





We had a lovely trip to Sevilla for my birthday. I flew out on the afternoon of 17th May into Malaga where Phil was waiting for me. We drove back to the house and we had a nice quite evening together before heading off around midday on 18th to Sevilla. The weather was a big shock compared to what we were experiencing in the UK. Arriving from mediocre temperatures I was greeted by temperatures in the mid 30’s!! So out came all the lightweight summer stuff and on went the suntan lotion!!
Sevilla is gorgeous with some wonderful architecture and beautiful historic buildings to explore. We spent the whole of Friday exploring the city, visiting the Casa de Pilatos (Palacio de San Andres), Real Alcazar, and the Museo Taurino. In between our visits we stopped off for refreshments in a few of the local bars and soaked up the relaxed atmosphere of Sevilla.
We stayed in a nice hotel conveniently located in the old quarter with a lovely cafe and plaza outside it’s front door. It was very convenient for our evening exploration of the many tapas bars and restaurants and there is such a relaxed and friendly atsmosphere when you are out at night, and you can happily stroll the streets without having to worry . A far cry from the drunken, violent atmosphere of UK towns and cities! We can honestly say Sevilla is a city we would be more than happy to return to and explore in greater depth. Only having 2 nights there and one full day to explore gave us a taste of Sevilla but to do it justice we feel you need to stay at least 2 or 3 days.
On our way home on the Saturday afternoon we stopped off at a lovely town called Osuna which is built on a hill in the heart of the Andalucian countryside. It has a beautiful monumental centre, inherited from it’s former status as a ducal seat. According to the guide book the dukedom was created in 1562 and the House of Osuna was to become one of the most powerful on the Iberian Peninsula. The prosperity that Osuna enjoyed in subsequent centuries is reflected in the fine examples of civil and religious architecture embellishing the town. We had a good wander around the town and saw a bride & groom having their photo taken on the steps leading up to the Colegiata – an imposing 16C Renaissance style collegiate church which stands impressively above the town. What a backdrop for your wedding photos! After sampling some liquid refreshment and tapas in a couple of the bars we headed on back home for the rest of my stay with Phil before flying back to the UK on the Monday evening.