When we moved to Spain back in 2007 one of our ambitions was to explore as much of the country as we could and the city we most wanted to see after Granada was Seville, the capital of Andalusia.
As Ed was staying with us at the time of our wedding anniversary, we decided to take advantage of the situation and arranged to spend a weekend there.
We found, what seemed to be a wonderful boutique hotel, which was well situated being only 10 minutes from the centre, and within easy reach of all of the places of interest and we were not disappointed. Hotel Amadeus is an old 18th century manor house that has been tastefully decorated and as the name suggests takes its inspiration from classical music. All fourteen rooms are named after famous composers and classical music was played in the lobby throughout the day. If you would like to see more photographs of the Hotel Amadeus take the following link to their website.. http://www.hotelamadeussevilla.com/
As Ed was staying with us at the time of our wedding anniversary, we decided to take advantage of the situation and arranged to spend a weekend there.
We found, what seemed to be a wonderful boutique hotel, which was well situated being only 10 minutes from the centre, and within easy reach of all of the places of interest and we were not disappointed. Hotel Amadeus is an old 18th century manor house that has been tastefully decorated and as the name suggests takes its inspiration from classical music. All fourteen rooms are named after famous composers and classical music was played in the lobby throughout the day. If you would like to see more photographs of the Hotel Amadeus take the following link to their website.. http://www.hotelamadeussevilla.com/
Although Seville is only an hour and a halfs’ drive from Ronda, we decided not to take the car, but travel up by bus, to avoid the parking problems in Seville. We were initially apprehensive, but it actually worked brilliantly and we would recommend it to anyone thinking of making the trip. The only thing to watch out for is that you are not guaranteed a seat on the bus from Ronda to Seville, as it starts its journey from the coast. As there is only one bus to Seville every morning, this could be a problem if you are only going for the day!
We arrived at the bus station of Seville at around 11:30 and even at that time it was unbearably hot; armed with our City street map we headed off to find the hotel, only to discover 10 minutes later that we had been walking in completely the wrong direction. By the time we eventually arrived in the vicinity of Hotel Amadeus, we were desperate for a drink and dived into the first available cafe!
Whilst we were there we got chatting to a lovely couple of Australian tourists from Brisbane who were sitting on the next table to us and who were struggling to order a coffee with skimmed milk; no mean task in Spanish! Gary and Jeanette were coming to the end of their European tour, so we persuaded them to visit Ronda and to look us up when they were there. Well, to our delight they did exactly that and we had the most wonderful evening with them at our place. Since their return down under we have kept in touch with them, with the hope that we will all meet up again one day in the future!
We arrived at the bus station of Seville at around 11:30 and even at that time it was unbearably hot; armed with our City street map we headed off to find the hotel, only to discover 10 minutes later that we had been walking in completely the wrong direction. By the time we eventually arrived in the vicinity of Hotel Amadeus, we were desperate for a drink and dived into the first available cafe!
Whilst we were there we got chatting to a lovely couple of Australian tourists from Brisbane who were sitting on the next table to us and who were struggling to order a coffee with skimmed milk; no mean task in Spanish! Gary and Jeanette were coming to the end of their European tour, so we persuaded them to visit Ronda and to look us up when they were there. Well, to our delight they did exactly that and we had the most wonderful evening with them at our place. Since their return down under we have kept in touch with them, with the hope that we will all meet up again one day in the future!
Jeanette and GaryStars of the World Wide Web
One of the highlights of the weekend was the breakfast on the hotel’s roof terrace with a stunning view of the Cathedral across a jumble of terracotta roof tops. Sunday was the actual day of our anniversary, so we indulged ourselves with a leisurely breakfast and a bottle of champagne, which we shared with a charming American couple; Kathy and Bob Allen from Belmont, Massachusetts.
Lin on the roof terrace of Hotel Amadeus
On the Sunday afternoon we took the Guadalquivir River Cruise which sails along the river from where you get spectacular city views, including the Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza (Seville’s 18th century bullring) and passes alongside the pavilions of the 1992 EXPO site.
We had a really lovely weekend in Seville, although we didn’t visit too many of the principal sights, but it just gave us time to relax and enjoy each other’s company without the daily pressure of tending to the animals.
On the Saturday we did spend a lot of time at the Reales Alcazares, the Royal Palace in Seville, which was originally a Moorish fort. The extensive gardens of the Alcazares are quite spectacular; laid out with terraces, fountains and pavilions, they provide a delightful refuge from the heat and bustle of Seville.
On the Saturday we did spend a lot of time at the Reales Alcazares, the Royal Palace in Seville, which was originally a Moorish fort. The extensive gardens of the Alcazares are quite spectacular; laid out with terraces, fountains and pavilions, they provide a delightful refuge from the heat and bustle of Seville.
One of the highlights of the weekend was the breakfast on the hotel’s roof terrace with a stunning view of the Cathedral across a jumble of terracotta roof tops. Sunday was the actual day of our anniversary, so we indulged ourselves with a leisurely breakfast and a bottle of champagne, which we shared with a charming American couple; Kathy and Bob Allen from Belmont, Massachusetts.
Lin on the roof terrace of Hotel AmadeusOn the Sunday afternoon we took the Guadalquivir River Cruise which sails along the river from where you get spectacular city views, including the Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza (Seville’s 18th century bullring) and passes alongside the pavilions of the 1992 EXPO site.
Before we left for home, we managed to find Bar Europa, which is noted for its gourmet quality tapas! Although it is tucked away in the back streets of Seville it was well worth finding. The food and atmosphere were excellent and the goat cheese and apple gratinada was to die for.
Sadly, a weekend in Seville is clearing not enough time to appreciate all of the treasures of this intriguing city. We’ll just have to visit there again!
Sadly, a weekend in Seville is clearing not enough time to appreciate all of the treasures of this intriguing city. We’ll just have to visit there again!
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