Whoever visits Seville for the first time usually does so with high expectations and a long list of clichés under their arm. The list of recommendations for the traveler is endless. Nobody wants to miss the sites that appear in any tourist guide, with the cathedral, the Giralda, the Plaza de España, the Real Alcázar, the house of Pilatos, the Santa Cruz neighborhood, or the General Archive of the Indies as unavoidable.
However, limiting yourself to strolling through the most emblematic corners of any city is missing out on its true spirit and the Andalusian capital is no exception. There are a thousand and one Sevilles, as many as there are views, because subjectivity is inherent to any perception. The town has a special color and light and an unsuspected ability to reinvent itself and surprise the outsider through its details.
The light of the Seville capital caught Joaquín Sorolla when he visited the city in 1908 to paint a portrait of Queen Victoria Eugenia. The Valencian artist found inspiration in the gardens of the Reales Alcázares that led him to paint works such as La alberca, Alcázar de Sevilla, which immortalizes an intimate corner of the Alberca patio.
The reflection in the water of the white walls and the pots around the pond and the light contrast with the nature that surrounds it create a recurring image in many of the painter's works. In the coming months, the Sorolla exhibition will arrive in Seville. Traveling to paint, an exhibition framed in the commemorative events of his death, with canvases from the collection of the Sorolla Museum in Madrid inspired by the city.
The originality inherent in the Sevillian spirit is the characteristic that best describes this unique boutique hotel hidden in the heart of the old Jewish quarter of the Andalusian capital, ideal for those seeking to escape from convention. The establishment, which oozes history on all four sides, occupies 27 traditional Sevillian houses connected to each other through forty patios and underground passageways, preserving the original architecture and the layout of its old streets.
Inside, Arabic-style fountains, statues, columns, period furniture and even ancient walls mix with the comforts of a luxurious hotel. Its 134 rooms and suites – all of them with their own personality – preserve elements of the original buildings combined with antique furniture and wooden floors. A rooftop pool with views of the Giralda and a complete spa with the suggestive name of Las Termas de Híspalis that immerses the guest in ancient Rome turn the stay at Las Casas de la Judería into a most unique experience.
At the antipodes of tradition, Naked and Famous, a local groundbreaking a few meters from the Giralda, shows another side of the capital that is equally attractive. Reflective materials, neon lights and saturated colors characterize this cocktail bar with avant-garde design, which occupies a historic house in the heart of the center. The project, signed by Kresta Design, is the platform from which the young mixologist Cisco Rodríguez presents his cocktails, turning the experience into a succession of immersive sensations.
With an unconventional menu, Naked and Famous offers versioned classic cocktails, non-alcoholic mixes and its own creations with a daring personal stamp that leaves no one indifferent. An establishment, in short, unavoidable.
Its creative proposal is infinite and constantly evolving, however, the most iconic pieces of The Exvotos are the ceramic heads, containers welcomed by the general public as small treasures. The authors, Daniel Maldonado and Luciano Galán, who define themselves as artists – not artisans – are inspired by the classical world to create these particular offerings to the gods from their workshop on 33 Castellar Street.
Visiting the studio is only possible by appointment, but the experience is highly recommended. The high demand for these pieces, recognized internationally, forces them to make custom purchases. Get one of them to treasure a unique piece of Seville.
