Saw many solar panels north of the road.
I was dropped off right here, in front of the Alcazar, right at the entrance to the city center.
Paid €2 at the tourism office at the ground level.
Walked up to the platform.
Found a group of kindergarden kids and employees in costumes.
A nice looking but small fortress. Still has some reconstruction material lying around.
Not a bad view of the city and the surrounding hills from its tower.
Carmona is a small town. 253 m (830 ft).
I'm here to visit its Roman necropolis.
Walked 20 minutes west. It's open and free.
The amphitheatre is locked in, outside of the compound, on the north side of the road.
Walked up to the rooftop of the visitor center for a better view.
There's a very small display in the visitor center.
Next to the visitor center is a picnic area under big trees.
I sat here for awhile before walking to the bus stop. Ate my lunch.
The necropolis compond has not too much to look at.
Tombs 2nd-4th century BC (supposed to be over 900).
I saw manybe 1-2 dozen. Just dark tiny chambers, devoid of anything decorative.
This one has a ladder to go down. I put my headlamp on.
Walkways and roofs to block direct sun.
The two main ones are Tomb of Elephant (named after a mosaic floor) and Tomb of Servilia.
A guy was painting the Tomb of Servilia.
I saw maybe 2 other visitors. Too hot.
After a simple lunch at a picnic table in the shade, I walked south to a gas station on the main road out of the city, to waited for the 1pm bus. €2.9 from Carmona to Seville. It's a regular suburban bus. 20 miles. About once an hour on weekdays, less frequent on weekends.
Seville is the largest town in Andalucia (4th largest in Spain), and the seat of the region. Almost at sea level.
The problem to a tourist with a larger city is there are multiple train/bus stations.
I'm not sure where the drop stops are. I got off somewhere between San Sebastian and San Bernardo stations. Walked to my hotel. Not an unpleasant walk, from leafy squares to narrow alleys. All quite busy.
First, I visited the large gothic Cathedral (15th century).
The ticket includes "audio guide", which is very lame. They give you a QR code, for your phone to scan, and download from their webside, but they don't offer any WiFi.
Elaborated ceilings, gilded alters, intricately carved choir, massive doors (all are beautifully carved).
At its completion, it surpassed Hagia Sophia as the largest cathedral in the world.
Yes, it was also converted from a mosque.
The only son of the Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile was baptized here in 1478. Christopher Columbus' tomb is also here, carried by 4 bronze soldiers.
The tower (la Giralda) is included in the same ticket.
A bit of a walk. Great view of the dome, the buttresses of the cathedral, and beyond.
A separate ticket would allow you to walk by the buttresses on the domes. But it's "guided", so you are not allowed to roam freely.
The court yard with orange trees is also nice, but seems a bit small next to the giant building.
No place to sit.
Afterwards, I went over the Bridge of San Telmo to Mercadona for grocery and beer.
The walk is very pleasant on Paseo de Cristina. A lot of people.
Holiday lights were strung up, a large Christmas tree (a cone really with lights) at Puerta de Jerez, but none lit yet.
This Fuerte de Híspalis, named after the old Roman name of Seville.
Nice stroll paths on both river banks.
From the bridge, to the north is the Tower of Toro, to the south is the red bricked Palacio San Telmo (a guy was practicing roller skating in it's large and empty square).
Row boats and cruise boats on the river. A few birds.
I bought some roasted chicken and potato, ate on one of those park benches, watching the crowds go by.
There are many booths that sell trinkets.
A few chestnut roasting carts here and there. The air was filled with sweet smoke.
11/30, Wednesday. Visited Alcazar (€14.5) as soon as the door opens.
Very similar to Alhambra in Granada, except much smaller in scale.
Started in the 11th century, expanded in the 12th.
Muqarnas ceilings, intricate stucco, a few fountains and reflection pools.
The Patio de las Doncellas is the most lacy one here.
Paved with white marbles in the late 1500s.
Now a reflection pool, brick path and short plants, more similar to the original
Mudejar garden here (mid 1300s).
2nd floor of the palace was remodeled for the Christian Kings as their residence. Not very interesting. More rooms can be visited with an extra different ticket.
On exiting the palace, 3 green-blue parrots perched on the roof.
