Sevilla: Hold on to Your Castanets!

Rhythms change quickly in Sevilla, from the intensity of flamenco’s beat to the quiet of its back alleys.

An abacería—part grocery store, part tapas bar—is the ideal place to rub elbows with locals. Rick Steves, Rick Steves’ Europe

Sevilla, the capital of Spain’s southern Andalucía region, is as soulful a place as I’ve ever been. It’s a wonderful-to-be-alive kind of town, buzzing with festivals, heat, color, and guitars.

The gateway to the New World in the 16th century, Sevilla boomed during Spain’s golden age. The explorers Amerigo Vespucci and Ferdinand Magellan sailed from its great river harbor, discovering abundant sources of gold, silver, cocoa, and tobacco. For a time, these New World riches turned Sevilla into Spain’s largest and wealthiest city.