Europe Up Close

Why Sevilla is the Heart of Spain

Published/Revised September 9, 2016 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

We spent ten days in Spain this year and even though we loved Madrid, Malaga and Granada, we found that Sevilla is really the heart of Spain. There is something about this little town that just exudes the essence of this beautiful country. We stayed in the center of the old part of Sevilla, within walking distance of the cathedral and the Alcazar Real. Sevilla does not seem like a tourist town, ... Read Full Article

Six Great Places for Spring Travel in Europe

Published/Revised August 29, 2017 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

It’s always a stunning time in Europe when the sleet and snow of winter make way for the glowing renewal of spring. Parks and gardens blossom and bloom, cities return life again. Ahead of the summer throngs, it’s also a fabulous time to bulk the European crowds, while keeping the back pocket in tact with friendly shoulder-season rates. From the Italian Lakes to Vienna, Budapest to Seville, we take ... Read Full Article

Flamenco, Feria, Bullfighting and Barbers in Seville, Andalucia

Published/Revised June 12, 2014 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Capital of the southern Andalucía region, as well as Spain’s cultural and artistic core, Seville is aesthetically beautiful, intoxicating and graceful. Moorish and Arabic architectural sensibility dazzles in a city rich with Spain’s most archetypal cultural attributes. It is here that the bullfight, flamenco and tapas all originate, and it’s hard not to lose yourself in Seville’s authenticity, to ... Read Full Article

The Sensuous Markets of Seville, Spain

Published/Revised June 29, 2016 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

There is no shortage of sights to see in Seville. I’ve been there twice and feel like I’ve only scratched the surface of what the city and surrounding areas have to offer. Both times I visited, I spent a morning strolling through some of the city’s markets. It was a relaxing way to take in some of the local culture and peruse products I would not be able to purchase at home. I can still hear the ... Read Full Article

A Lot to Love in Spain’s Andalucia

Published/Revised July 7, 2017 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Only a thorough-going sourpuss could fail to find something to love about Andalucia. Spain’s southwestern region encompasses so much of the country’s natural, historic and cultural largesse that it hardly seems fair to the rest.The Treasures of Andalucia Just the most obvious ones make an ambitious itinerary: The Alhambra, the Great Mosque of Cordoba, miles of Mediterranean and Atlantic ... Read Full Article

Seville: Fiestas, Siestas, and Sidewalk Cafes

Published/Revised May 14, 2016 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Seville, on the River Guadalquivir in Andalusia (Spanish Andalucia), is my favorite city in Spain (so far). Lush and sensual, with the scent of orange blossoms and sound of church bells, it's a city where people know how to relax and enjoy life, whether they're clapping to flamenco or sipping sherry at sidewalk cafes.All Seville loves a fiesta - holding two of the biggest festivals in ... Read Full Article

Sightseeing in Spain Delights Your Senses

Published/Revised May 14, 2016 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

The third largest country in Europe; Spain includes two island groups, the Canaries and the Balearics and reaches down to the tip of North Africa. Spain has a predominantly warm Mediterranean climate, with dry summers and winters with balanced temperatures. Here you can enjoy more than 3,000 hours of sunshine per year. It's no wonder that Spain and its islands are a favorite winter escape for ... Read Full Article