What to do in Seville, Spain

Semana Santa — The sombre Easter week processions feature thousands of people and go on all week, a spectacular display of conspicuous Catholicism.

Feria de abril — A release after the somberness of Semana Santa. To say this is a huge party is an understatement. Most if not all of Seville takes a week’s holiday and they plan for the Fair months in advance. The fair is close to the river and covers a huge area and contains hundreds of private and public “casetas” which are laid out to form streets. Casetas are small marquees and you can only get into the private ones if invited. The public ones are large but just as much fun. The day is naturally split in two and between noon and 8PM the streets of the fair throng with horses as riders and carriages strut their stuff dressed in traditional Spanish robes. After 8 the streets are cleared and “Calle del Inferno” comes to life. This must be one of the best funfairs in Europe and. The Fair is one of the best festivals in Spain and appeals to everything thats great about Spain – Traditional dress, Flamenco dancing, guitars, Fino, great tapas and men, women and children who dance with gusto and eat and drink the day and night away.

Go out — The nightlife of Seville is fantastic; no other European city has so many bars per inhabitant than Seville. In summer go to Isla Cartuja and find out why the Spanish night doesn’t stop before 7AM. There you can find plenty of open-air discotheques.

Flamenco is in fact very popular in Spain and is not just for tourists, however finding the right place is hard. The “Museo del Baile Flamenco” is a museum dedicated to the art and offers a wealth of knowledge, as well as performances at discounted price for museum visitors on Friday and Saturday evenings at 19:30. El Arenal is another place to consider. The Cultural Centre (C/ Ximénez de Enciso, 28 Santa Cruz, 954 56 06 70) is a good spot to see real flamenco, performances are daily at 9PM. La Carboneria located in the twisty alleyways in front of the Cathedral offers free Flamenco shows nightly at 11PM

Attend a Bull Fight at the Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza — Bullfighting is not a sport for all; those who are either squeamish or have convictions on animal welfare should stay clear, as the event usually concludes with the killing of the bull. Failing that, a visit to the arena and the attached museum of bull-fighting is well worth the time. While it is not the largest, it is considered the most attractive bull arena in Spain due to its history.

Wander through an open-air market. Vendors in many parts of the city sell on the streets, but on Sunday, when everything else is closed, a few spots really fill up. One market is located behind the Alcampo shopping center at Ronda del Tamarguillo on Avenida de la Paz, but it is easily outdone by a large flea market, selling clothes, furniture, trash, books, shoes, CDs, food, tools, and probably everything else just northwest of Triana near Avenida Carlos III.

Climb to the top of the Cerro de Carambolo for a view of the whole city.

Sevilla Tapas Tours. Do a tapas tour – visit some of the best tapas bars in the city. It is a great way to get to know the local food culture.

Centro de Interpretación Judería de Sevilla, Ximenez de Enciso, 22 Ac. 10:30-15:00/17:00-19:30. The Centro de Interpretación Judería de Sevilla was founded in September 2012 with the objective of recuperating and publicizing the Sephardic legacy of the city and of Spain. The Centro de Interpretación is located in the center of Seville’s ancient Jewish quarter, nowadays known as the Santa Cruz neighborhood. The museum features a permanent exposition about the history of the quarter, and a series of cultural activities to suit all audiences.

Flamenco Box workshop. A different way to enjoy Flamenco and learn about the Spanish rhythm through an interactive workshop that gives you the chance to learn the basics of the compass and enjoy the music at the same time in a fun way. The workshop aims at both small and large groups and ensures you a session full of music, rhythm, cultural immersion at its purest way.