Seville

After breakfast we meet our English speaking guide at our hotel and will then commence a walking tour of the historic city centre, taking us through a magical network old streets, lanes and small plazas of the old town where we will be enchanted as more than 2,000 years of history is brought to life. We will hear about the various cultures and civilizations that at one time made the city their home from its origins as a Roman outpost, its period of Moorish control, the explorers who set off from it to discover the New World which lead to the to the Golden Age and then a gradual decline before a glorious re-birth in the late 20th century. We will visit and admire numerous grand monuments such as City Hall on Plaza Nueva, St Mary’s Cathedral one of the largest and most magnificent in the world which includes the unique La Giralda bell tower, a minaret of a former mosque which pre-dates the main cathedral by several centuries.

We will then spend time touring the spectacular Royal Alcázar, the grand Moorish palace with its lavish grounds, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and find out why it became the setting for the film version of ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ and the TV series ‘Game of Thrones’.

We will pass by the Archivo General de Indias, where documents about the history of the Spanish Empire are stored. We will then visit the charming Santa Cruz neighbourhood and see an old tobacco factory before moving on to stunning Plaza de España, nestling in the peaceful grounds of the Maria Luisa Park which is an outstanding example of ornamental glazed ceramic tiles and architecture that the region is renowned for. Finally, we will stroll along the banks of the Guadalquivir River taking in the beautiful Baroque façade of San Telmo Palace and passing by some of the historic bridges that span over it.

• Breakfast Included

After breakfast we’ll have some free time to explore Seville a little bit more before transfering to the airport for our return flight home.

Why not to visit one of the more modern sites of the city, the Metropol Parasol or locally knows as Las Setas (The Mushrooms) is a large wooden canopy that covers the Encarnación Market and sits right in the heart of Seville. It predominantly acts as a housing for an archaeological museum situated in its basement. Views from the rooftop walkway are lovely.

• Breakfast Included