We are both up pretty early, eager to get out and explore. First we decide to head to a cafe that supposedly does the best churros in Seville. Before we even enter we know we’ve hit the jackpot as the little restaurant is overflowing out the door and there is the hum of a busy kitchen and happy customers.
It is an assault on the senses when you enter. There are crowds of people standing at a bar that stretches the length of shop, the staff yell jovially over the noise of the customers and the smell of the deep fried dough and melted chocolate is heavenly.
We stand in what we think is a queue to be served, but we honestly have no idea what the protocol is. Finally Lucy manages to communicate with the Spanish woman in front of us who speaks no English, and deciphers that the queue is for a table, but to be served at the bar you just need to push through. We decide to wait for a table and sit with the locals. We wait about 20min and get shown to a table. A menu is given to us but there’s really only one right choice. We both order the churros with chocolate, and fresh orange juice.
From our table we can see the chef at work, artistically frying the dough as if it’s instinctual. When our breakfast arrives we both agree we’ve died and gone to heaven. Mirroring the locals we eat quickly and relinquish our table. We push our way out of the still bursting little cafe, and take a moment to admire and marvel this innocuous looking space.
With our bellies full we wander over to the cathedral to see if we can buy tickets for that morning. After a bit of confusion we manage to find the right queue and gain entry in the first wave of visitors for the morning. I’m overwhelmed as we enter at the sheer size of this cathedral. In fact it turns out it’s the largest Gothic cathedral in the world. Similar to the Mosque-Cathedral in Cordoba it was built on the site of a mosque, however only the Giralda tower (bell tower) remains in the moorish style while the cathedral around it is quintessentially gothic in style.
What I love about this cathedral is that it is actually an art museum. Everywhere you look there are paintings, wood carved details, silver and gold objects, textiles, costumes and more. At the centre is the usual nave, choir and altar, but surrounding it there are just more chapels and rooms displaying the most amazing artworks. It feels like an Aladdin’s cave. I feel very much at home.
One of the best surprises was discovering that Christopher Columbus is buried here.
As we wander, we see the entrance to climb the Giralda, which is included in our ticket. However after ascertaining that there are 35 ramps to climb to the top and no lift, we decide to leave it for another visit. Between the two of us we have badly functioning lungs and a relatively new knee replacement so we save our energy for the rest of the day.
We emerge out of the cathedral and enjoy the courtyards as the midday sun roasts us.
We venture up to the Jewish quarter for some refreshments and head over to the Alcazar to enquire about tickets for that evening.
We come up lucky again and are able to get tickets for 6pm that evening and decide to celebrate by stopping for lunch on the way back to the apartment for an afternoon swim and siesta.
Reemerging refreshed a few hours later we head to the Alcazar. I was expecting something similar to the one I visited in Cordoba but they could not have been more different. The size of this compound is enormous! Every time we enter a new wing or rooms I think we must have seen it all, but it just keeps going. When you first enter the decor is simple and austere however as you explore further, the rooms become more and more elaborate and opulent.
I’m obsessed with the colours, pattern and shapes typical of the moorish style. One of my favourite parts has to be the internal courtyards with water features and greenery, that feel so serene.
After we’ve explored the interior we head out to the gardens which are also a triumph of intricate landscape design and architecture.
After a hugely enjoyable couple of hours we head back to the cathedral quarter to get refreshments and decide where to go for dinner. We are both craving steak so find an Argentinian steak house about 15 minutes outside of the city centre. We decide to splurge on a taxi for the sake of a good meal. When we arrive at the restaurant we find it is closed.
Not quite sure what to do at this point, our lovely taxi driver saves the day by offering to take us to his family’s favourite steak house which is another 10 min further outside the city. In for a penny, in for a pound! Luckily he rings ahead to ensure it’s open and get us a table. We drive through an industrial estate and are dropped off next to what looks like a building supply centre. I did have a fleeting thought, are we about to be murdered, but we are pointed to an empty terrace and see the restaurant door.
The inside could not be more different than the outside. A beautiful modern restaurant with a butchery counter and a sophisticated vibe. We start with cocktails and get the waiter to surprise us. I end up with an apple gin and lemonade which is delicious. We decide to splurge on a 1kg entrecôte to share and once we have chosen the cut of meat they bring out the exact piece for our approval. I have a heavenly baked goats cheese starter and then the steak and patatas bravas arrive.
The steak has been lightly seared and it is served with a hot stone so we can cook it to our taste. It is absolutely delicious. We enjoy our meal and pair the steak with a lovely local red wine. We are the last to leave the restaurant, our steak cravings fully satisfied. The restaurant help us get a taxi and before we know it we are back at the apartment crawling into bed after another fabulous day.
Live Wild and Free 