âSo, which way to the beach?â
The guy behind the desk, sporting a mullet, looks at us quizzically.
âThere is no beach⊠there was about 2000 years ago. Not now.â
This conversation with the concierge at our backpackers hostel goes to show just how much research we had done into Seville. We had a 3:45 am wake up call for our flight out of Gatwick. Sleep deprived but still excited, we were dreaming of escaping to the seaside and absorbing some much needed vitamin D. The no-beach scenario was disappointing, but the sun was out and we quickly got on with making other plans.
Approaching a taxi on the street we soon discovered that wasnât to be our only surprise in Seville. Perhaps we should have brushed up on our Spanish ?
âHi, can we get a ride into the city centre?â
The driver responded in an intimidatingly foreign tongue, his words almost melodic. I stick to the basics (Ola and Gracias) and hop in, hoping for the best. Inside the taxi, the situation didnât improve. The taxi driver continues to strike up conversation in a language far too romantic to be English, and from the enthusiastic thumbs up gestures he was making, I gather he was boasting the greatness of Seville.
The taxi ride continued with this pattern- he speaking Spanish, me responding in English. It was like a dance, two people- one barrier. English, Spanish, English, Spanglish? It wasnât until he helped me out, bag in hand that he cocked his head to the side and said, âEnglish?â as if it had only dawned on him then that we were not having the same conversation in the car. He laughs and nods to himself and I cant help but think that he was enjoying a joke on the clueless Australian.
Clueless and lost Australian, but it was the best way to be. Part of Sevilleâs allure is the winding Spanish streets, narrow, cobblestoned and painted all kinds of pastel. Itâs easy to find yourself taking a series of right turns and ending up stumbling around in circles, gazing up at the architecture above. Seville was the first place I had visited where I didnât really mind feeling totally lost and disorientated, there was a beauty and a safety in the unknown. The people, the buildings, the food, the gentle noise of strumming guitars dancing through the air all contributed to an ambience, an atmosphere that you didnât want to control or map out.
 When heading to some of the more popular hits like Barcelona and Madrid you can expect a few locals to meet you half way in the language department. Seville, however, has a tourist scene but itâs market and restaurants have yet to be packed with scribbled on maps and overflowing backpacks. Be sure to secure a few common phrases before heading to the romantic Sevilla as you will be getting a more traditional Spanish experience, the language included.
Tip: hire bikes for the day and hit all the tourist spots on two wheels, it will save you money on taxi rides and will allow you to take in the smaller details of the city whilst soaking up some Vitamin D!
 We actually stumbled upon this magnificent feat by accident. We didnât have any plans for the day apart from taking in the city, so we set out on our bikes and intentionally got lost. It was late afternoon and we were parked at a set of pedestrian lights, convinced we were homeward bound. Instead, we found ourselves at the beautifully designed gates of Plaza De Espena. It was like a Spanish Disney land. Mums and dads chased after eager little tots, tripping over their tiny feet in an excited effort to get through the gates. Couples held hands and took selfies at the entrance. Tweens were standing around on their phones texting friends, the meeting point was the gates to Plaza De Espena. It was clear to us that this place was of some importance, so we thought we had better bike on in. A canopy of greenery, lush and spread out for as far as the eye could see. At first we thought it must be the botanical gardens of Sevilla.
However, as we ventured further in we discovered that all the greenery just made for a luscious front garden to the Plaza. As we came down the main road that goes through the grounds we found ourselves belittled. Yes, as we took in the magnificence of the grounds we looked to our left only to be dwarfed by the size of this Spanish structure. We had no idea we were biking toward this huge, sprawling and intricately designed piece of architecture. Naturally our excitement peaked and we had to find a place to ditch the bikes and explore on foot. There were man made canals in the centre of the plaza, complete with families drifting down stream on little boats. Romantic bridges connected the canals and the remainder of the Plaza De Espena, the railings decorated with bright and swirling paintings. The main building, if you could call it that, wrapped around the grounds in a semi circle fashion, complete with massive staircases and what at first seemed like mosaic designs, framed with seating for tourists. As we explored further, a group of guys visiting from Barcelona explained that each little mosaic design represented a different part of Spain, and we were sitting in the Barcelona âcubby house.â
I wish we had spent more than an afternoon in Plaza de Espena. I recommend that you dedicate a day to this stunning block of Sevilla, pack yourself a picnic and hire out a bicycle- itâs the best way to see every corner of the gardens. If you can find it, there is a beautiful old structure in the gardens that has stone seating and purple flowers growing out of every crevice- itâs a beautiful little sanctuary to take a breather and escape the heat.
 DAY 2: MARKETS AND SHOPPING Â
One thing Sevilla has no shortage of is shopping. Like any glamorous Spanish city there are local boutiques featuring the best of European fashion, international brands such as H and M and also street markets. I had the most fun exploring all that the little stalls had to offer! You can find street stalls on pretty much every major shopping corner of Sevilla, with local merchants selling everything from colourful anklets to leather goods and vibrant trinkets. Be sure to be vigilant, the markets in Seville are a prime place for pick pockets and merchants can at times be desperate to sell- donât let this discourage you from the experience though!
 Take a day to hit all of the must see sights, you can see them all in a day on foot, bike or by taxi. The must sees include:
Metropol Parasol (there are markets across the road)
Seville Alcazar (bring the camera- itâs a photographers dream!)
  Looking ForâŠSeville! By Lily Hoffmann âSo, which way to the beach?â The guy behind the desk, sporting a mullet, looks at us quizzically.
kaledo-art
gummygunk
2087
kianamaiart
izzy806
areudirty
germansingergirl