Servicio Andaluz de Salud

We took a train from Malaga to Seville. After getting our eight bags, a board the train, we settled into a two and a half hour train ride to Seville. We took a taxi to a lovely, spacious hotel, Apartamentos Abreu Suites, where we spent three nights. That number on the title of this footprint was our key to enter the building as well as our room each day. It was easy to memorize after a few entries. 😊 We enjoyed a walking tour of the city. The highlights included the Seville Cathedral, the famous bell tower, and the adjacent Alcazar Palace. In terms of surface area, Seville Cathedral is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world. However, the floor plan is not in the shape of the Latin cross that’s customary in this type of church – it’s square. This is because it was built on the site of the city’s great mosque and adapted to the already existing structure. Thus, the Arab minaret became the bell tower, La Giralda, which at a height of almost 330 feet was the tallest tower in the world at that time. Today, there are 35 ramps to climb to the top and I made the climb. The top was modified in the 13th century to resemble a Christian bell tower. Cathedral itself had a total of 15 doors, which some are only used during special holidays or special times during the year. For our guided tour, we entered through the Door of the Lizard, which had a huge stuffed crocodile hanging from the ceiling. Our guide shared that the crocodile was a live gift along with an elephant tusk from the Sultan of Egypt sent to King Alfonso X asking for his daughter's hand in marriage. Although the King rejected the offer, he kept the presents, which included a live crocodile and an elephant's tusk. The Royal Alcázar of Seville, as it's called, is the oldest royal palace in Europe that is still in use today. It dates back to the 11th century, when the Muslim authorities decided to build a fortress in a strategic location to protect the city. There were lots of advertised flamingo dance/shows. We happened to select one that was recommended to us in a small, intimate venue. We enjoyed chatting with the performers after the show. Another day, we visited the Plaza de España which is one of the prettiest areas of Seville. The buildings are mesmerizing with their Spanish architecture. Scott got to row me around the Plaza in a small rowboat. The day was warm, and the paddles were hard to use and get the boat to go where you wanted it to go. After we were about a quarter of the way around, Scott decided that was enough, and it was time to row back. After days of walking around this historic city and taking a boat ride around the Plaza, we decided to take an afternoon carriage ride around a beautiful park in the middle of the city. During our stay in Seville, we enjoyed unique foods to the area, but our favorite restaurant and food was at an Italian cafe. It was one of the best pizzas we've ever eaten.Read more