Local Information
Around and beyond Seville
Please, for further information about Andalusia visit www.andalucia.org and the web pages detailed below for more specific information of the different places.
Italica Roman city (9 km from Seville)
Surpassed only
by Alexandria and Rome, Italica was the third largest city of the expansive
Roman world and the very first Roman settlement in Spain. Founded in 206 B.C, Italica
is extremely easy to get to from Sevilla's Plaza
de Armas bus station, with buses frequently running the quick 20 minute
route between the two historic cities.
More info
in: http://www.museosdeandalucia.es/cultura/museos/CAI/?lng=en
Granada (Alhambra) (252 km from Seville)
The Alhambra was a
palace, a fortress, and a citadel; the residence of the Nasrid Sultans and top
government officials, court servants and the royal guard. It is currently an
artistic-historical monumental group with four clearly distinguishable zones:
the Palaces, the military zone or Alcazaba, the city or Medina, and the villa
of the Generalife, all of them surrounded by woods, trees, gardens, parks and vegetable
gardens.
There are
trains and buses that constantly operate between Seville and Granada. For train
tickets, head over to the Santa Justa train
station. Otherwise, check out the bus schedule at the Prado de San Sebastián bus station.
More info
in: www.alhambra-patronato.es http://www.turgranada.es/?id_idioma=2
Huelva and Cádiz (Atlantic Ocean beaches “Costa de la Luz”) (95-125 km from Seville)
The Atlantic
stretch of Spain's southern coastline is appropriately called the Costa de
la Luz, or Coast of Light.
Depending on
which city you're heading to, buses heading south to the various Costa de la
Luz locales leave frequently from both the Prado de San Sebastián and Plaza de Armas bus stations.
More info in: Huelva.es, Cadiz.es
Strait of Gibraltar (200 km from Seville)
The Strait of
Gibraltar (Estrecho de Gibraltar) is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic
Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Spain from Morocco. Europe and
Africa are separated by 14.24 km of ocean at the strait's narrowest point.
More info
in: http://www.estrechodegibraltar.com/indexingles.htm
Cordoba (Mezquita) (143 km from Seville)
Cordoba's
breathtaking Mosque-Cathedral, is the structure most symbolic of Spain's
diverse cultural history. The site was originally home to a Visigoth church.
Later, when the Muslims gained control of the city, they demolished the church
and replaced it in 785 A.D. with what would expand over the centuries to become
an absolutely enormous and magnificently embellished mosque. In fact, you'll
quickly discover just how huge it is when you see that following the Spanish
monarchy's reclaiming of the city, a full-blown cathedral was constructed right
smack in the middle of the Muslim prayer space.
An inexpensive
bus ride out of the Prado de San Sebastián bus
station will get you to Córdoba in less than two hours. If you'd rather travel
by rail, AVE (45 minute ride) and regular (90 minute ride) trains leave
frequently from the Santa Justa train
station.
More info
in: http://english.turismodecordoba.org/index2.cfm
Malaga (Mediterranean beaches “Costa del Sol”) (209 km from Seville)
Spain's
Mediterranean coast of the province of Malaga is called Costa del Sol (Coast of the Sun). The Costa del Sol has been considered an international
tourist destination since the early fifties of the past century.
There trains
and buses that constantly operate between these two cities.
More info in: www.visitacostadelsol.com
Carmona (Roman town necropolis) (30 km from Seville)
Carmona is a picturesque,
small town and given its proximity, Carmona shares a similar history to
Seville, and was an important Roman city.
The
Necropolis of Carmona, that was discovered and excavated at the end of the 19th
century, It consists of over 900 family tombs which date from 2BC to 4AD. The
tombs have maintained a large number of paintings in typical Pompeian style
showing birds and fruits.
There
are two particularly outstanding tombs that stand out. The elaborate Elephant
Tomb (Tumba del Elefante) next to which you can see a bath, kitchen, benches
and banquet table which show how families celebrated the death of their
relatives. And, the Tomb of the Slave (Tumba de Servilia) is even more
impressive as it is on two floors with columns and a wide patio.
More info
in: http://www.turismo.carmona.org/turistavirtual.htm
North Park Sevilla (80
km from Seville)
The
Sierra Norte Nature Park, in the province of Seville, has an extension of
177.484 hectares. Comprises a region of Sierra Morena where the countryside is
dominated by extensive forests of oaks and cork oaks. Among the rivers that
flow through this mountain system, of highlight is the Rivera del Huéznar,
habitat for otter, and on some stretches of which have developed spectacular
hanging forests. It is also the only trout river in the province. The existence
of mineral deposits has favoured settlement since prehistoric times. Visigoths,
Romans and Arabs have all left remains in the towns in the district.
