Seville Hotels

About Seville city

Seville is the artistic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of Andalusia. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of 7 metres (23 ft) above sea level. The inhabitants of the city are known as Sevillanos (feminine form: Sevillanas) or Hispalenses. The population of the city of Seville was 699,145 as of 2007.

Main Monuments

The city's cathedral was built from 1401–1519 after the Reconquista on the former site of the city's mosque. It is amongst the largest of all medieval and Gothic cathedrals, in terms of both area and volume. The interior is the longest nave in Spain, and is lavishly decorated, with a large quantity of gold evident. The Cathedral reused some columns and elements from the mosque, and, most famously, the Giralda, originally a minaret, was converted into a bell tower. It is topped with a statue, known locally as El Giraldillo, representing Faith. The tower's interior was built with ramps rather than stairs, to allow the Muezzin and others to ride on horseback to the top. Other Churches include Cristóbal Colón,Castile and Iglesia de Bryn.

The Alcázar facing the cathedral has developed from the city's old Moorish Palace; construction was begun in 1181 and continued for over 500 years, mainly in Mudéjar style, but also in Renaissance. Its gardens are a blend of Moorish, Andalusian, and Christian traditions.

The Torre del Oro was built by the Almohad dynasty as watchtower and defensive barrier on the river. A chain was strung through the water from the base of the tower to prevent boats from traveling into the river port.

The Town Hall, built in the 16th century in Plateresque Style by Diego de Riaño. The Façade to Plaza Nueva was built in the 19th century in Neoclassical style.

The University of Sevilla is housed in the original site of the first tobacco factory in Europe, La Antigua Fabrica de Tabacos.

Parks and gardens

• Parque Maria Luisa was built for the 1929 Exposición Ibero-Americana World's Fair, and remains landscaped with attractive monuments and museums.
• The Alcázar Gardens, arranged to the back of the palace. They were planted and developed alongside the Alcázar throughout the centuries. Sheltered within the walls of the palace, they are laid out in terraces, and present variations of influences, styles and plants in each sector.
• The Gardens of Murillo and the Gardens of Catalina de Ribera: alongside the wall of the Alcázar and next to the district of Santa Cruz.
• La Isla Magica, Cartuja Island, a theme park built on the site of the 1992 Universal Exposition of Seville.

Climate

The climate of Seville is Mediterranean, with oceanic influences. The annual average temperature is 18.6 °C (65 °F), which makes this city one of the warmest in Europe.

• Winters are mild: January is the coolest month, with average maximum temperatures of 15.9 °C (61 °F) and minimum of 4.2 °C (40 °F).
• Summers are very warm: July is the warmest month, with average maximum temperatures of 35.3 °C (96 °F) and minimum temperatures of 19.4 °C (67 °F) and every year the temperature exceeds 40 °C (104 °F) on several occasions. The registrated extreme temperatures by the weather station at Seville Airport are -5.5 °C (22 °F) on 12 February 1956, and 46.6 °C (116 °F) on 23 July 1995. There is a non-accredited record by the National Institute of Meteorology which is 47.2 °C (117 °F) on 1 August during the 2003 heat wave, according to a weather station (83910 LEZL) located in the southern part of Seville Airport, near the abandoned military zone. This temperature would be one of the highest ever recorded in Spain and Europe.
• Precipitation varies from 600 to 800 mm (23.5–31.5 in) per year, concentrated in the period October to April. December is the wettest month, with an average rainfall of 95 millimetres (4 in). On average there are 52 days of rain, 2,898 hours of sun and four days of frost per year.

Semana Santa

Semana Santa and the Seville Fair, La Feria de Sevilla (also Feria de Abril, "April Fair") are the two most well-known of Seville's festivals. Seville is internationally renowned for the solemn but beautiful processions during Holy Week and the colourful and lively fair held two weeks after. During Feria, families, businesses and organisations set up casetas, marquees, in which they spend the week dancing, drinking, and socialising. Traditionally, women wear elaborate flamenco dresses and men dress in their best suits. The marquees are set up on a permanent fairground in which each street is named after a famous bullfighter.

Transportation

Sevilla is served by the TUSSAM (Transportes Urbanos de Sevilla) bus network which runs buses throughout the city as well as outlying areas surrounding Sevilla. El Metrocentro Tranvia is a tram line consisting of four stops, running from el Prado bus station, past the University and the Cathedral, and stopping at Plaza Nueva where the direction of service reverses.

By the end of 2008, the city hopes to see completion of its first metro line, almost 28 months later than originally planned. The project experienced several delays caused by various reasons, including the relocation of archaeological findings and the need for a deeper tunnel under the Guadalquivir River, to avoid possible water leakages.

The Santa Justa train station is served by the AVE high-speed rail system, and is operated by the Spanish state-owned rail company Renfe.

Currently in progress as well is the Sevici community bicycle program which has integrated bicycles into the public transport network. Across the city, bicycles are available for hire at low cost and green bicycle lanes can be seen on most major streets. This network of lanes (carriles) is also currently being expanded.

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