Warm, sunny, dry and just over 2 hours from London…a perfect short-haul autumn destination! Set in the beautiful region of Andalucía in the south of Spain, famed for its whitewashed hilltop villages. It can feel like you’re miles away from Europe, with the Moorish influence on the city, a hint to its exotic past.
Image by Shai Pal/Unsplash
Flight time: 2hrs 20mins
Average day temp: Sep 25⁰C /Oct 20⁰C /Nov 15⁰C
Average rainy days: Sep 2 /Oct 6 /Nov 7
Average rainfall: Sep 19mm /Oct 70mm /Nov 67mm
Highlights
- Explore the labyrinth of elaborate rooms, stunning examples of Mudéjar art, a combination of Christian (Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance) and Moorish design, and lush gardens at The Alcázar of Seville, the royal palace built for the Christian king Peter of Castile.
- Seville's cathedral, Santa Maria de la Sede, is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world and the resting place of Christopher Columbus. The Giralda is the bell tower and was originally the minaret for the Great Mosque of Seville. It does not have stairs but 35 ramps to allow the muezzin to ascend on horseback for the call to prayer…and for the Sultan to take in the view!
- Wander around the Parque de María Luisa and stumble across the Plaza de España, built in 1928 for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929.
- It’s possible to take a day trip to Granada from Seville and visit the ancient palace and fortress complex of the Alhambra, historic home to Sultans, Kings and Queens.