Seduced in Seville

It's ironic that it has taken until now for me to explore Seville. I mean, I studied and lived in Málaga for a few years, blessed with the good fortune of the sun and sand of the Andalusian Costas as my back-yard. Yet never had i reached Seville. This trip was a long time coming.

Oddly, however, despite my proximity I didn't expect to find and feel what I did.
A city hopper, practically by trade, there are a number of iconic must-see cities that make up the magnets of every refrigerator door - Paris, London, Rome, Barcelona. Seville, possibly not. But it should be. This is a city you need on this list.

Seville totally seduced me like a secret love affair. A brief rendez-vous, in my already smitten Andalucía, every twist and turn of the city captured my heart and wooed me.

It's a city to get lost in - metaphorically it is mesmerisingly beautiful but, geographically, it is complex and vast. This is a trip to plan in advance, otherwise you risk missing some if the incredible sites to be discovered. With leisure, a minimum of five days and prepare to walk. Travel light, walking shoes, a sun hat and spf.

The architecture, whilst totally different, is as impressive as the Gaudí of Barcelona. 

Institutional landmarks, churches, cathedrals and simple streets span from Christian to Arabic to Gothic and the Jewish quarter, la Judaria, is a labyrinth of flamenco, crafts and the most amazing tapas hideaways. In fact, el tapeo is a cultural heritage that explores the best of Spanish and Andalusian cuisine, remarkably light on the wallet. You need 2-3 hours daily to interweave this into any one day's plans.

Lodgings are vast, from pensiones to paradores and designer hotels, there is something for everyone, and a few still house the original Arabic and Turkish baths and spas. I sought out el Gran Meliá Colón, recently refurbed and now a famous retreat for football teams and bull fighting legends. It didn't disappoint. Located in the heart of the city centre, equipped with the obligatory city view roof terrace and decadently appointed with layers of designer icons for Phillipe Starck.

Modern is at home in Seville. It reaches its extreme in the Setas, the controversial architecture that resides footsteps from the casa de la Duquesa de Alba. But bars, restaurants, hotels alternate between traditional rusticity to modern minimalism and the blend is stylish and chic - terracotta floors and hanging jamones on the ground, through to the sun strewn roof terrace of Eme, in touching distance of la Giralda.

For me, the creme de la creme of the sevillian sights, La Plaza de España - another unexpected mastery that carved a place in my heart, alongside la Sagrada Familia or Le palais de Versailles.

Tourism is booming, but without the tackiness of the Costas. Even the former Expo village has been developed to a new local living quarter that is an expression of modern Seville, just outside the city itself.

Seville is alive, vibrant, friendly, exciting. It was worth the wait, but it will definitely need a return.

'Til next time, Pandora