Travel
Guadalquivir River is the 5th largest in the Iberian Peninsula and from what I can tell, it cuts Seville into the old city and the new one, build mainly for the Expo '92. We took the boat from next to Torre de Oro (Golden Tower), now hosting the Naval Museum (we visited it last time we were in Seville but we don't think it is worth climbing all the stairs to the top unless you really are into this kind of stuff). Before we knew it we were passing under interesting bridges and spotting important Sevillian buildings on the shores.
One of the first buildings the boat passes by is the San Telmo palace. The building is impressing to say the least from the outside, but you have to book in advance to visit it on the inside. Unfortunately we found out this dirty little secret too late.
The boat ride lasts one hour, time enough to get a wide perspective of both riverbeds, the Cartuja Island, some neighborhoods, and some of Seville's famous buildings, like the Maestranza Bullring.
The boat passes under nine bridges, but the one that I hold dearest is the Triana Bridge (in the image below). It is also the most famous bridge in Seville. And it looked quirky enough catch my attention.
TIP: Don't forget your sunscreen if you take this boat ride. You'll want to stay in the upper part and the Seville sun is not forgiving. We had 43C the day we took the boat ride, and it was only the beginning of May.
The river supports a variety of activities for the locals, like kayaking, rowing and fishing, and we were overwhelmed by the number of people actually enjoying the Guadalquivir riverbed on a Wednesday evening. And then there is an enjoyable promenade along the river too, where locals can jog and kids can play in the open and the local artists can prove graffiti a form of art.
And then there's the Alamillo Bridge, at one end of the boat cruise, designed by Santiago de Calatrava, the Valencian architect who did the project for the world famous City of Arts and Sciences and the Milwaukee Art Museum. While I heard people labeling his works as boring, I believe this is his style and the fact that it is easy to read his signature in every building or bridge he designs, it's not a particularly bad thing.
Though you can take the boat from 11am to 11pm, I certainly recommend taking the boat ride late in the evening, just in time to see the sunset. It is at this time of the day when the buildings change color under the last sun rays and the whole city is filled with a charming atmosphere.
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Travel
Enjoying the Sunset from a Boat on Guadalquivir River in Seville
On out second day in Seville, we visited the largest cathedral in the world and the Palace of the Countess of Lebrija. I'm a big fan of river cruises and my husband seems to enjoy them more and more by the day. He was basically sold after our latest cruise on the Douro River in Porto and though Seville and Porto are two cities so different in character, we both loved the Andalusian sunset from the water.
One of the first buildings the boat passes by is the San Telmo palace. The building is impressing to say the least from the outside, but you have to book in advance to visit it on the inside. Unfortunately we found out this dirty little secret too late.
The boat ride lasts one hour, time enough to get a wide perspective of both riverbeds, the Cartuja Island, some neighborhoods, and some of Seville's famous buildings, like the Maestranza Bullring.
The boat passes under nine bridges, but the one that I hold dearest is the Triana Bridge (in the image below). It is also the most famous bridge in Seville. And it looked quirky enough catch my attention.
TIP: Don't forget your sunscreen if you take this boat ride. You'll want to stay in the upper part and the Seville sun is not forgiving. We had 43C the day we took the boat ride, and it was only the beginning of May.
The river supports a variety of activities for the locals, like kayaking, rowing and fishing, and we were overwhelmed by the number of people actually enjoying the Guadalquivir riverbed on a Wednesday evening. And then there is an enjoyable promenade along the river too, where locals can jog and kids can play in the open and the local artists can prove graffiti a form of art.
And then there's the Alamillo Bridge, at one end of the boat cruise, designed by Santiago de Calatrava, the Valencian architect who did the project for the world famous City of Arts and Sciences and the Milwaukee Art Museum. While I heard people labeling his works as boring, I believe this is his style and the fact that it is easy to read his signature in every building or bridge he designs, it's not a particularly bad thing.
Though you can take the boat from 11am to 11pm, I certainly recommend taking the boat ride late in the evening, just in time to see the sunset. It is at this time of the day when the buildings change color under the last sun rays and the whole city is filled with a charming atmosphere.
- Seville. Casa De Pilatos And Its Amazing Gardens
It is difficult to understand why Casa de Pilatos from Seville is called a house and not a palace. With 500 years of history behind it and some amazing flower gardens, this is one of the most beautiful and intriguing havens in Seville. Casa de Pilatos...
- Palace Of The Countess Of Lebrija In Seville
The Palace of the Countess of Lebrija is one of my favorite places in Seville. It gathers one of the most impressive Roman mosaic collections in Spain and I'm a sucker for ancient stuff. So, yeah, 1+1= I love it here. After spending a couple of hours...
- 3 Reasons To Visit The Largest Cathedral In The World
The nights of May in Seville are wonderfully warm and pleasant and we slept like angels. And that was fortunate, as on the second day of our trip to Seville, my husband and I had lots of sightseeing to do. We started with the much celebrated Cathedral...
- Photo Of The Week: Horse And Carriage Rides In Seville
What gondolas are to Venice, the horses and carriages are to Seville. Today we spotted them lined up around the Cathedral and in Plaza de España and I have to admit they really add to the charm of the city... I wonder if they are the same ones that...
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We have to admit that Porto totally took us by surprise. We never expected it to be such a charming city. Even before finishing our walking tour we were completely smitten. But strolling up and down the streets of Porto is no easy task...