Seville: A Gourmet’s Travel Guide
By Tretanz
Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on email
Share on print

The largest city in southern Spain, Seville is on the lower reaches of the Guadalquivir River about an hour’s drive from the coast. Although this is a relatively dry region, the river makes it one of Spain’s most productive agricultural regions, growing a wide variety of cereal crops, vegetables and fruits, and it is especially famous for olives, sunflowers and the bitter oranges that are everywhere in the city itself. The hills around the valley are where they breed the Iberian blackfooted pigs, the pata negra, perhaps the best-known Spanish gourmet food; westwards is the sherry triangle, and from the coast comes a wide variety of fish and seafood.
As everybody knows, Sevilla (as it’s known in Spanish) is famous as the home of tapas, those little dishes that come with your drink and which are the preferred way of dining out here, and the city is reputed to have three thousand tapas bars, catering to what seems to be an almost insatiable demand that is now fed by a growing number of gastronomic tourists. Pork, fish and seafood figure prominently, but there are many other popular dishes with a range of historical roots in Europe and Moorish North Africa.
There’s generally not much distinction between bars and cafes, as almost all of them serve both coffee and alcoholic drinks, and most serve tapas too. And there’s so many of them! You’re rarely more than a couple of minutes from somewhere to sit and enjoy a little refreshment while you watch the world go by.
Although tapas is the name of the game in Seville, if you’re looking for a more formal, sit-down type of dining experience, there are some great restaurants too. At the top of the tree is Seville’s only Michelin-starred restaurant, Abantal. Take a stroll down Calle San Fernando for a handful of exceptional restaurants including Oriza and Salvador Rojo, or go a bit trendy with Perro Viejo on Calle Arguijo. Need some dining tips while in Spain? We have those too!
Seville has four food markets in the city centre, run by the city council. All of them have a great selection of fruit and veg, fish and seafood and fresh and cured meats, and bars that serve up food that comes straight from the market stalls.
Seville has been important since Roman times, and in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries was the richest city in the world, so not surprisingly, it’s full of places to see.
Seville has seen a big increase in the number of hotels to choose from over the last few years, especially in the boutique hotel sector.
Just as Spain and Portugal’s histories are intertwined, so too are their culinary influences. While
Your certified wine expert will not only craft the idyllic vinous experience just for you but will personally
Since 2005, Catavino has been exploring the Iberian Peninsula looking for the very best food and wine experiences.