Day 2 - Monumental Sevilla

Today we set out on our first full day in Sevilla. After enjoying breakfast at a local restaurant near the hotel, we started our sightseeing walking tour with our private guide. We started at the headquarters of the University of Sevilla, a majestic 18th building, originally designed as a tobacco factory, the 1st one in the Old World. We then proceeded to see the Palacio de San Telmo, an emblematic baroque building from the 17th century.

Hotel Alfonso XIII

Our guide walked the group to visit the Reales Alcázares, Europe's oldest active royal palace and Spain's best example of Mudejar architecture. This was one of the two UNESCO World Heritage sites we visited.

Hewitt at the Alcazar Palace

Right before lunch, we went for a walk in the winding streets of Barrio Santa Cruz, Sevilla's medieval jewish quarter. There we learned about legends and stories from the Late Middle Ages.

Strolling in the Jewish quarter, Barrio de Santa Cruz.

Lunch today consisted of a tapas trail. The group went from one tapas bar to another, tasting the specialties from each venue. The girls mentioned that they loved the lively energy and the friendliness of the people. Some of the most popular tapas were salmorejo and papas bravas.

On the tapas trail!

After the tapas trail, we went to visit La Catedral and its tower La Giralda. There we saw, among other things, the tomb of Christopher Columbus and his son's Diego. We climbed the ramps of the Giralda tower to enjoy panoramic views of the city.

Catedral de Sevilla and Giralda

The girls had some free time to go shopping or have a coffee, and then we headed to the Flamenco museum, where they attended a live performance. Some of them even got front row seats!

Flamenco performance