Seville City Break
PLEASE NOTE: I paid for the city break to Seville and was not gifted this product or paid by anyone to give a honest review. This page contains affiliate links. Making a purchase via our affiliate link means I may receive a small share of the sale.
We visited Seville, Spain in January 2020 to celebrate my 40th birthday.
City overview
Seville is the capital of Andalusia in southern Spain it is a city rich in history, culture, and architectural beauty. Seville is situated on the banks of the Guadalquivir River.
Seville is renowned for its architectural landmarks, many of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites including the places with visited like the Seville Cathedral with its bell tower La Giralda and the Royal Alcázar a stunning palace complex that showcases Mudéjar architecture.
Also worth a visit are the Plaza de España, known for its beautiful tiles and bridges, and Torre del Oro, a historic watchtower overlooking the river. I will be talking more in detail regarding all of these tourist sites a bit later on in this blog.
Weather
Seville has very hot summers with June to August reaching 35°C to 40°C and September remains warm, with average highs around 31°C then the temperatures drops to around 20°C in November.
Seville has mild winters with December to February between 20°C and 16°C the coldest month is January, with average highs of 16°C.
Seville has a mild spring with March averaging 15°C and gradually warming to about 28°C in May.
Weather Overview
So Seville is pretty much perfect to visit anytime of the year as long as you pack and plan accordingly. October, November, December and January are the wetter months but still very minimal amount of rain, with only 100mm of rain within just 6 days of rain in December.
The city is lined with lovely orange trees which bloom around the end of February and beginning of March and I am told that the stunning trees full of white flowers looks so nice and the city smells delightful when in bloom so you could try and visit at these times.
Trip Planning
So this trip was a little city break to celebrate my 40th birthday and little did we know but this was our last trip, before the world started to shut down because of the spreading virus COVID19. Lockdown was just around the corner so looking back this we a very poignant trip in many ways.
My birthday is at the very end of January so the weather in the UK is bleak and cold. The UK is very damp and dull in January and February with even snow sometimes, so we really look forward to visiting a lovely city in Europe and having a break.
Fights
The flight time from London to Seville is approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes.
Seville (SVQ) is the main international airport serving Western Andalusia in southern Spain official name is Aeropuerto de Sevilla-San Pablo.
The popular airlines flying to Seville include Ryanair, easyJet and Vueling. We flyed from Stansted Airport with Ryanair.
Transfers
We used the Viator website to arrange private transfers from the airport to our hotel. This website is great for giving us lots of ideas on trips we would like to book while we are in the city. We have used Viator for trips and tours many times and highly recommend them, so check them out.
Where We Stayed
We chose The Corral Del Rey hotel via the Mr and Mrs Smith Hotel website.
The Corral Del Rey hotel is a small luxury boutique hotel which is a privately owned original 17th century 'Casa Palacio' translates to palace house with 17 very individually decorated rooms with marble and limestone en suite bathrooms, large walk-in-rain fall showers with lovely bed linen.
Out of the 17 rooms it has five Junior Suites, two Pool Terrace Suites and one Penthouse Suites. It has a grand but intimate relaxed and romantic feel.
With a stunning super large entrance hall into a relaxed but tall ceiling atrium patio reception area, and it smelt really good too. It had an open central staircase feeling bright and airy which was flooded with glorious daylight.
Our Room
We stayed in room 10 a deluxe Suite which was up a couple flights of stairs. Our room had gorgeous decor, light romantic and airy. With a lovely bed linen. The room had charming wooden doors leading to the en-suite bathroom with his and her's sinks with marble tops and a very large walking shower which had a glass window that looked out onto the atrium so loads of natural light flooding in.
As it was my 40th birthday celebration my husband had emailed the hotel ahead of time to arrange for a delicious chocolate cake to meet us on arrival in our hotel room, it was a wonderful surprise for me. Both my husband and I try and arrange birthday little surprises like this whenever we are away for our birthdays even small birthdays.
Also a lovely touch & because we booked through Mr and Mrs Smith Hotel there was a lovely tin of locally produced Arbequina olive oil waiting in our hotel room as a gift. A lovely little note wishing me a wonderful birthday was left by the hotel.
Location
The Correl Del Rey Hotel's location is great, it is nicely tucked away in the narrow romantic cobbled streets of Andalucia located in the centre of Seville in the old quarter of Barrio Alfalfa just a 5 minute walk to the Cathedral. The taxi transfer will need to park a couple of meters away as the street outside the hotel is too narrow for cars.
Facilities
The hotel had a rooftop terrace with plunge pool where you can relax with a glass of wine and some tapas while enjoying spectacular views of the cathedral and giralda tower. We did spend an afternoon reading and relaxing on the Rooftop Terrace as it was warm enough when the sun came round. The plunge pool and bar weren't open due to out of season.
The downstairs bar and dining room with its impressive original wooden ceiling and fine art, offer an all day tapas menu and a good selection of Spanish wines and premium sherries.
Also you can pop across the street to the build opposite where the hotel has a charming living room area.
Breakfast in the dining area was a delicious continental style with fruit selection, pastries and cooked options were excellent.
Places We Visited
Real Alcázar of Seville
This historic palace is one of the oldest still in use today, showcasing stunning Mudéjar architecture and beautiful gardens. It has been a filming location for several popular series, including Game of Thrones. This palace is absolutely beautiful, with all the different decor and the gardens were just as wonderful.
