Worth getting out of bed for
Highlights the best Seville Province has to offer, from art and culture to fun-packed activities; we've even found the most inspiring place to enjoy the views from.
- Viewpoint
- Seville cathedral’s 90-metre tower – the Giralda – was once the minaret of the city mosque, and has super views from the top. The Torre Tavira in Cádiz has a great view out to sea.
- Arts and culture
- Jerez is famous for its beautiful dancing horses. If you miss the main Thursday show at the Royal Riding School (www.realescuela.org), the morning practice sessions are open to the public.
- Something for nothing
- Over 100 operas are set in and around Seville. You can visit the sites associated with the most famous – Bizet’s Carmen – including Plaza de España, the tobacco factory (now the university), and the bullring.
- Shopping
- Calle Sierpes, north of the Giralda in Seville, is great for leather goods. Try Nicole Miller or Loewe near Plaza Nueva. You can buy manzanilla sherry from the bodegas in Sanlúcar. Your hotel can arrange a private visit to the 200-year-old Hidalgo bodega.
- Daytripper
- The Costa de la Luz offers miles of unspoilt beaches. Conil de la Frontera is one of the coast’s finest beaches. There are some beautiful sandy coves at Los Caños de Meca, southwest of Vejer, and the beach at Atlanterra, between Vejer and Tarifa, is pristine perfection.
- Activities
- There are bullfights every Sunday evening (usually 18h30) in Seville’s Plaza de Toros, from Easter Sunday to early October (www.realmaestranza.com). The mountains of the Parque Natural Sierra de Grazalema are popular for canyoning, climbing and hiking; contact Horizon for details (www.horizonaventura.com). The hotel can also organise sailing, private yoga classes and visits to the region's bull-breeding ranches.
Diary
Late February/early March The International Flamenco Festival in Jerez is a riot of energetic dancing (www.flamenco-world.com). Late April Seville’s April Fair is one of the greatest ferias in Spain, with flamenco, bullfights and equestrian parades. Early May The Jerez Horse Fair showcases the finest Spanish horsemanship (www.turismojerez.com). August Horse races take place on the beach at Sanlúcar on the second and fourth weekends. September Jerez’s month-long Autumn Festival covers everything from grape-treading to fireworks. Second week of October Sanlúcar has a tapas festival along Calzada del Ejército. Visit www.andalucia.org for more details.
