We are delighted to partner with our friends at The Osher Marin JCC and other program partners to bring you “Still Traveling: Sensational Seville.”
Four Mondays: Jan. 4-25 | 12-1:15 p.m.
Many tourists to southern Spain race to Grenada to visit the Alhambra, but overlook the capital and largest city of the Andalusian region – Seville! Make a tinto de verano (so much more popular in Seville than sangria; click here for a recipe), grab a piece of Manchego, join Trip Leader James Sokol and our wonderful, professional, local guide to discover an array of fascinating and stunning facets of this sensational, yet quaint city.
NB: We have extended the time to allow a full-hour for the “tour” and a buffer for welcome/wrap-up.
Tickets are $50 for the series or $15/session.
Begin our time in this Andalusian gem with a historical overview before entering the Alcazar –the amazing castle/fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the oldest palace in all of Europe still in use (when the king of Spain comes to Seville). Inside this 10th century complex are 3 beautiful palaces from various times; a blend of Christian-Muslim-Jewish cultures that goes back to the Middle ages and the golden period of Seville in the 1500s. Also hidden behind the grand walls are beautiful gardens with fountains and tiles; a refreshing escape from the city noise. “Meet” some of the kings, queens, poets and navigators such as Columbus, Magellan, Queen Isabella or Catherine of Aragon, who strolled this paths and hallowed halls. Also a surprise for Games of Thrones fans. Join us!
On the site of a former mosque, the ambitious construction of The Cathedral of Santa Maria – the 3rd largest cathedral in the world – started in the 1400s in gothic style. Explore this massive & magnificent structure. From the original mosque, today still stands the inner courtyard and the iconic minaret, the famous Giralda. Almost a museum, the Cathedral has a huge double organ and a main gold altarpiece adorned with paintings by the best Spanish baroque artists. Explore the mystery of the tomb of Christopher Columbus, who may or may not actually be buried there.
From the Middle Ages, Seville had an important Sephardic Jewish population. Find out where they lived, learn about their jobs, and about their relationship with Muslims & Christians in different periods. Follow our local guide to look for their traces in a hidden underground parking, on the site of a former synagogue, and inside a most original hotel. The lovely streets of the Santa Cruz quarter still hold memories & legends of the Sevillian Jews and of a time of conviviality for the three cultures until the appearance of the Inquisition. See how, today, the former Jewish population is remembered and honored.
Though the city is filled with glorious remnants of the past, two major 20th century events left impressive sites – the 1929 Ibero-American Expo and the 1992 World Fair celebrating the anniversary of the Discovery of America. Visit these modern treasures and see how, in the 21st century, the city faces the future and new constructions, some of which are controversial in this most traditional city.