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Sevilla can be best described as a city of color. Everywhere you turn there are flowers,
orange trees, and multicolored tiles that compliment the houses in shades of green, brown,
and orange. The colorfulness of the city is not only reflected in the buildings and
landscapes, but also in the people and their way of life.
Home to 600,000 residents, Sevilla is the capital city of Andalucía in Southern Spain. Originally
built by the Romans as a shelter from the heat of Andalucian summers, it is now a bustling city
with its own airport and bullet train that gets you to Madrid in just over 2 hours.
Sevilla has an astonishing number of palaces, churches, towers, and historic hospitals. Probably
the most impressive of the sites is the Cathedral, located in the Plaza del Triunfo. Begun
in the 1400's, it took centuries to complete. An absolutely enormous building, it is comparable
in size to St. Peter's in Rome.
A short walk from the Cathedral is the Alcázar, a 14th Century Mudejar palace built by Pedro
the Cruel. Today, the Alcázar is the Sevillian home to King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia, making
it the oldest European residence still in use.
It has been said that the inhabitants of Sevilla are "living in the street", which means that a
typical Sevillano only enters his flat to eat or sleep. With beautiful outdoor cafes, parks,
plazas, restaurants and bars, there is no reason to ever go inside. You can have a drink along
the 6 miles of river that flow through the city, play soccer in the park, or shop on the
cobblestone streets and alleyways that make up most of the downtown.
Sevilla is not only famous for the day-to-day fun it provides, but for the yearly parties it
throws as well. The spring feria, a full week of around-the-clock revelry, is very popular
with tourists and residents alike. Sevillanos, however, never need an excuse to throw a
party, so the city of vibrant all year round.
Sevilla embodies the free spirited, fun-loving romantic image of Southern Spain. Rich with
culture, history, art and life, it will always remain the soul of Andalucía.
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