Over some wine and beer with my parents and sisters, who were visiting me in Nuremberg this past May, I was convinced to fly with them to Sevilla for a couple of days! Up until then, I had been vehemently saying no throughout their stay in Germany as I really shouldn’t have be missing so much university. But as tends to happen when alcohol is involved, their ideas started sounding a lot more appealing. So that very evening, we booked a flight out of Nuremberg for the following morning.
Day 1:
I should have been waving my sisters off from my room the next morning, but instead I was right there with them on the way to the airport. The flight was quick, and before we knew it, we had landed in Sevilla, Spain.
Our first stop was the Hotel EME, located right outside the cathedral. The view of the cathedral towering above the bustling street below was absolutely stunning. The hotel itself was incredible with stylish rooms, a rooftop bar, pool, and a chic, upscale atmosphere that made the whole place feel fancy.
After settling in, we went out in search of food—naturally, tapas. Unfortunately, the place we chose turned out to be more of a tourist spot than anything authentic, so the food was a bit underwhelming. To be fair, though, I’m not entirely sure how much I love tapas to begin with.
We then wandered around the city, checking out the sights and quickly realizing that nearly everything required a ticket. It makes sense, of course, but my sister mentioned that when she lived here, it had been much easier to access many of the landmarks. Most of the sights also required a booking in advance, so for the first day we didn’t have anything planned.
As we strolled through the streets, we stumbled upon the bullring, Plaza de Toros. With nothing else planned, we decided to head inside. All of the entrance tickets cost a lot, but being a student is really helpful in getting discounts!
It was fascinating to see where the bulls are kept and explore the rooms behind the arena. I hadn’t realized (maybe a bit naively) that bullfights always end with the bull being killed. That detail made the whole experience feel a little chilling, but still, it was interesting to get a glimpse into the history and culture of the sport.
After leaving the bullring, we continued exploring and eventually found ourselves walking along the Guadalquivir River on our way back to the hotel. The path was full of runners, locals, and lively bars, which gave the whole area such an enjoyable atmosphere.
By evening we were all pretty worn out, so we decided to keep things simple and have dinner at the hotel’s restaurant in the basement. A plate of salmon was the perfect way to end the day!
Day 2:
The following morning, one of my sisters and I headed out a bit earlier for breakfast. We found a little brunch spot just down the street. There hadn’t been any open tables outside, but a friendly pair from Seattle noticed us waiting and invited us to join them. So we did!
Having lived in Europe for the past three years, I think it’s fair to say the stereotype holds true—Americans really are more open and friendly. It’s always so refreshing to be reminded of that when meeting complete strangers from the US while abroad. We chatted with them over breakfast, then said our goodbyes and went on with our day.
We did a bit of walking and shopping before eventually running into the rest of the family. After exploring together for a while, my sister and I had to split off for our scheduled visit to the Real Alcázar. We’d booked it just the day before, and by then there were only two time slots left—which is why it ended up being just the two of us.
Inside, the palace was full of detailed tile patterns, carved arches, and large courtyards with fountains and gardens. Some rooms had painted ceilings, while others opened onto long hallways that made the whole place feel like a maze. The mix of Arabic and Christian design was visible everywhere, making it very unique to walk through.
As students, we got our tickets for 50% off (a perk I’d definitely recommend taking advantage of if you can!). The audioguide, though, I wouldn’t suggest, it was overly complicated and lacked a clear direction.
I definitely recommend visiting this site if you’re ever in Sevilla, it’s absolutely worth it!
Later, after each of us had completed our individual tours, my parents having been at the cathedral, we reunited on our way to Plaza de España. We stopped for lunch at a nearby restaurant adjacent to Parque de María Luisa, a lush garden that borders the plaza. The meal took a bit longer than expected, but it was well worth the wait.
Then we finally reached Plaza de España, and wow it was absolutely stunning. It looked just like a painting, alive with music performers and vibrant energy. The tiles gleamed in the sun, reflecting the light all around, and water flowed through the moat with bridges leading up to the main building. A grand staircase took us up to viewing platforms, offering a full view of the plaza below. If I lived there, I’d definitely spend a lot of time there reading, people watching, or just soaking in the atmosphere.
After a while, we headed out to a cocktail bar located in the gardens right next to it. It was also very peaceful here and we enjoyed talking to eachother for a while.
To end the day, we got some dinner at an Asian restaurant. We had only been having tapas and we were excited for something else!
Day 3:
This morning, I was supposed to fly out at 6:30 a.m., but we realized last night that my flight was actually scheduled for the following morning! It was a bit of a shock and not that ideal, since it meant missing even more school. But hey, it happens!
My family had flights around the same time as my supposed flight that morning to head to Madrid, where one of my sisters has been living for the past six months. That being said, I was left with a whole day to myself.
I started the day by grabbing some breakfast and catching up on some schoolwork I was missing. I went to a cute little cafe called Jester Coffee and Juices, which had a great selection of baked goods, bowls, and breakfast sandwiches, perfect!
Since I hadn’t visited the cathedral the day before, I decided it would be my first activity of the day. I got in line, as all the online tickets were already sold out, and ended up waiting for about an hour. Don’t make the same mistake if you’re visiting, book tickets for all the must see museums and sights online in advance!
It was absolutely worth the wait though! The Sevilla Cathedral was stunning and enormous. After seeing so many in Europe, you start to get a little desensitized as they all start to blend together, but this one truly took my breath away. I’d 100% recommend visiting if you’re in the area. And the view from the cathedral’s tower over the city? Simply immaculate!
Afterwards I just walked around for a bit and got some Lunch by the Fuenta de la Plaza de la Alianza. It’s a super cute area! I got some shrimp and a glass of red wine to enjoy while I sat and people watched. Completely absorbed in the atmosphere I was definitely in my happy place!
After walking a while more I got some icecream at a chain called Amorino Gelato. It was so cool! You order your ice cream on a screen and you choose four flavors that they pack into the size you get. All the flavors I got were so tasty!
They took real care in making sure that the cup was filled to the top and they got lots of ice cream into it. So worth it! I like my icecream, so it’s very frustrating when you say one scoop and they put a small ball into your cup that doesn’t fill it up.
I enjoyed it on a bench and people watched yet again. A bit later I headed towards the hostel I booked right next to the airport to fly out the following morning.
Sevilla is absolutely stunning! One of my sisters had lived there for a semester and always raved about it. Now I really understand the love for the city. What a wonderful time! Who knows maybe I’ll end up here for my semester abroad in a couple of years.
Highlights:
Around the World with Abigail 
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