Seville

The cathedral and the Giralda: a bell tower on a mosque site

Seville Cathedral stands where a great mosque once did, one that Abu Yaqub ordered built in 1172. It became a church in 1248, and in 1401 the cathedral chapter decided to build a new cathedral, which became today's Gothic building. Seville's tourism board calls it the largest Gothic cathedral in existence. The lower part of the Giralda bell tower was an Almohad minaret; Hernán Ruiz added the belfry in the 16th century. Inside, ramps take the place of stairs, and they were wide enough to ride up on horseback. The tower takes its name from the Giraldillo, the bronze female figure that serves as a weathervane at the 104 m summit. Columbus's tomb, sculpted as a funeral procession of four heralds, has been in the cathedral since 1899.

Real Alcázar: a palace still in use

Across from the cathedral, the Real Alcázar has been added to era by era since the 11th century. The Almohads completed the Arab-period works in the 12th century, and in Christian times Alfonso X's Gothic palace went up. In the mid-14th century, King Pedro I of Castile built a Mudéjar palace in the decorative language of Islam, and Renaissance and Baroque work followed. The Alcázar's management describes it as the oldest royal palace still in use in Europe. It opens at 9:30. In a city where July's average high is 36°C, the gardens and their running water are more comfortable right at opening time.

Plaza de España: 48 tiled benches

Next to the Parque de María Luisa, the Plaza de España was built from 1914 to 1928 for the 1929 Ibero-American Exposition. It was designed by Aníbal González, the architect behind much of how Seville's streets look today. Below the semicircular building, 48 tiled benches represent Spain's provinces in alphabetical order. Each shows a map, the provincial coat of arms and a scene from local history, but there's no bench for Seville. Since the plaza is in Seville, the city is represented by four murals instead. It's also where Star Wars: Episode II placed the capital of the planet Naboo.

Triana: the potters' quarter across the river

Cross the Puente de Isabel II from the old town and you're in Triana. The bridge was built in 1845–1852, modeled on the Pont du Carrousel in Paris. At its end, the Capilla del Carmen was conceived by Aníbal González as a “ceramic lighthouse” for boats at night and finished in 1928. Beside the bridge, the Mercado de Triana stands on the site of the Castillo de San Jorge, once a stage for the Inquisition, and you can head down beneath the market to see the castle's remains. Triana was long a potters' neighborhood, and a great many flamenco artists were born here. In July, the Velá de Santa Ana, which began in 1266, takes over: every afternoon a greased pole juts out over the river, and people try to grab the flag at its tip.

Tapas: standing, eating, moving on

Seville's tourism board describes the city's bars as a stage where orders are sung out. Standing at the counter, ordering a plate or two, then moving on to the next bar, known as tapeo, is an old habit here. First time? Start with espinacas con garbanzos (spinach simmered with chickpeas), montadito de pringá (meat left over from a puchero stew, tucked into a small roll) and adobo, the fried fish you'll smell in the street before you see it. In summer, cold salmorejo gets ordered more often. Most of the orange trees lining the streets are bitter oranges (Citrus aurantium), so they're no good eaten straight off the branch. Instead, the Alcázar's oranges are sent to Britain to become marmalade. In March and April, the scent of their blossom, azahar, fills the city.

Two spring festivals: Semana Santa and the Feria

During Semana Santa, Holy Week, dozens of brotherhoods take to the streets with more than a hundred pasos, the platforms that carry sacred images. Nazarenos in pointed capirote hoods cover their faces to keep their identities hidden. A single procession can run over 10 hours, and the night from midnight on Holy Thursday to Good Friday morning is called the Madrugá. Easter can fall anywhere from March 22 to April 25, so the dates shift every year. The Feria de Abril was founded in 1846 by a Catalan and a Basque. On the opening night, the alumbrao, the fairground lights all switch on at once and fried fish is served in every caseta, the fair's marquees. Most casetas belong to families and associations, but there are public ones anyone can walk into.

Two nights, three days on foot

Day 1 — Real Alcázar at 9:30 → along the wall through the Callejón del Agua into the Santa Cruz quarter → Cathedral and Giralda (from 10:45, Mon–Sat) → Iglesia de El Salvador → tapeo in the evening Day 2 — Plaza de España and Parque de María Luisa → Torre del Oro, built by the Almohads in the early 13th century (now a naval museum) → Triana at sunset Day 3 — Roman mosaics in the Antiquarium beneath the Metropol Parasol (closed Mondays) → Museo del Baile Flamenco → the Parasol's viewpoint, 28.5 m up, at dusk

What to eat

• Espinacas con garbanzos (spinach and chickpea stew)
• Montadito de pringá (small roll filled with stewed meat)
• Adobo (marinated fried fish)
• Salmorejo (cold tomato soup)

Handy tips

• Cathedral tickets are €13 online or €14 at the ticket office, and the same ticket gets you into the Iglesia de El Salvador at no extra charge.
• The Real Alcázar's ticket office only takes cards (general admission €15.50). The €8 reduced rate for over-65s and students aged 14–30 applies whatever your nationality, so bring proof.
• The EA airport bus is €6 one way, and you can pay by card on board. The €8 return ticket is only valid on the day you buy it.