I tagged along with my friend to catch some sun in Sevilla for a “Tapas Tour”. I didn’t know much about Sevilla so I was happy for my friend to take control of our itinerary. A big thanks to my friend for not only influencing the title but introducing me to a beautiful city.
Seville, Sevilla in Spanish, is the fourth largest city in Spain. It is in the South of Spain and is most known for its historical highlights. The city was highly influenced by the Moors so you’ll see both Islamic and Catholic influences throughout the city. Sevilla is also seen as the birthplace of the flamenco. We saw many shops filled with flamenco outfits and tourist apparel as well as flyers for flamenco shows posted around the city.
A Well Awaited Trip
This trip was a year in the making, we were supposed to go during the ‘Platty Joobs’ (Queen’s Platinum Jubilee) bank holiday but the prices were abysmal! So we were happy for this plan to finally materialise but also life had been lifing so our excitement kicked until after we landed. Feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin nearly always lifts my mood.
To make matters even better, I got asked if I was a fluent Spanish speaker? *Flips hair* For those that don’t know English is the only language I am fluent in unfortunately lol. I have attempted learning Spanish, French, Portuguese, Swedish and Russian but honestly I just haven’t been as dedicated as I would have liked to be. With Spanish I can get around decently but weirdly enough only in Spanish speaking countries.
This trip really taught me I need to be more dedicated in learning languages because I love being able to communicate with people properly. It also taught me I don’t know enough Spanish to book a taxi.
Landing in the Sun
We landed just after 10am and headed straight to our hotel. We stayed at a fancy hotel called Abba. It had a great rooftop bar area, small gym and an outdoor pool for the non-winter/cold months. At some point you may be able to find a video of the hotel on my IG page. Check in wasn’t until 3pm. We had 3 hours to kill so we headed to a Hop on Hop Off City Tour. It was less than a 20 minute walk/roll away from the hotel and it was nice and warm.
There were some really great views but my gosh was I exhausted, so much so that I fell asleep. I think it is safe to say we didn’t spend an awful amount of time on the tour and I definitely wasn’t focused. We were going to visit some of the sights over the next couple of days, so it was no biggie. After realising both of us were ready to get off, we headed to Aldi to get some snacks then walked back to the hotel.
Checked In
After check-in we relaxed until it was time to head out to watch the sunset at Setas de Sevilla
it was partially accessible. This meant that seeing the full extent of the sunset was lost on me but it was still cool. It is free to access for disabled people and their carer; you just have to get tickets online before your arrival for fast entrance. I guess it is because of the lack of access. We stayed there for a while before setting off to find somewhere to eat.
I don’t know what it is about Spain, but I always forget to note down the names of places. All I remember is that it was a 9-minute walk away, and they had delicious cod and spinach croquettes. Personally, I felt that Sangria was way better in Barcelona, so I stuck to red wine for most of the trip.
We were supposed to go to a bar after but our bed was calling us; we were not in a fighting mood. We went to our hotel and prepared for a long morning.
Day 2 in Sevilla
We were up bright and early to go to the Guadalquivir River Cruise. The cruise vessel itself wasn’t anything snazzy but I loved being on the river taking in the sights. From here we headed to Triana Market were we heard there was spectacular Paella but were disappointed because the restaurant was fully booked. We ate somewhere else which offered large plates instead of Tapas type ones, it was okay. They were super busy and we were very hungry as we didn’t have the energy to get breakfast.
After exploring Triana Market, we trekked to the Royal Alcázar of Sevilla. This is another free activity for disabled people as there is limited access to all of the palace grounds. What’s to be expected when visiting historical sights to be honest.
An interesting fact for Game of Thrones fans, some of the scenes were shot in this very palace! Whilst it was nice to see the palace, I was quite happy it was free; otherwise, it would have been the biggest waste. Some sights were interesting but it was marred by the lack of access. I got stuck and had to get help from strangers. In addition, I was so tired that I had to get a energy drink and some sugar in me. Being a disabled traveller is not an easy feat as many places aren’t accessible and it is even more irritating for me to come across inaccessible places when I’m exhausted.
Tiredness 2: Sevilla Itinerary 1
That boost wasn’t particularly helpful. We ended up heading back to the hotel to eat and sleep instead of taking a look around Plaza de España and Maria Luisa Park. The plan after resting was to head to a Flamenco show at 9:30. However, after 1hr of trying to book a taxi we gave up. We were already super tired and not in the mood. Instead, we went up to the rooftop bar to have our last meal in Sevilla.
Continuing the vibes we headed to the bar next door. The owner/managers were a lovely gay couple who we got chatting with for a little while. Much of the conversation I do not recall at the time of writing this. Plus we went there for a bottle of wine, which my friend left me alone to drink. Drink responsibly kids.
Day 3: London Bound
That red wine definitely got to me. I woke up feeling worse for wear and had to rush to get ready for us to get breakfast before the taxi that the hotel booked for the airport arrived. We didn’t make it to a sit down breakfast but managed to pick up some bagels from a place right next to the hotel which we devoured at the airport.
Seven out of 10
Overall, Sevilla is a beautiful place, and I am so happy we went. I only mark it down due to the lack of accessibility in some of the places we went to but them being free and it being sunny definitely made up for it. Hopefully, my friend and I can embark on some more adventures!
