One thing the Spanish love is puentes. Literally translating as a ‘bridge,’ a puente is the name for an extended public holiday. Many of the Spanish national holidays fall on Thursdays. The puente is the ‘bridging’ between Thursday and Saturday as a lot of people take the Friday off, giving them a four day weekend!
This year, Thursday December the 6th was the day of the Spanish Constitution. (The Constitution was voted on in 1978 and this year was its’ 40th anniversary).
This meant one thing: Puente!
To make the most of the long weekend, I planned a short trip to Sevilla. The capital of Andalucía is about two and a half hours drive from Málaga. With the blessing of warm December sunshine, there was no better time to visit this vibrant Spanish city.
However, it seemed that half of Spain had the same idea as us. Because of the puente, the city was heaving! I had never seen so many crowds. The sheer volume of people meant that sightseeing became next to impossible; the queues for the famous Cathedral and Alcázar were never ending. Nevertheless, we managed to dodge the crowds and enjoy the quieter side of Sevilla.
Here were the highlights:
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Plaza de España
My ultimate favourite attraction. Plaza de España was looking even more majestic in the sparkling winter sunshine. Read more about this dazzling place here.
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Flamenco
We were lucky enough to be treated to an open air flamenco performance. The girls were fantastic dancers and their performance was truly beautiful, adding to the magical atmosphere of this city.
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Hotel EME
Another timeless spot for a drink, boasting the best views over the Giralda. I recommend visiting EME’s roof top terrace at sunset: that way you can enjoy both day and night-time views over this sublime spectacle. Pricey but so worth it.
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Villancico
We happened to stumble across this very special sighting. An extended family had gathered below the cathedral to sing a villancico, a traditional Christmas Carol. Family members of all ages contributed to the song with different instruments while members of the public eagerly joined in. Apparently villancicos are very typical in Sevilla. It was a wonderful sight to see so many people gathering together to sing this festive carol.
Sevilla never disappoints. It is a truly magical city.
La Buena Vida 