Que calor (un tinto de verano, por favor) !
We left
Two and a half hours later, and 
After checking in, we walked to Casa Pilatos for a visit. It was early noon but the sun burned already. We paid for the ground floor only, which was wonderful. Some sweet patio gardens, ancient roman statues, great architecture, large wooden doors,... A great start of our stay in Sevilla.
Later we found ourselves a "Mas" supermercado to buy a picnic. We got baguettes, cheese, serrano ham and those little tomatoes (don't know how they are called in English, we call them 'Cherry tomatoes', but that probably won't be the right translation), which we took to Plaza del Triunfo for lunch in the shade of a tree, close to the statue.
In the afternoon we visited the cathedral, a huge building, and one of the largest cathedrals in the world. It might be large, but it isn't that beautiful. There isn't any symmetry due to the constantly adding of parts, and there isn't much unity or atmosphere neither. Yet truly beautiful are the silver/diamond treasuries, the paintings, the ceilings and the grave of 
The Giralda is the symbol of Sevilla and offers a great view over the city. Yet you don't climb it with stairs but just a steep floor that goes up and up and up. I found it actually much more comfortable! Sevilla from the sky isn't as harmonious as e.g. a view over
Before returning to the hotel we went to find the tourist information office to collect some data about Flamenco performances, and we walked past Plaza Nueva, the town hall and the Avenida de 
We asked the receptionist of the hotel for a nice restaurant, and he recommended Torre de 
On our way home to the hotel we walked through the
Since this is a pub, naturaly, it isn't a place to eat or drink typical Spanish specialties. Yet we found the tinto de verano nice, and we had some 'tapas' that were really tasty too. I think the main advantage of Flaherty's is that it is open all day, both café and kitchen. So whenever you feel hungry or thirsty, you can come here. It is also a good place for those who doesn't like the Spanish cuisine.
I didn't tried the dishes here but I saw what the tables around us were getting, and stuff like spaghetti, hamburgers with fries,... looked very tasty (while in most Spanish restaurants they're no good).
The service as well was correct and friendly. There is no English menu but one of the waiters (just one, literally) speaks English and translates everything for you. He didn't know the translation for eggplant, but than he drew it for us! So don't worry about having to order something without knowing for sure what it will be :)
The Torre de la Plata is open all days I guess, but it opens late (at around 8pm). We went there for dinner, yet there is a good chance that is is open during the daytime as well, for serving tapas. If you go early there is no need for reservations. Oh, and by the way, the owner will great you at the door. His name is Antonio :)
You basically come here for wine and tapas, but in the evenings you can eat a meal here as well. We tried both the wine and the meal. They were both good, yet there are better restaurants in Seville to have dinner. I would recommend this place to have drinks outside.
Casa Pilatos was build by the duke of Tarifa, who travelled trough Europe between 1518 and 1520. There he fell in love with the Italian renaissance, and he decided to build a home is Sevilla that reflected his impressions. It became a wonderfull mix between ancient Greek/Roman statues and artwork, the classic renaissance, and the Arabic/Andalusian Mudejar. The statues on the patio date from the Roman empire (5th century before Christ), and are of a priceless value.
The house of Pilatos is now open for public. You'll pay 5 euro to visit the ground floor and the gardens, and 8 euro for the whole house (which we didn't pay). I think seeing the ground floor only makes a great experience already. It is not just one patio, but some gardens as well, so you can spend some time just down there. There are no student discounts, however.
Santa Cruz used to be the Jewish quarter, but nowadays it is Spanish, with many houses in Andalusian style, decorated with flowers and painted in white and yellow.
Take a detailed map when you need to find a specific street address here. The place is a maze! We had our hotel standing in the middle of it, and after two days we found our way around without a map. But when you first enter you might find it difficult to navigate. We got lost during our fist hour in Seville, passed by a delicious ice cream shop, but never were able to rediscover it later... Such a waste!
Originally, on the place were the Maria de la Sede stands, a Mosque was build, yet that is hardly noticeable nowadays. Only the little patio de los naranjas, at the exit of the cathedral, shows some original Mudejar walls, that ones belonged to the Medina.
Things you have to visit here are the large main altar, completely in gold and full of artwork. Note that the statues are designed to match perspective. The statues above are much much bigger than the ones below, to make it look like they all have the same size.
Another must-see is the tomb of Columbus. There has been much dispute since many places claim to have the remains of Columbus buried, but recently DNA research has confirmed that the bones in the tomb of Sevilla indeed belong to the great explorer that made Sevilla rich. The organ is immense and exceptional too, together with the treasury chambers, where many golden and diamond objects can be viewed.
Sevilla's cathedral might be the largest, yet not the most beautiful one. There are about 5 big parts, but the construction has been expanded and expanded many times and therefor lost it's unity and symmetry. The inside is huge, but I missed the touch of magic that floats around in other cathedrals and churches. Take the time to walk around the outside too, it gives a good impression of the size of the Maria de la Sede.
The Giralda tower is included in the entrance fee, so take the time to climb it as well. The view is wonderful, and so is the walk up. There are no stares, just a steep hill that goes round and round. You'll find it much more comfortable to climb than stares.
I find it inappropriate to ask an entrance fee for a cathedral, but in Sevilla, you need to pay. I think the fee is 7,50 euro's for adults and 3 euros for students. It is worth the many for sure, but still I think it is quite expensive... If I'm correct the entrance is free on Sundays, yet I can't confirm.
The service was a bit cold but yet correct, and we found one receptionist that was always willing to help us and give us tips about restaurants and shows, so we were happy about the personnel. This hotel has a small Andalucian patio at the reception, and we liked our stay here.
Yet please don't book breakfast here because it tastes bad! Most breakfasts in Spanish hotels are simple, yet this one was both simple and horrible. Even the orange juice was undrinkable, the bread wasn't fresh, the cornflakes old and dried out...
This was a bit of a downside, but overall, a nice place to stay with excellent air conditioning too! Not unimportant when staying in the hot Seville!
We paid about 35 euro per person per night
