SEVILLA, SPAIN

ABOUT SEVILLA

Seville is probably Spain’s most iconic city. With over 700,000 inhabitants, it's the most important city in Andalucía and both the capital of the province of the same name and the seat of regional government of the Autonomous Andalucía Community.

The city played an important role in the discovery, conquest and commerce between Spain and the American continent thanks to its location on the plains of the Guadalquivir River, which can be navigated all the way to its mouth into the Atlantic coast.

Founded around 200 B.C. by the Romans, they made the region the center of their Western Mediterranean dominions for seven centuries. Heritage of this period is still visible in the nearby ruins of Italica.

From 711 A.D. to 1248 A.D., the Moorish left indelible traces in Seville and the region; la Giralda, the tower of an important mosque, is the most well-known icon of the remaining Islamic monuments.

In the 18th century, Seville was the birthplace of important painters such as Velázquez, Murillo and Valdés Leal; and sculptors like Martínez Montañés. In literature, Seville was the birthplace of the myth of Don Juan.

In recent history, Seville has been in the center of the world's attention twice: first in 1929 when it hosted the Latin American Exhibition and for the second time in 1992, when it hosted Expo92, the world exposition. Both events left important urban improvements in the city, molding it as a modern and dynamic city that is also full of history.

Seville is the birthplace of Spanish tapas. Tapas are starters in virtually all flavors and forms which often end up being a full meal. And with more than a thousand bars and restaurants, the choice of food in Seville is unlimited, from seafood to ham and sausages and from vegetables to cheese.

Nearby, four important wine regions can be found, Jerez being the most important one (or best known) and the home to the sweet wine known as Sherry.

Seville claims to be birthplace of the typical Spanish Flamenco dance, although Jerez claims the same. Anyway, if you want to see the true flamenco at a tablao, bar or on a street corner, Seville is the place to go.

With over 300 days of sunshine and a mild winter, Seville is also a place to find good weather (almost) all year round. “Almost” because August can get extremely hot :-( And of course, as in any Spanish city, locals are specialists in celebrating local "Fiestas"...

ABOUT AZNALCAZAR, MATALASCAÑAS AND DOÑANA NATIONAL PARK

AZNALCÁZAR

The Anders Languages^® residence is located in the town of Aznalcázar, only 20 minutes away from Seville, and is one of the 13 towns located in the Doñana, one of Spain’s most important national parks and wildlife reserves.

As most Spanish towns, Aznalcázar has an active social and cultural life, with several bars & restaurants, annual “fiestas”, two supermarkets and 3 banks. It’s also home to Las Minas golf course.

The history of our town goes back as early as the 1st century BC, when it was supposed to be an Iberian settlement named Olontigi. Public transportation connects Aznalcázar with Seville, as well as nearby towns and landmarks such as El Rocío.

DOÑANA NATIONAL PARK

Aznalcázar is located inside the Doñana National Park and Wildlife Refuge, since 1994 a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Doñana covers 543 km² (337.41 mi²), of which 135 km² (83.89 mi²) are protected. Most of the park can be visited freely using the mountain bikes available at the residence, while 2 guided visits are offered daily for those willing to visit the protected areas..

MATALASCAÑAS

For those who enjoy relaxing at the beach during the weekend, the coastal town of Matalascañas is located at about a 40-minute drive from Aznalcázar. Besides the beach you can also walk in the dunes and the virgin beaches of the Doñana.

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HOW TO GET HERE?

By plane: several European cities are directly connected with Seville through national and low-cost airlines. Most American and Asian airlines offer good connections to Seville via a stopover in Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, Brussels, Frankfurt and several other European capitals.

By train: In 2 ½ hours, you can get from Madrid to Seville on the AVE bullet train.

By car: from Madrid using the E-5 highway and from the Spanish Mediterranean coast, using the E-15 highway.

Once in Seville, our driver can pick you up at the Seville airport or railway station and drive you to the residence.

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ABOUT SPAIN

With 57 million visitors per year, Spain is the second most visited country in the world. And there is a reason for that: more than 4,000 km of coastline, the highest mountains (after the Alps), and hundreds of natural parks. More than 40 World Heritage Sites around the country... A rich history, reflected in the architecture of its cities.

Spain is also the birthplace of the Spanish language and of what we now know as Latin America. And who could neglect the great Spanish gastronomy?

Although there are no real official figures, it is estimated that over 50,000 people visit Spain for Spanish language study. This is an impressive figure, quite above the second destination for Spanish study: Mexico.

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YOUR WEEKEND

If you feel like it, you can register for extra language classes on Saturday morning or play golf at one of the 3 golf courses in the region. Additionally Seville and its surroundings offer plenty of attractions to explore: Ronda, Granada and the Alhambra Palace, Cordoba and the Mezquita, Jerez, Cádiz,... Also, Cáceres, Guadalupe, Trujillo, Mérida, Faro (Portugal) and other important towns and cities are not so far away, but we recommend staying at least one night at a hotel in the city you visit... Anders Languages does not organize these excursions for you, but can help you organize your trip or get you in touch with our partner travel agency.

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WHAT THEY SAY...