More info in: http://www.andalucia.org/destinos/zonas-turisticas/sierra-norte/
Doñana Natural and National Park (25
km from Seville)
The Parque Nacional de Doñana is one of Europe's
most important wetland reserves and a major site for migrating birds. It is an
immense area (a protected buffer zone) with an extension of 54.000 hectares, in
the provinces of Huelva, Sevilla and Cádiz. It is internationally recognised
for its great ecological wealth. Doñana has become a key centre in the world of
conservationism. The park is an area of marsh, shallow streams, and sand
dunes in Las Marismas, the Guadalquivir
River Delta region where it flows into the Atlantic Ocean. In 1994 UNESCO designated
the park a World Heritage Site, also recognised it as a Biosphere reserve.
More info in:
http://www.andalucia.org/espacios-naturales/parques-nacionales/donana/
Sierra Nevada Natural and National Park (287
km from Seville)
The Sierra
Nevada is a dramatic, rugged and extensive mountain range. The highest in
Europe after the Alps and the most significant section of the Cordillera
Penibética. It is a UNESCO Biosphere reserve. The protected area encompasses
174.849 hectares of torrential rivers, sheer-sided gorges, stony scree slopes,
glacial lakes between snowy summits and, in the foothills of the Alpujarras,
cultivated terraces of almond trees and vegetables.
More info
in: http://www.andalucia.org/sierra-nevada/
Cazorla Natural Park (319 km from Seville)
With a total surface area of 209,920 hectares and
covering almost a fifth of Jaen province, this is Spain's largest protected
area and one of its most extensive forested zones. Located in eastern Jaen
province, it connects the Sierra Morena and the Subbética mountain ranges. The
highest peak in this immense park is Pico Empanada at 2,107m and the entire
park is higher than 600m. Recognizing its exceptional ecological importance, it
was designated a UNESCO Biosphere reserve in 1983 and created a natural park in
1989. Two of the Iberian peninsula's most important rivers, the great Río
Guadalquivir and the Segura, have their sources in the Sierra de Cazorla, amid
some of the wildest landscape in Spain.
More info in: http://www.andalucia.org/destinos/provincias/jaen/municipios/cazorla/recurso/naturearea/
Merida (very well kept roman ruins) (197 km from Seville)
Established by the Romans in 25 B.C., with the name of Emerita Augusta, Merida
retains an extensive collection of Roman ruins and has a fabulous museum
devoted to Roman history. The "Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida" is a UNESCO World
Heritage site.
Some of the most emblematic construction:
The Roman Theater and Amphitheater: excellently preserved
theater and amphitheater, conveniently situated side by side.
The Roman Bridge (Puente Romano): one of the longest
bridges built by the Romans.
The Templo de Diana: ruins of an old temple.
Circo Romano Hippodrome: the ruins of an ancient
stadium where chariot races would have been held. Nearby is an old aqueduct.
The Zona Arqueológica de Morería: archeological diggings.
More info
in: http://www.turismomerida.org/
Caceres, medieval downtown (264 km from Seville)
In 1986, Cáceres was included
in the list of World Heritage Cities. Built
between the 14th and 16th centuries by rival noble families in a sort of
architectural war for prestige and socio-political control, the barrio
antiguo is comprised of miniature palaces once used to show off each
family’s power and wealth. Wander through this magnificent maze of tiny streets
with palaces on almost every corner you can enjoy the beauty of this medieval
city. Caceres has four main
areas to be explored; the historical quarter, the Jewish quarter, the modern center,
and the outskirts
More info
in: http://en.turismo.ayto-caceres.es/
Transportation information
Train station: Estación Santa Justa
Avda. Kansas City s/n. 41007 Sevilla, Information phone +34 902 320 320. International
information phone: +34 902 243 402
For further information about train services and other
train types and destinations please visit
http://www.renfe.es/horarios/english/index.html
Bus station: Plaza de Armas
Avenida del Cristo de la Expiración, s/n. - Sevilla
Tel: +34 95 490 80 40
Bus station: Prado de San Sebastian
Manuel Vázquez Sagastizábal s/n. - Sevilla
Tel: +34 954 41 71 11
For further information,
please check http://www.sevillaonline.es/english/seville/
Further Local Info:
• Climate