To escape the cold British weather, I took my second solo trip to Seville, I spent 3 nights in the sunny Andalusian city and I can’t wait to return. Seville is a sunny historical city, littered with many Catholic monuments, exquisite Moorish architecture and orange trees. It’s also the hottest city in Europe, hence why I went there in the middle of January.
This solo trip was different to Copenhagen because I was so excited to be away from home. I wasn’t scared at all and I didn’t get the urge to cancel it last minute. This holiday was all about relaxing and I felt quite relaxed. I also prepared well for this trip, I had a four wheel American Tourister suitcase, bought an extra Anker Powerbank, had spare batteries for my camera, researched the local area and asked friends about Seville, so I was much more prepared than I was in Copenhagen.
Accommodation
I booked myself into Eurostars Hotel Torre Seville, the tallest building in Andalusia and spent most mornings looking over Seville and playing with the automatic blinds next to my bed. I booked this hotel because it was very modern, had great views of Seville and since it was so tall I knew I could never get lost because you can see it from most places in Seville as the hotel is striking and does not match the Sevillian skyline at all. The hotel is more 4 stars than 5 stars, but it was adequate for my trip, the bed was very comfy and the views were phenomenal.
First Day
On my first day I went to Centro Comercial Torre Sevilla shopping centre next to my hotel and had tapas while I waited for my room to be ready. After checking in, I headed to Las Setas De Sevilla the tallest wooden Structure in Seville and didn’t get in because the queue was long and I wanted to get back to my hotel at a decent time. When I got back to my hotel I went to the spa on the 35th floor.
While sitting in the Sauna on the 35th floor, I was overwhelmed with gratitude and realized two things:
- I am so blessed to be able to have the opportunities I do, that let me even afford this holiday. Holidays are a luxury and although I treat it as a necessity, I should never forget that I am lucky enough to go on holiday because many people do not have that opportunity.
- If I really want something I’ll do it myself, I don’t need anyone to do it for me. I booked the hotel alone, my flights alone, I got on the bus and travelled to the hotel alone. I did not need anyone to do anything for me because I can do it myself. Any man who comes into my life has to upgrade it significantly, because I am very comfortable on my own. Solo trips help to remind me how independent and confident I am and why I should believe in myself and my abilities more because travelling alone is not easy (well it is and it isn’t).
Second day
My second day in Seville was my most productive day, I started my day watching the sunrise over Seville at breakfast, it was beautiful and I don’t think I’ve ever watched the sun rise before. I went to the Royal Alcázar, University of Seville, the Seville Cathedral tried to see Setas Seville again (and failed), had tapas at La Bodega de la Alfalfa , got tickets for the flamenco museum, ate the best churros at La Centurina and ended my day at the museum of Fine Art.
I spent most of my day at the Royal Alcázar, it’s so beautiful and there were so many things to see, from the water fountain, to the maze, to peacocks walking around amongst people. While waiting in the queue for the Royal Alcázar, there was a man on top of the building opposite us, people started screaming and the man waved, I thought he had just gotten married – turns out it was the King of Spain.
Seville Cathedral is only a stone’s throw away from the Royal Alcázar, they have many paintings, treasures and a large bell tower with 360 views of Seville.
The museum of Fine Art had a large exhibition dedicated to Spanish Baroque painter Murillo to mark the 400th anniversary of his birth.
Third day
On my third day, I went to Parque de Maria Luisa and Plaza de Espana, it’s such a beautiful park and architecture. I then went to Palacio de las Dueñas (A royal house), finally got into Setas De Seville and to end my day, I watched a live Flamenco show at the Flamenco museum. The flamenco show was the highlight of my trip and the dancers and singers were so talented and I wanted to experience Sevillian culture first hand. I didn’t like Palacio de las Dueñas and thought it was a very boring compared to Royal Alcazar.
Cons
The only downside I found in Seville is the stares I got from some of the locals and I definitely stared back, although most of the people I interacted with were okay, the stares reminded me of how irritating people can be. If someone is paying into your economy, you need to leave them alone, especially when they’re minding their own business. I just felt like some people were very jobless and maybe that’s why their unemployment rate is higher than the EU average but I digress.
Last thoughts
Don’t let the stares put you off though. If you decide to visit Seville, you must visit the flamenco museum and book tickets for a live show it’s roughly €25, visit the royal Alcázar it’s €9 but €2 with a student card and go to the Museum of Fine Art as entry is free if you’re an EU citizen otherwise it’s €1.50. Additionally, spend some time at Plaza de Espana in Parque de María Luisa and have the best churros at la Centurina.
I recommend Seville to everyone, it’s sunny, they have great food and just like Copenhagen, it’s very walkable although they have a lot of alleyways so be vigilant at night. Next time I would like to go to Seville with a friend because I want to experience their nightlife and have some sangria as I do not drink when I travel alone.
2 Comments
A good piece of writing. A lot of tips on places of interest and what to do whilst in Seville. Thanks for the tip.
Thanks for reading! Seville is great.