Yes, it's in all the guide books but the Alcazar is easily missed. From the outside it doesn't look anything special but inside it's magical and a lot less frantic than the Alhambra. If you visit make sure you spend some time in the gardens. If you only have an afternoon in Seville and have to choose between the Cathedral and the Alcazar then give the Cathedral a miss.

Plaza del Triunfo; tel: 954 502 323

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It may be cheesy, but I can thoroughly recommend the hop-on hop-off open-top bus tour because it gives you a great feel for the city and provides priceless orientation in little over an hour. From there we quickly decided which cultural sites we wanted to take a closer look at, and we also spotted (and visited) a very traditional, very un-touristy tapas bar near the river where local workers were taking their lunch. It was also a great way to see all the Expo buildings (both Expos) and get some background on why they were (and weren't) successful.

Operated by Sevirama (tel 954 560 693). Buses leave half-hourly from the riverside Torre del Oro (any hotel can give precise directions there). Hop on and off as you wish. One ticket lasts 24 hours.

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This wonderful Moorish palace next to the cathedral is very human in scale and the Islamic art is stunningly beautiful. Even on the very hottest summer days, the flowery gardens are an oasis of calm.

By contrast, the cathedral next door is a gloomy, depressing place. The Giralda is part of the Grand Mosque that the Christians incorporated into their church post reconquest.

Plaza del Triunfo, Santa Cruz, Seville;
tel: 954 502 323

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