{"id":17694,"date":"2017-02-23T18:16:30","date_gmt":"2017-02-23T17:16:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/devoursevillefoodtours.com\/?p=3393"},"modified":"2017-02-23T18:16:30","modified_gmt":"2017-02-23T17:16:30","slug":"8-reasons-to-visit-seville-in-winter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/dev.devourtours.com\/blog\/8-reasons-to-visit-seville-in-winter\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Reasons to Visit Seville in Winter"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
This blog post was originally posted on November 17, 2015, and was updated on February 23, 2017.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\nThe days have gotten shorter, temperatures have dropped, and we\u2019ve fished out our warm coats and wooly hats. It can only mean one thing – winter is here!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A great way to chase away those winter blues is to have a trip to look forward to<\/a>, and Seville is the place to go! Not many people would consider Seville much of a winter wonderland, but in recent years more and more people are visiting the city during the colder months. Certainly considered more of a summer destination, Seville is a city that manages to maintain its unique charm, even with a chill in the air. Not convinced? Allow us to reassure you with these eight reasons to visit Seville in winter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Photo Credit: Jorge Fraganillo<\/a>, Text overlay: Devour Spain<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Is the winter weather quite extreme where you\u2019re from? Seville\u2019s scorching summers<\/a> are perhaps what the city is most famous for, but its weather during the winter months is just as noteworthy. With average temperatures at a pleasant 10-12 degrees during the winter months, more and more people are choosing Seville as a winter destination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can still comfortably take a stroll by the river, wander through some of Seville\u2019s famous parks<\/a> or even make your way to one of the city\u2019s rooftop bars<\/a> and take in the sensational nighttime views. Whether you\u2019re expecting 6 feet of snow or wind and rain, the gentle chill of Seville\u2019s streets is the perfect weekend escape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Call us biased, but we consider the food in Seville to be pretty exceptional regardless of the season! However, when winter arrives, a number of the city\u2019s traditional tapas<\/a> become the perfect comfort food on a cold winter\u2019s day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The joy of stepping into the warmth of an authentic tapas bar in the Arenal<\/a> or Alameda neighborhood, and devouring a plate of spinach with chickpeas or tender pork cheek stew in a red wine reduction has to be experienced to be truly appreciated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No festive season would be complete without a rummage through the stalls of a Christmas market<\/a>. Seville has a number of wonderful markets located in various parts of the city, all selling beautiful, hand-crafted products – perfect for that unique Christmas gift<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With carols being sung in some of the central squares of the city, the smell of freshly roasted chestnuts wafting through the streets, and the flicker of the bright lights overhead, the atmosphere around the festive marketplaces is something truly special.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Visiting the many incredible sights in Seville is an absolute must when you\u2019re in the city. The good news is that queues for entry to see the astonishing architecture<\/a> of the Cathedral and the beautiful gardens of the Alcazar Palace are generally shorter in winter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As sunset gets earlier and earlier, a stroll through the atmospheric Plaza de Espa\u00f1a and the beautiful adjoining Maria Luisa Park is the perfect way to spend a winter\u2019s evening. All in all, Seville\u2019s many beautiful monuments provide a romantic kind of magic<\/a> in winter that we don\u2019t see at other times of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you wander through the streets of Seville in the lead up to Christmas you will see elaborate displays of the nativity scene in shop windows and churches all throughout the city<\/a>. In the Spanish tradition, the bel\u00e9n<\/em> often consists of a depiction of the entire city of Bethlehem, not just the crib scene itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Each year, huge numbers of people in Seville make their way to the Feria del Bel\u00e9n<\/a>, a market at the foot of the Cathedral that specializes in figurines and decoration for the nativity scene, to buy a new addition to the display. Seeing the passion of the locals as they comment on and appreciate the nativity displays throughout the city is an amazing insight into the importance of tradition here in Seville, something that makes the city so special.<\/p>\n\n\n\n New Year\u2019s Eve is traditionally a family affair in Seville. After a feast of fish and white wine, once the clock strikes twelve each member of the family frantically tries to eat twelve grapes, one at each stroke of midnight. This tradition is said to bring good luck for the New Year and trust us, it is not easy!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Restaurants throughout the city will put on special menus for visitors and families<\/a> who don\u2019t fancy cooking, and huge crowds gather in Plaza Nueva to take part in the countdown while eating their grapes watching firework filled skies. As the following day is a public holiday, people will stay out long into the night to ring in the New Year in style<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Spain, gifts are exchanged on January 6th as The Three Wise Men make their way to all the houses in the country bringing gifts to all the children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Seville, this day is marked with a huge parade through the city where Los Reyes Magos<\/em> throw sweets and small plastic toys to the people who have lined the streets in their thousands to see the spectacle. This huge celebration<\/a> marks the end of the holidays as children go back to school the next day, and the festive season sure does go out with a bang!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
1. Enjoy the weather<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
2. Taste some incredible food<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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3. Visit a Christmas Market<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
4. See the sights<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
5. Experience the Bel\u00e9n tradition<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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6. Eat some grapes on New Year\u2019s Eve<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
7. See the Cabalgata de Los Reyes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
8. Take a day trip<\/h2>\n\n\n\n