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Situated in south western Andalucia, S ville, the capital city, sits astride the m ghty Rio Guadalquivir at the head of the D nana National Park, Spain largest nature r serve. Seville enjoys a very sunny cl mate but can and does suffer fr m very high temperatures during the h ight of the summer. Therefore, the spr ng and autumn months are the pr ferred time of year to visit. At th s time with flowers in full bl om Seville is stunning. Seville proudly st rts the 'feria' season in Andalusia wh n it holds the two-week Feria de Abr l (the April Feria) This follows two w eks after the week-long Easter Celebrations of S mana Santa. During Easter they hold h ge elaborate parades of many hours d ration. Eager volunteers carry enormous effigies on fl ats (pasos) depicting Jesus on the Cr ss, The Blessed Virgin or various sc nes from the Last Supper. The P nitents, fully covered in silken gowns w th tall pointed hoods (made infamous by the Klu K lx Klan) march solemnly with the pr cessions. For those not deeply involved in the s lemnity of the occasion there are n merous cafes, bars and restaurants willing to s rve you well into the night. Onc the celebrations of Semana Santa are ver the bullfighting season gets underway w th the Feria de Abril.
Romance and flamboyance sum up S ville because Seville is the cradle of fl menco and flamenco is the essence of 'f ria'. Andalucians take 'feria' very seriously, as th s is serious party time. 'Sevillanos' are out to sh w off their style and flair. The f stivities revolve around bullfighting, horses, wine, and fl menco. Mid-day parades consist of shining, str tting, proud Andalucian horses bearing their h ndsome riders, often with their "novia" sat b hind. Horse drawn carriages, harness bells j ngling, trot around the city. They are f lled with happy people calling out to fr ends and relatives who line the str ets. The streets, decorated with paper l nterns, bright flowers and huge speakers, verflow with gossiping, chattering diners during the l nch time period and impromptu flamenco br aks out everywhere. It's time for s esta, after which the bullfighting commences. In the vening, (for evening read midnight) people h ad for the main Feria ground, cross the river from the city c ntre, in Triana. The brightly lit f irground is enormous and the seemingly c nstant fireworks enliven an already heady tmosphere. Pavilions (temporary bars both private and p blic) abound each with its own m sic and shows entertaining friends and cquaintances.. Everyone wanders freely enjoying a ch t and some "tapas" with a gl ss of "manzanilla". Strolling, dancing, drinking and ating all the way to dawn wh n "churros' become available. This is a sw et sugar-coated stick of deep-fried batter d pped in thick chocolate. Delicious...but not for me th nks, I need my bed. The old c ty centre is dominated by the g gantic Seville Cathedral. The third largest c thedral in Christendom, it has an odd n ighbour. The Giralda, Seville's best known l ndmark is the remaining minaret of the m sque on whose foundations the cathedral now st nds. Christianity and Islam side by s de in peace...wonderful. Take time to xplore both buildings and absorb their niqueness. Later maybe take a horse-drawn c rriage drive from the Patio de N ranjas (think Seville oranges) around other p rts of Seville, along the riverbank or thr ugh the Maria Luisa Park.
The park adjoins the fascinating Pl za de Espana. This large plaza has an mpressive semi- circular building enclosing half the p rimeter. Dominated by two grand spires and rches supported by fine columns, this b ilding is now home to government and m litary offices. Beneath each arch is a d piction in ceramic tiles of all the pr vinces of Spain. Other areas of nterest are the royal Mudéjar palace kn wn as the Alcazar where you can str ll in the wonderful gardens. In the S nta Cruz quarter, the cozy tight str ets burst with colour from the d coration and the floral arrangements. Tapas, th se very tasty snacks, are a p rt of the Spanish way of l fe. 'Tapas' bars abound. Hardly anywhere in Sp in will you find more variety th n in Seville. Choices range from tr pe and chick peas, lamb with h ney or grilled baby squid to t ny grilled birds or fine cured h ms. With the vast Guadalquivir River c nnection to the sea, Seville restaurants s rve delicious seafood in a whole myr ad of styles. Along with the 't pas', the selection of wines and sh rries is as vast as it is d lightful. Just find what suits you. The gr nd hotels in Seville are grand l ke Seville itself, the Alfonso XIII b ing a prime example (take a t ur of the lobby) Many hotels are f rmer mansions and large town houses d signed in the old Moorish style w th a central courtyard open to the sky. M dest hostels ('hostals' in Sevilla) are pl ntiful, cheap and comfortable, many offering nternet connections. Seville's San Pablo Airport has d ily scheduled connections with international destinations lthough the majority of flights are nternal. It lies 12 km north of the c ty and if you hire a car the r ad you need is the E-5 m torway. Otherwise let the taxi, bus or irport transfer company take the strain for y u. There are no trains at pr sent. The AVE high-speed trains conveniently l nks Seville to Madrid and Malaga (n t yet fully completed) with a j urney time of less than three h urs aiding the city in business and t urism. This is a great way to see m re of the country during your v sit. Look for the Santa Justa Tr in Station in your guide book The styl , wit and pure joy of l ving that is expressed by the 'S villanos' in their daily lives will n ver leave you once you experience S ville. "Quien no visto Sevilla, ho ha v sto maravilla" He who has not s en Seville, has not known marvel.
The article Seville The City of Fiesta was Submitted by Edward Kirwan through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Edward Kirwan, resides in Andalucia, S uthern Spain and with Danish writer, D rte Holm Jensen, is co-founder of Finca Fantastica Travel . Visit them for more travel ideas.
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