Seville - Andalusia
The Spanish coast has mutated into a hideous mish-mash of foreign owned skyscrapers.
So where is the heart of Spain now? Inland, in the Andalusia province.
And the largest, liveliest, prettiest, most interesting city of Andalusia is the capital. See Seville. Moorish? Definitely!
Sights and activities in Seville:
Lovely walks around the old Jewish quarter of Santa Cruz, full of tapas bars, picturesque alleys, glimpses of secret gardens, a Moorish palace, a gothic cathedral and many more grand, ornate buildings. Then there are promenades along the River Guadalquivir, buzzing with cafes and social action at night, with sights aplenty around there too.
And when you've done with walking, hop into a horse cab [discuss the price first] and trot off to more sights in the north, headed by the spectacular Plaza de España.
Or travel by water bus up the river...In particular look out for Moorish architecture, bullfighting [most Sunday evenings April - Oct], Flamenco dance/song [originally Andalusian], and Andalusian cuisine.
Seville cuisine guide
Andalusian cuisine differs from the rest of Spain due to the enduring Arab influence, using spices such as cumin, paprika and saffron, rice, cured hams, sauces made with sherry, and lots of olives and citrus fruit.
Gazpacho, a chilled raw vegetable soup originated in Andalusia, as did Tapas - varied small dishes to go with drinks [grilled sardines is a favourite], often enough to replace dinner, which is good because the city lacks outstanding restaurants.
The Santa Cruz area has many Tapas bars and atmospheric little restaurants, as has the opposite bank of the river [many outdoors].