Cobblestone streets, winding, narrow passageways, wrought iron balconies, tiled entries. Burnished golds, terracotta and white walls. Sevilla exudes the air of a sultry, romantic, passionate woman who proudly, deeply knows herself. Romans, who founded the city, left behind walls, beautiful mosaics and columns. Seven centuries of Islamic rule gave the city amazing Moorish architecture, followed by Castilians, who captured the city in 1248. Still small, it grew in leaps and bounds after Columbus discovered the Americas, with which Seville was awarded an official monopoly on trade. It became one of the richest cities on earth. A peek into the windows of antique stores give a glimpse of the opulence which must still be found behind the massive wooden, studded doorways. A warren of twisting streets all merge into little plazas lined with bitter orange trees, which are heavy with bright orange fruit, in January. For two weeks in April the trees blossom to release bathe the city in fragrance – definitely the best time to be here, before the heat of the summer becomes oppressive. Eventually, the streets wind down to the heart of the city where sits the largest Cathedral in the world. Originally the site of a great 12th Century mosque (replaced in the early 1400’s with a massive vaulted structure, I couldn’t help but wonder how much of the gold dripping from lavish ornamentation was pillaged from the Incan empire. Still standing in the northeast corner is Giralda, the belfry tower. A climb up 36 ramps on the inside (built so that horses could be ridden up) rewards with spectacular views of the city surrounded by gently rolling hills dotted with olive trees. Absorbing so much history can work up an appetite…time to hit another café!