There were many peacocks strolling around the large formal gardens and a lovely garden cafe where you can stop for a drink and a sandwich. They have some tables outside so you can enjoy the sun on your face and soak in the atmosphere and the beauty of the grounds.
I took so many photos of the palace and grounds so if you are an amateur photographer like me or a professional you can spend many hours here taking photos.
Seville Cathedral & La Giralda
Known as the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, it houses the tomb of Christopher Columbus and the Giralda tower that is 97.5 meters high offers panoramic views of the city and was originally built and designed based on the minaret of the Koutoubia, the most important mosque of Morocco, located in Marrakech.
The cathedral is spectacular and the history is so interesting and the story of Christopher Columbus is intriguing. The Giralda Bell Tower is worth climbing, mostly ramps until the very top where there are 17 steps to the summit. The reason there are ramps is because the sultan could then ride his horse to the top to call to prayer. There are places to stop and rest as along the way too.
Top Tip: Wear comfortable shoes and arrive early to avoid crowds plus take a full water bottle with you and just take your time.
Giralda Tower Views
Plaza de España
The Plaza De Espana is found in María Luisa Park it is a grand square built for the Ibero-American Exhibition of 1929, featuring beautiful tile work and canals.
It’s a perfect spot for leisurely strolls or boat rentals. But we hired a two seater bike which was great fun, cycling around the park in the sunshine.
María Luisa Park Bike Hire
Alfonso XIII Hotel
Commissioned by the King of Spain to play host to international dignitaries during the 1929 Ibero-American Exhibition, Hotel Alfonso XIII, a Luxury Collection Hotel remains an iconic cultural landmark.
We just visited it, we walked around the in side and took some photographs. It's very famous in line with London's Ritz hotel. The hotel has a lovely restaurant inside which I am sure you could book ahead for afternoon tea or lunch.
Walking Tours
We also booked a Tapas, Wine and History walking tour from Viator website. We met our guide by the Museo Del Castillo De San Jorge information centre on the Puente de Triana bridge. We visited the food market Mercado de Triana trying traditional Spainish Tapas and wines.
Traditional foods and drinks which we tried
- Secreto Ibérico: Iberian pig shoulder cut of meat
- Carrillada de cerdo: is braised pork cheeks in red wine
- Vino de naranja: orange sweet wine from the region
- Salmorejo: is a cold creamy spanish soup, made with bread, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar
This tour takes you around the Santa Cruz neighbourhood across the river from our hotel. We really enjoy food walking tours when we travel as they are a great way to dive into the history of the city along with some tasty food and a few drinks.
I suggest that you do this walking tour early on in your city visit as the local guides have so much knowledge of the area, the best places to visit and best places to eat.
Food and Drink
Cofiteria La Campana Cafe
We found and visited a few times La Campana Cafe which is an artisan pastry cafe, they do delicious sandwiches, cakes and coffee. First opened in 1885 this lovely cafe has grand decor and you stand at the counter for a lovely coffee on the go.
Drinks
La Antigua Bodeguita
La Antigua Bodeguita bar is middle a row of lovely tiny quaint bars located in Quiosco Plaza del Salvador serving small beers and food.
Really lovely atmosphere with locals meeting up and spilling out into the square which also hosts a lovely church opposite which is worth visiting.
Roof Top Bars We Found
We love a roof top bar on a city break we normal stop in the afternoon for a few drinks in the sun and with lovely views and here a few of ours favourites.
La Terraza del EME
The La Terraza bar on the roof of the Mercer Hotel. We loved this bar for the really busy buzzy atmosphere is had during the day.
It is a very popular bar and on the rather small size, so you may have to wait a little while before a table is available but it is worth it for the drinks (free snacks) and the wonderful views over the city including the Cathedral which is very close by.
La Terraza del Hotel Inglaterra
The La Terraza del Hotel Inglaterra is a funky roof top bar and is another bar to visit, much larger then the Mercer Hotel roof bar and we were here for sunset which was magical. Its location is in the square Plaza Nueva with the statue Momumento San Fernardo.
We had a few nibbles here like the little slider style burgers. Again this bar is very popular and service can be a bit slower at busy times. Plus hard to find a seat so you maybe standing around there many high bar tables. Just relax and enjoy the views and atmosphere.
AIRE Ancient Baths
We stubbled over some Ancient baths while walking from our hotel to the main square down one of there many tiny old town narrow streets, I saw a sign for AIRE Ancient Baths.
As a skincare expert, running my own business I really enjoy having a look around and visiting local spa's for treatments so I couldn't just walk by without popping in and arranging a couples massage for me and my husband for that late afternoon.
I am so glad we visited this spa, It was dark and relaxing with candles lit, roman pillars, the sound of running water with Moroccan style hanging lights with a relaxing roof top outside pool with amazing views.
The massage rooms were very large areas where many people massaged next to each other rather then your own room but this gave it a really traditional and ancient feel. A lovely way to relax after walking miles around the city.
Overall
We really enjoyed Seville and would highly recommend visiting this beautiful city in Spain and I would highly recommend the Corral Del Rey Hotel for your stay.
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and I hope you have found it informative and inspires you to visit Seville.
If you have any questions or comments please leave a message below.