Girls Weekend in Seville

Outside and Inside the EME Caterdral

Arriving at our hotel the EME Caterdral, we were greeted right opposite the hotel by the stunning La Giralda, a 104-metre-tall bell tower of Seville’s famous gothic cathedral. Originally it was built as a minaret for the Great Mosque. My first reaction on seeing this was wow. Inside the EME, my reaction was not too dissimilar, as we were greeted with warm Spanish hospitality and a welcome drink of our choice. We chose Cava to carry on the weekend celebrations. Having arrived late and in the middle of a thunderstorm, we decided to dine at the hotel’s Italian restaurant, Ostia Antica. The thin crust pizza was divine, and the atmosphere was casual and relaxed.

Day 1 - Seeing Seville in Style

The following morning it was a beautiful sunny Saturday and we decided to see the city by a horse drawn carriage is very popular. I really enjoyed the 45 minutes tour as it gave me a great overview and orientation of Seville in an easy and fun way. Some of major sights we saw along the way were:

The Maestranza – the Bullring in the Plaza de toros de la Real Maestranza, where 12,000 people come together to watch bull fighting.

Hotel Alfonso XIII, which is a cultural landmark in the historic quarter of Santa Cruz. The hotel was commissioned by the King of Spain during the 1929 Exhibition.

Guadalquivir River - Spain’s second longest and only navigable river, where you can enjoy a variety of different water sports particularly rowing and canoeing

Torre del Oro - Tower of Gold, beautiful Watch Tower, with a golden dome 36m tall, standing on the river.

Flamenco dancers in the open spaces

Sightseeing in the heat, left us all famished and whilst Spain isn't renowned for its vegetarian cuisine. We found an excellent Lebanese tapas place, El Rincon D Beirut, on the Calle San Fernando. The staff were friendly, the food was delicious and fresh. My favourite was the baba ghanoush, which had a tang to it with a tamarind flavour.

Siesta Seville Style

Instead of the traditional Spanish siesta of taking a nap, we decided to enjoy some downtime in our own private jacuzzi after lunch at the EME enjoying ice cream and more fizz.

The Metropol Parasol

For sunset we headed for the Metropol Parasol – the world’s largest wooden structure built by German architect Juergen Mayer. The Parasol dominates the old city’s skyline. The walk way at the top offers stunning views of the city. But once there, another storm was brewing, and we could feel the dark clouds looming in on us. Just as we reached the top of the Metropol Parasol, we found ourselves caught in a thunderstorm and witnessed some spectacular lightening going off around the city, with a cocktail in hand. Once the rain had stopped, we were able to enjoy views from the top. Shortly after we headed back to the historic city for some paella and traditional Spanish tapas.

Day 2 - Visiting the main historical attractions

Seville Cathedral

After breakfast, we ventured out for some more sightseeing. First on the list was Seville Cathedral, the world’s largest gothic cathedral. Queues to visit this magnificent place are long, so buy your tickets in advance online either yourself or the hotel can help too. Inside the Cathedral is simply jaw dropping. The architecture, the works of art, the stain glass windows, marvelling at the tomb of Christopher Columbus or just sitting at the altar, keeps you captivated for hours. The other fun thing to do once inside is to go up the top of the La Giralda, where you can witness amazing panoramic views of the city, including that of our hotel - the EME Catedral, where you the hotel rooftop pool and bar. The bar on the 4th floor is open to non-hotel guests too and an experience I highly recommend.

The Real Alcarzar

Next on was the Royal Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and oldest royal palace still in use in Europe. The Real Alcarzar reminded me of the Alhambra Palace in Granada, which I guess isn't that unusual as it was influenced during the Moor Period. The intricate stone carving of the Palace is just a feat of wonder.

The gardens are stunning too, and you could easily spend hours here. Whilst walking around we spotted a peacock wandering around the garden.

During our two days in Seville we got to see the highlights and main attractions of the city. I would highly recommend this capital city of the Andalucía region as it has so much to offer the visitor who is looking for a cultural break with a warm welcoming Spanish vibe.