It’s true that there are oranges aplenty in Seville. They do not quite look as juicy and edible as you’d imagine but they are very pretty fruit trees, lining the streets with vivid colour everywhere you turn. Seville would be a dream for those who love architecture such as traditional stone buildings, horse-drawn carriages (*more on this next) and little winding streets throughout the city.
I don’t want to start with a negative but this is a vegan blog, so you’re most likely a vegan or a lovely family member/friend supporting me. It is likely that you will love animals so I’m going to warn you about some of the things you will see in Seville. (*)The one thing about Seville which was truly heartbreaking was the amount of horse-drawn carriages in operation. Many people might think of this as a charming and traditional mode of transportation, but it is utterly saddening to see the exploitation of these beautiful animals. You will find a set up reminiscent of a taxi rank by the main tram line in the city, full of horses waiting for their next passenger. If you love animals, I would advise you to avoid these tourist traps as there seemed to be little water and food around and no shelter from the beaming sunlight. I just pray that one day animals will not be used in this way. It is quite alarming to see these horses on the main roads, although commonplace in Seville, as it is so different to what you’d ever see in Britain. Spare a thought before taking pictures of these horses and potentially glamourising or promoting their suffering.
Another tourist trap to be aware of is people wandering around to offer you services. I got duped into paying for a palm reading after a lady thrusted some rosemary into my hand, then demanded that I pay up. I wasn’t even aware of what she said to me and she became quite aggressive when I couldn’t understand what she wanted. I gave her a few euros to avoid any confrontation but she demanded more. Watch out for this.
Onto some positive points about the city… I must admit, the transport links in Seville are very good and you will find both buses and trams. I took the Line EA bus directly from the airport to the city centre. It should have taken around 35 minutes but it was absolutely crammed with people so felt much longer. The bus was installed with a screen stating the next stop location which was really handy. Whilst on the bus, I experienced the most divine intervention and fate had a lovely surprise in store for me! I actually met someone from my home county of Norfolk on a random bus in the middle of Spain. I don’t know why or how it happened, but it was magical. On a very hot bus journey into the historic city centre, I spotted a girl who had been on the same flight as me, also travelling alone it seemed. I plucked up the courage to ask her a question, praying she was British and would understand me… She was! We got into a lengthy conversation and it turned out that she was living not far for me in terms of my hometown or our Spanish accommodation! But guys, you would never believe that it turned out she was also vegan! We went for lots of food together in the evenings and have kept in touch ever since.
There are so many gorgeous sights in Seville and I would definitely go back again. See below for some cracking places to spend your time:
1. Catedral de Sevilla & la Giralda – Seville Cathedral and Tower
I don’t think I have ever seen such a magnificent cathedral as in Seville. Located directly next to the tram lines, there is a wonderful mix of old and new in this part of the city. I cannot even explain how photogenic the street is, named ‘Avenida de la Constitución.‘
2. Real Alcázar de Sevilla – Royal Alcazar of Seville
Even in February the queues for the Alcazar were beyond belief! The average waiting time was 40 minutes and so I didn’t even get into the Alcazar after debating the entry price for a few days. It is well worth buying a ticket in advance to visit these landmarks or you risk queuing for a very long time or not visiting at all.
3. Torre del Oro – Watchtower
I adore climbing towers if I ever come across one on my holidays. Usually, towers are cheap to enter and so missing out on the panoramic view is simply not an option for me! Torre del Oro is an old watchtower which is also home to a museum of maritime history. This is definitely a prime spot to take a few snaps as it is also located right next to the river and is a great location to bask in the sun.
4. Plaza de España – Spain Square
A single photo of this place is what ignited my itch to visit Seville. I looked for the next cheap deal in order to visit this breath-taking square. I was looking forward to a small boat ride on the waters but to my utter dismay the one day I visited is the day they pumped out the water to clean the grounds. However, the architecture is a great place to learn about Moorish designs such as the intricate hand-made tiles and ceramics which Seville is famed for.
