Holiday lettings in Seville

The old quarter of Seville, the Casco Antiguo, is on the east bank of the Guadalquivir River, which runs through the city. It’s a great area to book an apartment as many of the main tourist attractions are located here - however this does mean it gets very busy. Casco Antiguo’s Santa Cruz neighbourhood is especially popular, a maze of winding alleyways, medieval churches and dusty, shady squares. For something a little less touristy, book an apartment in the nearby El Arenal neighbourhood, the former port area on the river. It is full of cute local bars and great restaurants are reasonable prices. It also contains La Real Maestranza, Seville’s bullring. The surrounding districts of Sur and Triana both are both central enough for visitors, while less busy than Casco Antiguo - and check out accommodation in Macarena, which has some interesting sights including the 45-metre high Torre de Perdigones which has been converted into a Camera Obscura, and also El Rinconcillo, the oldest tapas bar in Seville, built in the 1670s.

Spain’s fourth largest city has a fascinating history, and is a treasure trove of incredible architecture, including three UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The first of these is Seville Cathedral - the largest cathedral in the world, and as impressive as one might expect from that description. Incredible interiors and jaw-droppingly high ceilings means that queues develop in the busy season, but it is well worth the wait. Climb the 100 metres to the top of the Giralda bell tower, for awesome views over the city. The second UNESCO site is the 14th century palace complex of the Alcázar, built by the Moorish kings and still used as the official Seville residence of the Spanish royal family. The third and final UNESCO site is the General Archive of the Indies, a collection of valuable books, artefacts and papers in a beautiful Renaissance building, documenting the administration of the Spanish Empire in the Americas and Philippines. Art aficionados should visit the Museum of Fine Art, which contains some absolute gems from Medieval times up to the end of the 20th century.

Tapas is the fuel that keeps Seville running. The city’s inhabitants, known as Sevillanos, are obsessed with the tiny plates of delicious meats, cheeses and breads. Tapas restaurants are everywhere you look, from down to earth joints catering to locals with rough wooden tables and hams swinging overhead, to late night drinking dens packed with students, to incredibly upmarket places experimenting with modern concoctions and charging an eye watering amount for a ración (serving - also look for 1/2 ración if you want a smaller amount). Other Andalusian specialities include gazpacho soup and pescaíto frito (fish dredged in flour and then fried in local olive oil). Seville is the home of flamenco, and the city has music in its bones. Try and catch a traditional flamenco show - or, if you are visiting in September check out the Bienal Flamenco, the largest flamenco festival in the world. Seville also has the highest number of bars to inhabitants in Europe. Head to Calle Betis and Plaza de la Alfalfa and see the locals enjoying their night out.

San Pablo Airport is located on the busy A4 motorway connecting Seville with Madrid. Take the bus directly from the airport to the centre of Seville - the journey takes just under an hour. Seville has a comprehensive network of buses and a new metro system, but getting between many tourist attractions can be done easily on foot. Seville is a flat city and cycling is becoming more and more popular - a huge number of cycle lanes have been constructed in recent years and the city has its own bike hire system. The Sevici bikes can be picked up and dropped off at docking stations around the city, and a week’s pass is around €11,50. Renting a scooter is also a popular option - no driver’s licence is needed and at around €30 a day they are a cost-effective and fun way of getting around. If you’d like to head out of the city the coastal towns of Cadiz, Malaga and Marbella are between one and two hours away by car or bus.