Plaza de Espana & Alcazar: Charmed by Seville

We spend 4 days in Seville, it was our first stop in Spain. we flew into Barcelona from Dallas and then took Iberia Airline to Seville. We took a cab from the airport into town, we were charmed right when the taxi entered the town, the narrow colorful picturesque orange tree-lined streets, the Moorish Palace, the beautiful Cathedral and the horse-drawn carriages at every corner made us fall in love with the little town of Seville. Here is a look at Alcazar Seville and Plaza de Espana. We especially loved visiting España around golden hour when the setting sun cast a beautiful glow.

A View of the Seville Cathedral
A view of the Seville Cathedral

Plaza de España

The Plaza de España is one of the most remarkable constructions of the 20th century, and of the city in itself. Its size is spectacular, and it’s even been used as the backdrop for several films. Along the half-moon building, there are detailed tiles and ceramic handicrafts, symbolizing Spain and its relationship with Latin and South American countries. 

Plaza de Espana
Plaza de España

Originally built in 1929, the Plaza de España was created to showcase the talent and creativity of Spaniards during the Ibero-American Exposition. The backdrop of this plaza is a large semi-circle building, designed in an eclectic mix of Renaissance Revival, Art Deco and Neo-Mudéjar styles. As you make your way through the area, you’ll notice painted ceramics (known as azulejos) throughout.

Plaza de Espana

Everything from the banisters of the fences, to the many of the lamp posts, have been carefully painted and decorated. The fountains, the tiled benches that represent the different provinces in Spain are beautiful.  The square is surrounded by a long D shaped canal (1,690 ft) that is crossed by four bridges, each one representing the four ancient kingdoms of Spain (Castile, León, Aragón and Navarra)  where you can hire small rowboats and row-row-row a boat and admire the Plaza de Espana.

Plaza de Espana

Tile benches at Plaza Espana
The beautiful tile work at the plaza – Azulejos!
tilesAtEspana
There are 48 alcoves or benches representing each province of Spain.

Breakfast by the Seville Cathedral

The next day we started with breakfast at Horno San Buenaventura (Avenida de la Constitución, 16) right across from the Cathedral.  Sevillians love to have a quick breakfast of coffee and bread, if you want anything more substantial like eggs this is the place for it.

Breakfast near the Cathedral in Seville
Breakfast near the Cathedral in Seville

Read: Spanish dishes, drinks and desserts to try

Alcázar

We walked along the Cathedral to reach the Plaza del Triunfo looking for the Lion’s Gate – the Seville Alcazar’s entrance. The Alcázar is one of the most impressive monuments of Seville. This royal palace was built in the 14th century, and as time went on, more buildings were added to the complex, resulting in a mix of Arabic styles and Christian influences. The word Alcázar is a synonym of the castle (castillo) and it comes from the Arabic word al qasr. Both the palace and its gardens are beautiful, we walked around the different rooms and gardens.

Alcazar Entrance
Alcazar Entrance
Hunting Courtyard, Inside the Alcazar Entrance
Hunting Courtyard – The patio serves as a prelude to the residential area of the palace
Alcazar,Seville

Mudejar Palace

The Mudejar Palace, also known as the Palacio del Rey Don Pedro, was built by Pedro I of Castile in 1364. He employed Jewish and Moorish workers and craftsmen from Seville, Granada and Toledo. The Palace was completed adding elements of other buildings, mainly from Cordoba, Granada.

Alcazar, Seville
Mudejar Palace, Seville
Mudejar Palace

Further, into the Alcázar, Seville is the stunning Patio de las Doncellas or Courtyard of the Maidens, a rectangular courtyard containing a small fountain.  It is based on an urban legend about the Muslim Moors demanding an annual gift of 100 virgin maidens from the Castile Kingdom. If the Castile Kingdom failed to provide this gift, the Moors threatened to conquer them. Though most likely untrue, it served as encouragement for the Christian Kingdoms to join together to reconquer the south of Spain.

Seville Alcazar
Courtyard of the Maidens with a Reflective Pool inside the Mudejar Palace

The courtyard has a reflective pool with sunken gardens on either side. The lower arches are a classic of the Mudejar style, with very thin columns and an impressive decoration at the top. The upper floor was added in the later 16th century (between 1540 and 1572) and it is easy to recognize the Renaissance style in it. Despite the differences, both elements end up creating a patio with amazing harmony. The arches have such elaborate carving that make it look like lace.

Don’t miss these three main rooms inside the Alcazar Seville: the Tapestry Room, the Chapel, and the Gothic Room (also known as the Feast Room). The Tapestry Room had to be built from scratch after the earthquake but the tapestries are Flemish, from the 16th century. The Chapel and Gothic Room have beautiful tiles that cover part of the walls.

Inside the Chapel room, Alcazar, Seville
The Flag represented in the Stained Glass window
 Tile work in the Map room at the Alcazar
Tile work in the Map room at the Alcazar
Columbus's map and ship on tapestry in the Map room at the Alcazar
Columbus’s map and ship on tapestry in the Map room at the Alcazar

The courtroom, where the Catholic Monarchs  — Isabel I of Castile and her husband Fernando II of Aragon, met Columbus after his second voyage, was transformed into a chapel where you can see a model of the ship.

The Courtroom at the Alcazar, Seville
The Courtroom at the Alcazar, Seville

Seville Alcazar Garden (Jardin de Estanque de Mercurio)

The Alcázar’s garden – Jardin de Estanque de Mercurio is green and lush and pays homage to the Roman god Mercury. Mercury is the patron saint of commerce, eloquence, communication, travelers, and luck. A statue of Mercury stands in the middle of a square pond in the garden. We walked through the beautiful gardens’ orange trees and bougainvillea.

