The Alcazar of Seville is the kind of place where you want to linger… In fact, even the Spanish royal family wants to linger there and stays there occasionally as its one of their official residences, and it’s the oldest royal palace still in use in Europe. We lingered so long that the weather had time to go from sunny to rainy to sunny again — that’s unpredictable mid-October weather for you. There’s plenty to see both indoors and outdoors, but I liked wandering through the little paths of the gardens (when it wasn’t raining) most of all. It’s amazing that this sprawling compound of buildings and fountains is smack in the middle of the city of Seville.
We were there in October 2011, and while this post is a bit late, I’m fairly certain that the Alcazar, a UNESCO World Heritage site, hasn’t changed much since then. During the Alacazar’s first 900 years, however, it changed repeatedly as Andalusia’s various rulers all wanted to leave their marks as they added and subtracted different features. The greatest influence is clearly Moorish, and it looks more like something you’d expect to see in the Middle East than in Europe. The Alcazar was the reason why we went to Seville, and it was worth the trip. I especially loved the Alcazar’s colorful tiles, and I continued my tile obsession the next day at the Plaza de Espana.
First time seeing this. It’s a reason to go to Seville when we visit Spain this summer. Great photos. Thanks!
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I just love the colors of those tiles. amazing!
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Ah, one of my favorite places to lionger in Seville! You’re right, the place hasn’t changed much since your visit, but it does host a number of activities during the sweltring summers – concerts, outdoors movies, etc. The best part for residents? We get to skip the cost of entering!! While it’s not the Alhambra, this palace is spectacular in its own right!
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Gorgeous photos — better late than never!
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I’ve just got to get myself to Spain…. sooner rather than later! Having never been there (or even to a Spanish speaking country) I really feel like I’m missing out.
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Beautiful photos! We haven’t been all around Spain yet, although I am heading off on the Camino today 😉 So excited to get back to such an amazing country!
Lovely photos. Brings back some happy memories from my visit there last year. Where it was also raining, as you can see in the pics: http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/an-augmented-reality-stroll-in-seville-8457234.html
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Beautiful. Makes me want to go.
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It’s a toss up, which one is more magical: the Alcazar or the Alhambra! Both wonderful!
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