SEVILLE IS ART, HISTORY AND CULTURE

Seville is located in Andalusia, the southwest region of Spain famous for its sun, hospitality, wines, folklore, flamenco dancing and bullfighting. Andalusia is a balance of old and new, of culture dating back to the third millennium and technological progress, of unspoiled countryside and modern urban development, of undiscovered coves and long stretching cosmopolitan beaches.

Seville, the capital of Andalusia, with a population of 800,000 inhabitants (more than a million including the urban community), is known world-wide. In 1992, the World Exposition was held in Seville in honor of the 500 year anniversary of the discovery of America. This great affair stimulated a change of modern progress within the city. The city developed accordingly to accommodate the World Exposition and has continued to advance into the 21st century with the recent construction of a new metro system.

The city lies within hours of a number of famous travel destinations including Córdoba and Granada, Portugal and Morocco. Seville has its own international airport and is two hours from Malaga International Airport. In addition, Seville is less than three hours from Madrid by AVE (High Speed Train).

Seville is home to a number of great monuments and a rich history. The city was discovered by Julius Caesar and there are various Roman ruins that remain standing today in the city and its surrounding areas. During the 1st century, Seville was occupied by the Moors, whose influence is visible in many aspects of the city's architecture. In the 12th century, the Cathedral of Seville was constructed around the Giralda bell tower which was originally used by the Moors for calling the faithful to prayer. In the 1360´s, the Alcazar Palace was built close by to the Cathedral. It is a magnificent example of the style in which the Moors constructed their palaces and it bears striking resemblance to Granada's famous Alhambra. Years later, during Spain's Golden Age, boats from the Americas sailed up the Guadalquiver River from the Atlantic Ocean and unloaded their goods in Seville, thus making it the most important center of commerce in Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries.

This great history gave rise to an alluring culture and many of Seville's traditions are still carried out today including the procession of the Stations of the Cross done during Semana Santa (Holy Week). Seville's most popular tradition is the Feria de Abril (April Fair). This week-long festival is one of the most famous in all of Spain. People from all over the country come to Seville to take part in the festivities because the Feria de Abril is guaranteed to be a very enjoyable experience.

With its easy-going lifestyle, unique character, and wonderful weather, Seville is an ideal location to live and learn the Spanish language and culture. There are two large universities in Seville with a combined student body of some 70,000 students. These universities also attract a number of students from across Europe who come to Seville to study for a year of "erasmus" (study abroad). As a result there is a large population of international students in Seville. This factor contributes to the city's ambience. There is a lively night life all week and weekend long that can be experienced by going to bars, clubs, concerts, the cinema, soccer games, flamenco shows, bull fights and so on. One can also enjoy an evening in Seville by doing the "route of tapas" which will lead one "de tasquita en tasquita" (from tavern to tavern) sampling a variety of the local dishes that are original and flavourful.