Seville

Seville is the capital of Andalusia and one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, full stop. Unlike Madrid (vast, formal, exhausting) or Barcelona (brilliant but increasingly touristy), Seville has maintained a quality that's harder to define — it feels like a real place that's also extraordinarily beautiful, rather than a heritage site that people happen to live in.

The Real Alcázar

The Royal Palace of Seville is one of the finest examples of Moorish architecture in the world and significantly more human in scale than the Alhambra in Granada. The gardens alone are worth the entry fee (£12–£15 online). Book the first entry slot of the day and you'll have it largely to yourself for the first hour.

Seville's Tapas Culture

Seville still maintains the tradition of free tapas with drinks in many bars — order a glass of fino sherry or a cerveza and receive a small plate of food. In the Alameda de Hércules area and around the Triana neighbourhood, this is common practice. Even where tapas aren't free, raciones (larger sharing portions) cost £4–£8 and a full meal for two with wine rarely exceeds £30 outside tourist zones.

Flamenco

Seville is the home of flamenco and the best place to see it performed properly rather than performed for tourists. The Casa de la Memoria runs intimate shows in a historic courtyard for around £20 per person — book ahead as it sells out. Avoid the all-inclusive 'dinner and show' tablao packages; they're expensive and the quality is variable.

Day Trips from Seville

Córdoba is 45 minutes by AVE high-speed train (around £20 return if booked ahead) and home to the Mezquita — the extraordinary mosque-cathedral that's one of the most important buildings in Europe. Granada and the Alhambra are 2.5 hours by bus or train and absolutely worth an overnight stay if you have the time. Cádiz, the ancient Atlantic port city, is 1h 30m by train and has excellent beaches and one of Spain's best carnival celebrations.