5. Parque de María Luisa – Maria Luisa Park
Free to enter and located next to the Plaza de España, the park is an ideal picnic spot with many benches and peaceful places to rest. I remember thinking to myself “wow, there are a lot of homeless here…” before realising that actually the Spaniards do really have a kip for siesta wherever they are! There are some magnificent statues located here including the Bécquer monument, designed to depict the three stages of love.
6. Las Setas de Sevilla – Metrosol Parasol
For an entry fee you can climb this gigantic monument overlooking all the famous sights of Seville. Bring your sunglasses as you will be walking across a rooftop walkway where there is also a conveniently located café bar. The walkway does not take up a huge amount of time but there is a children’s play park located on the street level and you can also buy a ticket to view the Roman/Moorish ruins which have been excavated underground.
7. Centro Comercial Torre Sevilla – Seville Tower Commercial Centre
Located just outside of the city centre, this tower can be seen from a distance and is extremely tall. It is a small trek across the ‘Puente del Cristo de la Expiración’ bridge if you like walking. Although you cannot climb it, there is a small shopping centre located underneath as well as nearby parks for a slice of nature.
8. Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza – Bullring Museum
I do not know what possessed me to go here, but I felt that I had to explore the culture a bit more even if I didn’t agree with it. It was somewhat upsetting, I won’t lie and I wouldn’t visit again. You will learn about one of Spain’s most famous bulls and how (thankfully) he was pardonned from fighting ever again. It was about €8 entry with a student card but you have to wait for a scheduled tour with a translator handset.
9. Mercado del Arenal – Arenal Market
This is a small market place with many different food stalls and pop-up shops, ideal for lunch – especially of the vegan variety! The ‘Veganitessen’ is located here which is definitely worth a visit and seemed to be very popular. Everything is vegan and there are mains and desserts on offer.
10. Calle de Sierpes – ‘Street of Serpents’ Shopping
Try shopping in the historic city centre where the shops are open late into the evening. It is a funny thing that in Spain you can shop until 9pm but you can’t eat dinner much before 8pm. I know I am stuck in my British tea-time routine but it felt bizarre to see the shops lit up and open whilst I’d be doing nothing more than digesting at home!
11. Santa María Magdalena – St. Mary Magdalen Church
I don’t think I have ever seen such a beautiful church. It is filled with such ornate decoration and intricately painted statues with gold everywhere you look. I was so moved here it almost brought me to tears just looking around. Definitely take a minute to sit, think and be thankful whilst you explore this wonderful church. I love to leave a donation and light a candle whenever I visit a church as a tourist – spread a little kindness and gratitude.
12. Statues located around the city
Seville has many wonderful statues and sculptures dotted around the city. Those shown below are located near the bullring museum, the cathedral, outside Plaza de España and various churches.
Places To Eat & Drink
- Veganitessen – a cosy little restaurant in the Arenal market offering a plethora of vegan options, including plenty of burgers. The burger I ate was truly scrumptious and if I had more time I would have definitely eaten here again!
- VeganEat – a small little vegan takeaway doing main meals and desserts. I opted for something seitan related and it came out as a gigantic slab of seitan ‘steak’! This seems to be the norm in Seville whenever seitan is part of the menu.
- Valencianos – this is a warning that you will want to endlessly go back for the delicious vegan hazelnut flavoured ice cream! It was delicioso!
- No Piqui – here I ate a lovely vegan pizza (including cheese!) with Mediterranean vegetables, seated outside in the chilly air at about 9pm. It was a very popular place to eat and there were no seats left indoors, but I’m definitely glad I tried it!
- Ofelia Bakery – down a little street, this treasure of a bakery is filled with sweet treats including vegan cakes, biscuits and cookies to choose from.
- Gusto – if you dine here in the evening, you will have a wonderful scenic view of the Catedral de Sevilla as your backdrop. This place seemed a little classier and more pricey but had a range of vegan dishes. I chose the vegan ‘meatballs’ in a pomodoro sauce – very tasty but on the smaller side.
Useful Information
- Zebra crossings seem to be much better in Spain with push buttons and a green man to identify when it is safe to cross.
- Watch out for people in the city centre offering plam readings etc.
- The map I used to navigate Seville can be found here with walking routes
- Take the Line EA bus from the airport to the city centre
- Currency in Spain is the euro (€)
The Solo Vegan 
