09/24/2021
We took a train from Madrid to Seville and I used Rail Ninja to book (I used them for all our trains in Spain). It was about a 2 hour train ride with both train stations being a 10 minute Uber ride from and to our hotel.
+ I found that each train station that we visited while in Spain was very easy to navigate. We also had 2 large suitcases and 2 carry-on cases that we were able to bring on the train. If you have large suitcases, I would suggest getting to the station earlier than normal so you’re able to board the train first and have space for your larger suitcases, since the area for this is small.
H10 Casa de la Plata: A chic, small boutique hotel located in the heart of Seville and within a 5-20 minute walk of all the major attractions. The aroma in the hotel was so amazing that I’ve been meaning to email the hotel and ask what scent they use because I still dream of it!
I also want to add how helpful and friendly the staff were. We arrived around 10 am and the check in wasn’t until 3 pm, but the hotel receptionist upgraded our room so we could check in earlier. We also had some questions about a cab that we ordered and the hotel receptionist called the taxi company for us to make sure that everything was squared away.
+ Its worth noting that the street in front of the hotel does not allow cars to drive up (it’s a very small street). If you use a Uber or taxi, they’ll drop you off around the corner.
The streets are so small and quaint that walking is the best way to really see all the beauty of the city. There is a light rail system that runs through the city that is worth taking if you want to do some exploring of the surrounding cities.
- Plaza de Espana– A large Plaza with beautiful architecture –Renaissance/moorish style. With a canal that runs through and is located in Maria Luisa Park.
- Real Alcazar– Is the royal palace of Seville. This was by far my favorite part of Seville and maybe our entire trip, with its gorgeous Spanish/Moorish architecture and exquisite gardens. It was also one of the filming locations for Game of Thrones (where they filmed Dorne).
- Make sure you visit early as it gets very crowded throughout the day.
- I recommend spending at least 2-3 hours there.
- Don’t miss the Baths of Lady María de Padilla.
- Seville Cathedral– The exterior of the cathedral is beautiful and feels very grand compared to the quaint streets of the city. Inside is equally as beautiful and houses Christopher Columbus tomb.
- Climb the Giralda tower for gorgeous views of Seville. There are signs that direct you while you’re in the cathedral.
- Torte del oro– A military watch tower built in the early 13th century.
- Metropol parasol– A modern, wooden structure located in the old quarter of Seville (less than 2 minute walk from our hotel). It was designed by a German architect and completed in 2011.
- Ruins of Italica- Is just a 20 minute drive from Seville and well worth the trip! Italica was one of the first Roman Settlements built in Spain, founded in 206 BC. The ruins are well preserved considering and they say that a large part of the roman city hasn’t been excavated yet, part is still hidden under the city of Santiponce.
- We took an Uber to the ruins. You can also get there by a city bus. There are tours that you can purchase that offer day trips visiting other attractions around the city. We did purchase a guided tour of the ruins but we were late and missed it.
- Bullring of the Real Maestranz– It is the site of one of the most well known bullfighting festivals in the world. I personally think bullfighting it’s horrible and I would never see a bullfight but it’s still worth visiting the ring.
- Flamenco Show- We went to a local bar, La Carboneria that has flamenco performances and it’s said the best place to watch a show is at a local bar because that’s how it originated.
- The bar itself is nothing special but the performance we saw was amazing! Make sure to bring cash and get there early so you get a good seat.
- Seis– Great ambiance– you feel like you’re in a tropical garden. Food was very good, tapas style with a wide variety. If you go get the Torrija al estilo tarta de galleta con helado de vainilla, a dessert recommended by one of the waiters and it was AMAZING!!! Get it and thank me later.
- Sibuya Urban Sushi Bar– A modern/industrial style japanese restaurant. My favorite food item was the crab bao. If I could only eat that the entire trip I would’ve!
- El Pinton– A cute restaurant with outdoor seating (I recommend), serving Mediterranean and Spanish dishes. Maybe it was two pitchers of sangria that Chase and I shared but I really loved this restaurant. Great vibes and delicious food! We shared mussels that were in this heavenly spicy marinara sauce (I’m pretty sure what gave me my allergic reaction the next day).. Still didn’t ruin the experience though.
- Most restaurants start serving dinner at 8 PM but locals don’t show up until 9:30/10 PM.
- During the summer, the sun sets around 930 PM.
- Buy tickets for top attractions in advance.
- Most businesses give you an option to pay in Euros or USD when paying by card.
