Seville

Romantic Seville is an unforgettable city of lovers and beauty

Sometimes a city becomes famous simply for its beauty and romantic aura. Seville (Sevilla in Spanish), the capital of Andalusia, is such a place. All the images associated with Andalusia -- orange trees, mantillas, lovesick toreros, flower-filled patios, and castanet-rattling gypsies -- come alive in Seville. But this is no mere tourist city; it's also a substantial river port, and it possesses some of the most important artistic works and architectural monuments in Spain. Unlike other Spanish cities, Seville fared rather well under most of its conquerors -- the Romans, Arabs, and Christians. Rulers from Pedro the Cruel to Ferdinand and Isabella held court here. When Spain entered its 16th-century golden age, Seville funneled gold from the New World into the rest of the country, and this is where Columbus docked after his journey to America.

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