Alcázar's garden, Seville
Visiting the Alcázar’s garden were our favorite
Ladies Garden, Alcazar, Seville
A Lady in the Ladies Garden 🙂
Mercury Pond

Maria de Padilla Bathrooms inside the Real Alcázar, Seville is another must-visit. Entering this underground passage you will find the coolest space of the whole palace, an ideal place for the summer period. It is located just below the Patio del Crucero.

Maria de Padilla Bathrooms inside the Real Alcázar
Maria de Padilla Bathrooms inside the Real Alcázar
The intricate Abanicos on display at the Alcazar
The intricate Abanicos on display at the Alcazar

Christian and Muslim design elements

For the construction of the facade of his palace, Don Pedro, a Christian king, counted on Muslim craftsmen. They were called Mudejars and remained in a territory that was already of Christian rule. Islamic art was admired, even among members of other religions. Pedro I asked his friend the Nazari sultan of Granada Muhammad V, ruler of the Alhambra, to bring him the best artists who worked there. These artists created great work in which Christian and Muslim elements are combined – Islamic schematic decoration of Muslim taste mixed with shields of Castile, Leon and the Order of the Band, alluding to King Don Pedro.

The intricate Abanicos on display at the Alcazar

Lunch at Santa Cruz Neighborhood

After visiting the Alcazar we went to Santa Cruz for lunch.  Barrio de Santa Cruz was once a Jewish quarter and now is a perfect place to get to know the Seville. A labyrinth of alleyways, white-washed housing, restaurants and boutiques, this area is definitely the highlight of the city.  We strolled along its narrow streets and found a wonderful restaurant to linger and taste the tapas, gazpacho and sherry.

Tips and Information for Visiting the Alcazar in Seville

Real Alcázar was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Not only has it been beautifully maintained for centuries it is also the oldest royal palace still in use. The upper floors of the Alcázar serve as the official residence of the Spanish Royal Family when they are in the city.

Website: The Royal Alcázar of Seville
Address: Plaza del Triunfo, s/n  41004 – Sevilla
Entrance: General ticket: 9.50 €, Reduced ticket: 2 € (Seniors, Students from 17 to 25), Free (Under 16, Residents in Seville, Disabled and an escort)

Plaza de España is located near the Maria Luisa Park on Glorieta San Diego, Avenida
Paddleboat around the canal fare: 35€ for 35 minutes. 4 people per boat.  You can go up the tower and visit the plaza for free.  We loved it here during sunset.

We visited Alcazar Seville and Plaza de Espana at end of July and it was pretty hot,  our kids were a little exhausted from the heat – visiting during Spring break or earlier in Summer might be better with kids.

Other places to add your Seville Itinerary

Inside Seville’s massive cathedral stands a monument to Christopher Columbus. Climb up the winding ramp that takes you up 35 floors to the top of the Giralda. 

Seville cathedral | Outside Suburbia
At the top of the Bell tower in Seville’s massive cathedral

Torre del Oro (Tower of Gold) is a historic watchtower that was built in the early thirteenth century by the Almohades, who ruled over Andalusia.

Catch a Flamenco show – Casa del Flamenco was absolutely gorgeous, set in an Andalusian patio in the charming Santa Cruz neighborhood. 

Intimate flamenco show in Seville | Outside suburbia

After a flamenco show stop to catch a sunset view from the top of the wooden mushroom Parasol.  In the Old Quarter of Sevilla amidst historic and beautiful buildings, sits the gigantic, modern interpretation of wooden mushrooms. Offers the second-best rooftop view in Seville. The basement floor houses a museum of ancient Roman and Moorish artifacts.

Stop at Seville’s Museo de Bellas Artes to see the Spanish art.

Enjoy Cocktails at EME Catedral Hotel rooftop. Best view in town!

Seville Tours

Souvenir Shopping in Seville

Abanicos – the intricate Andalucían fans, are not just for flamenco dancers, it is a necessity when in Andalucía,  the region is so hot this beautiful fan comes in handy.  We got a couple to stave off the summer heat and as souvenirs for friends. The best espadrille shoes can also be found in Seville.

You might also like:
Top things to do in Barcelona with kids
One day in Cordoba
Southern Spain Itinerary
Road trip through the White villages of Andalucia
Other posts from Spain

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19 thoughts on “Plaza de Espana & Alcazar: Charmed by Seville”

  1. We were in Cadiz in the summer and loved it, I would have really liked to have travelled in to Seville though and I can see I’m going to have to make it there, it looks beautiful! Thank you for linking up to #GlobalKids 🙂

  2. I’ve always heard of great things of Seville. And every time I see a post about it, I want to go! And the colors is always so beautiful, that’s a huge reason why I always want to visit Seville and Spain in general. Now I want to go once again lol Great post, it’s truly a beautiful place!

  3. One word: gorgeous! The details are incredible in here. I am going to Spain next week but not going to visit Sevilla. I would have to wait for another trip to visit the city.

  4. Wow Privin – Seville looks so gorgeous. Great photos you’ve posted. I fancy some of those lovely tiles for my house 🙂

  5. Lovely pictures! I’ve been in Sevillia many, many years ago, but I still remember how beautiful it was. How could you not be charmed by it?

  6. I just love that intricate tile work and know that I will take a hundred photos of it when I eventually get to Spain. Looks like you had a fabulous trip.
    Thanks for linking up with #wednesdaywanderlust

  7. Seville is beautiful and all the tile work is exquisite. I can’t wait to visit. The last time I was in Spain ( Barcelona) was 20 years ago, wow!

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