Seville in 3 days

The Cathedral of Seville (UNESCO World Heritage — built 1401–1519 on the site of the great Almohad mosque of Seville (the largest mosque in the world at its 1198 completion): the largest Gothic cathedral in the world (the decision made at the 1401 planning meeting was reportedly "Let us build a church so large that those who see it finished will think us mad" — and they succeeded: 11,520 square meters, the largest cathedral by volume until the completion of St Peter's in Rome). The tomb of Christopher Columbus (the four bronzed figures of the kings of the four kingdoms of Spain carrying the casket — the tomb is in the south transept: controversy remains over whether Columbus's remains are actually here or in the Dominican Republic, where a competing tomb also claims to hold them). The Giralda tower (the minaret of the original mosque, 1198, converted to a bell tower in 1568): the ramp (not stairs) leads to the top — the ramps were built so the muezzin could ride a horse to the top to give the call to prayer.

Triana (the neighborhood on the west bank of the Guadalquivir, connected to the Arenal by the Triana Bridge (Puente de Triana, 1852 — the oldest iron bridge in Spain)): the original home of the flamenco gitano (Romani/Gypsy flamenco — the most authentic and least commercialized flamenco tradition, born in the courtyards (corrales) of the Triana tenement buildings where Romani families have lived for 400 years). The Triana ceramics tradition (the azulejo (the hand-painted blue and white or polychrome tin-glazed ceramic tile of the Moorish tradition) made in Triana since the 15th century: the Triana ceramics market on the Calle Alfarería). The Mercado de Triana (the covered market on the riverbank) for lunch.

Torre del Oro (the Tower of Gold — the 12-sided Almohad watchtower on the Guadalquivir riverbank, built in 1220 as part of the city walls: named for the golden reflection it cast on the river, or alternatively for the gold brought from the New World that was stored here (Seville had a legal monopoly on all trade with the Americas from 1503 to 1717 — all gold and silver from the New World passed through this city, making 16th-century Seville the richest city in Europe and the most cosmopolitan city in the world at that moment). The walk along the Paseo de Cristóbal Colón at sunset, with the Torre del Oro and the cathedral reflected in the river, is the most beautiful evening scene in Seville.

La Azotea (Calle Jesús del Gran Poder 31 — the most celebrated modern Sevillano restaurant: the updated Andalusian cuisine of Juan Viu, using the indigenous products of the Doñana wetlands, the Iberian pig from the dehesa (the holm oak forest of western Andalusia), the local salt-marsh lamb and the fish of the Atlantic coast. The signature dishes: the huevo de choco con trufa (the cuttlefish egg sac with black truffle and Iberian fat), the carrillada ibérica (the slow-braised Iberian pork cheek) and the bienmesabe (the ground almond and egg yolk sweet of the Moorish tradition).

Plaza de España (Parque de María Luisa — the semicircular plaza built for the 1929 Ibero-American Exposition: the 50,000 square meter ceramic-tiled semicircle with a 500m curved colonnade, four bridges over the moat (one for each ancient kingdom of Spain), a fountain at the center and the 48 ceramic tile alcoves representing each province of Spain (each alcove has a map of the province in glazed ceramic and a scene from its history: Seville's own alcove shows the 1248 reconquest of the city by Fernando III of Castile). The most elaborate example of Spanish Regionalism architecture, now used as a government building (parts of the colonnade are offices of the regional government of Andalusia).

Mercado Lonja del Barranco (the riverside market in the former 1883 iron market building (Gustave Eiffel designed the iron structure), converted in 2016 to a gourmet market: 20+ stalls with Andalusian specialties. The essential Sevillano lunch: the jamón ibérico de bellota (the acorn-fed Iberian black pig ham, air-cured for 36–48 months in the Sierra — the most expensive ham in the world, available from the carvers at the market), the gazpacho Andaluz (the cold blended soup of tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper, garlic, olive oil and sherry vinegar — the Seville summer staple, very different from the chunky salmorejo of Córdoba) and the pan con tomate y aceite (the bread rubbed with ripe tomato and dressed with Andalusian extra virgin olive oil).

The Museo de Bellas Artes de Sevilla (Plaza del Museo 9 — the second most important painting collection in Spain: the Baroque religious paintings of Francisco Zurbarán (1598–1664 — the monk-like painter whose white-robed Dominican friars and Carthusian monks float in dramatic chiaroscuro, the most characteristic painter of Sevillano Baroque), Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1617–1682 — the Sevillano painter of tender, luminous Immaculate Conceptions and street urchins: the "Spanish Raphael"), and the early works of Diego Velázquez (before he moved to Madrid). Housed in the former Convento de la Merced (1612).

El Rinconcillo (Calle Gerona 40 — founded 1670, the oldest tapas bar in Seville and one of the oldest in Spain: the bar with the long wooden counter (mostrador) and the barman who chalks your tab directly on the wooden bar (then adds it up when you ask for the bill). The sherry (Jerez — the fortified wine produced in the "Sherry Triangle" of Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlúcar and El Puerto de Santa María, 80km south of Seville: fino (the driest, palest, served very cold, the classic aperitif sherry), manzanilla (the fino produced only in Sanlúcar de Barrameda — the slightly saline note from the Atlantic air), oloroso (the darker, richer, oxidative sherry) and Pedro Ximénez (the sweet black raisin sherry, poured over vanilla ice cream). With a tapa of espinacas con garbanzos (the Moorish dish of spinach with chickpeas and cumin — the most characteristic Sevillano tapa).