later and j had a delicious plate of jamon and ice cold sherry. We were in business. Another glass of vino – yes, thanking you kindly and some more tapas. Spain is up on its gluten friendly menus and I was buzzing. I’m having tapas y’all.
That night I had more tapas in a quiet square across the river where glancing started
The Plaza de Espana is where one of the blah blah Stars wars films of the 1990s was shot. I saw some real flamenco and Spanish soldiers – winning.
Sunday and I popped into the cathedral for free. I’m not sure if it was free or I was oblivious but I marched on in and it’s worth a look.
Then back for more tapas and since it was my birthday I went to the oldest tapas place El Rinconcillo. It was ok – very sharp elbows and waiters who don’t have to try. Whilst I waited to be seen I chatted up the man next to me and we went onto another bar and then I made a mad dash to the airport! Talk about a whirlwind weekend!
Taxis are cheap, I know that having hopped into one praying he’d get me to the airport on time!
Wine, tapas and ice cream are cheap too.
Seville is a city to walk around – I would not recommend staying in the old city. As alluring as that appears it’s noisy and everything is crammed on top of each other.
Ice cream is a must at all hours of the day and night!
Must see: the Cathedral, the plaza and if you can get into the palace then do!