The garden is nice enough, nothing fancy.
There's a maze of trees.
Some ducks and a couple of peacocks.
Most Fountains in the garden are dry.
I really like the 17th century Galeria de Grutesco (Grotto Gallery) that transformed the old Muslim wall to an Italian loggia.
From there, you have a good view of the garden.
Fountain of Fame here in a square pool has some large black carps.
The water cistern (Los Baños de Doña María de Padilla) is also worth checking out.
Some very old frescos still visible at the entrance.
I left the wall exactly at noon, to the lovely Plaza del Patio de Banderas.
Quite a few "artists" outside touting their paintings.
The large plaza (P. Virgen de Los Reyes) east of the cathedral is quite busy.
I'd be walking here many times later, because my hotel is only 2 blocks north.
Good view of La Giralda.
The north side is the pink arch-bishop palace.
Saw a happy couple of dwarf statue trying to take photo of Giralda in front of Fountain Farola.
Went to the bus station Plaza de Armas. It is quite confusing.
I had to ask around to find the bus 170 for Santiponce (inside the building, at the very north end).
The bus makes all local stops.
The express bus "A" on the posted schedule doesn't exist!
I got off one stop north of the town of Santiponce.
Walked a bit back to the entrance of Italica (free).
Italica is the first Roman settlement in Spain and the first Roman city outside of Italy.
It was founded in 206 BC.
Decline started in the 3rd century when River Guadalquivir shifted its course.
Despite of its illustrious history: birthplace of the Roman emperors Trajan and Hadrian), the site has suffered looting and quarry of construction material throughout the history.
Funny to learn that it under Napolean's occupation in early 1800s, that the first law of protection took place.
Currently, almost nothing old is left standing.
New bricks (concrete) were laid to show the outline of the houses.
Beautiful mosaic floors are being restored. Many of them.
The amphitheatre is quite impressive. All around there are tunnels going through crumbled cells, some are reconstructed.
I wandered around for an hour, and caught the same bus back to Seville. It's hot, no shade. Went to Mercadona next to the station for groceries before returning to the hotel.
The ticket to the cathedral also includes entry to the Eglisia Colegia Divino Salvador.
Peach façade, guilded statues.
Instead of a QA code, it has nicely illustrated posters showing the details of the important chapels, in both Spanish and English.
Around sunset, I walked to Plaza de España
On the way, walked through University of Sevilla, in the old tabacco factory building.
I was able to roam its hallways. Very plain inside, like an institution, a bit disappointing.
The building itself is nice looking. Large, neoclassic, surrounded by a dry moat.
I really like Plaza de España.
It's huge. Some tourists, but not too crowded.
A few boats carried the last tourists of the day along the small canal through beautifully tiled bridges.
Some part of the building, you can access the 2nd floor.
Tiled walls and nice ceilings, ceramic lamp posts and benches.
A small Flamenco dance group was giving a performance in the center of the hallway.
People sat on staircases to watch.
After the sunset, the lights came up, the fountain is illuminated with rotating colored lights, a bit tacky.
The plaza is still very pretty.
At the bottom of the building, many tiled alcoves representing a different province of Spain, or specialty of an area. Seville itself has more than 3 alcoves. Need to come during the day to photograph them.
Walking back to my hotel, by now quite tired.
12/1, Thursday. Overcast.
Walked to "The Mushrooms" (Las Setas).
On the way, passed by Templo De La Anunciacion, whose crypt houses Panteón de los Sevillanos Illustres (tombs of noteable locals).
The Mushrooms look better on the photo than in reality.
Large wooden structure provide shade, but otherwise, looks abandonned. The off-white color looks dirty. It should look better at night when lit.
The upper level was closed.
Might be a good place for outdoor concert.
Maybe it was too early in the day.
A few closed vendor booths decorated by poinsettas.
Walked to the bus station Padro San Sebastian to check schedules: I'm leaving the city today.
On the way, briefly visited Iglesia de Santa Maria La Blanca.
A very plain building from the outside, but brilliant ceiling inside.
A morning mass was going on.
Plaza de España is nearby. I wanted to photograph the ceramic alcoves during the daylight.
The province of Seville occupies 2 alcoves, and the city of Seville has one.
Leaving today for the province of Cádiz.
