Seville, the capital city of Andalusia in the province of Sevilla is known as the artistic, cultural and financial capital of the South of Spain. It has a natural beauty, being found on the River Guadalquivir and a rich history of over two thousand years. It is a vibrant town with a reputation of being lively and colorful.
Seville is home to a number of monuments that reflect its long and rich history. It is home to the minaret of La Giralda, which is located in the Cathedral of Seville, one of the biggest cathedrals in the Christian world. The cathedral was built between the years 1401 and 1519. It contains the longest nave in Spain and is built in a medieval and Gothic style. It was built where the city's mosque was situated and it used parts of the mosque in its construction. It also features large amounts of gold in its extravagant decorations. It is a must-see from an architectural and historic point of view. The minaret is now the bell tower of the Cathedral and is a symbol of Seville.
The city also houses the Alcazar Palace which was a Moorish palace whose building began in the 14th century. It is worthwhile to visit the Casa de Pilatos, the beautiful 16th century palace; the Torro del Oro, the 13th century tower whose top, it is rumored was once covered in gold; the old Town Hall; the Archive of the Indies and the Museum of Fine Arts. One of the most charming areas of Seville is the old Jewish Quarter. Full of small winding streets, it surrounds the area of the Cathedral. The Parque Maria Luisa was built in 1929 and contains many delightful monuments and museums. There are many other monuments and beautiful buildings in Seville that are worthwhile to visit.
The nightlife in Seville is vibrant and fun. No other city in Europe has as many bars per capita, as Seville does. If you are visiting during the summer months, you should visit Isla Cartuja at night and you can find many open-air discos. There are a number of annual festivals and other entertainment that happens during the year in Seville.
Due to Seville's popularity as a tourist destination, there are many accommodation options available and tourists to the area can choose from a traditional hotel to a modernized palace. There are approximately 20,000 accommodation options for visitors so it is likely that you will find the ideal accommodation to suit your budget and style.
You can choose to stay in a five star luxury palace-style hotel or if you are traveling on a tighter budget, you can elect to sleep in a simple and affordable guest house. Many of these are townhouses in an Andalusian style that have been made into holiday accommodation rentals. They have charming courtyards and are a pleasure to stay in. As Seville is a popular all-round holiday destination, accommodation fills up relatively quickly; therefore, make sure that you book long in advance.
Below is an at a glance overview of some of the exciting possibilities in the vibrant city of Bristol.
Historic Houses and Museums
One place of historic interest is Berkeley Castle. It is said to be one of England's oldest inhabited castle The stately home occupied by 24 generations of Berkeleys used to be a Norman fortress. It now houses treasures like Queen Elizabeth I's bedspread and Sir Francis Drake's cabin chest. You can wander around the beautiful, terraced grounds or visit the bowling green where it is reputed that Queen Elizabeth 1 took in a game of bowls during one of her stays at the castle. If you are a nature lover, visit the butterfly house and see hundreds of colourful, tropical butterflies.
If you want to learn more about social history, drop by Blaise Castle House Museum. Here you will find a collection of everyday objects including Victorian toilets and baths, kitchen and laundry equipment and period costume giving you a feel for how life was lived in Victorian England.
Before you exhaust your interest for history, check out one of Bristol's winning attractions the Brunel SS Great Britain, winner of the Gulbenkian Prize for Museums and Galleries in the UK 2006.
Shopping
Got shopaholic tendencies? Bristol will not disappoint. It's many shopping areas offer all types of goods from brand names to individual boutique items, from budget to luxury. The Mall Galleries is home to a variety of clothing from designer to high street fashion. It houses most famous name stores offering everything from home furnishings to gifts.
If you want an all-in-one shopping experience, visit Broadmead Bristol's main city centre shopping destination. Currently it has over 300 stores including household favourites like House of Fraser, Debenhams and Marks and Spencer to name just a few, cinemas cafes and pubs. A new extensive city centre regeneration project will eventually provide amongst other things, a Cinema de Lux; with over 3000 seats and 3 streets of shops. It is scheduled to open in September 2008.
Nightlife
If a day or weekend of culture and shopping hasn't exhausted you, prepare yourself to be spoilt for choice as the sun goes down and you go in search of some great nightlife. The Bristol Hippodrome offers the best in Broadway and West End theatre productions. For a more diverse arts experience visit the Tobacco Factory. Here you can watch in-house and touring productions and children's shows and music events.
If clubbing is your thing there is a lively scene around the harbourside; Bristol's main nightlife area. Check out Whiteladies Road, Park Street and the Old City.
You will no doubt find a day in Bristol is not enough time to take in all that Bristol has to offer. Having had taste you will almost certainly want to come back for more. Whether you are a short term visitor or even a business person, a great option would be a short term rental in a Serviced Apartment. Short term rentals in Bristol offer particularly competitive prices and are found in convenient locations. After a busy time exploring this vibrant city why not relax in your own home from home Serviced Apartment and wake up refreshed to take in the sights of the city again.
Both Gaizka Pujana & Michiel Van Kets are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.