If you are lucky enough to end the year in Seville, you will notice that its citizens live Christmas passionately. It’s a time for family, where the streets fill with lights, decorations and joy to welcome Sevillians and tourists alike.
Write down this date: November 26. This will be the day Seville turns on all of its Christmas lights in no less than 287 streets. Walking under the city lights enjoying the roasted chestnut smell will be a total delight this time of the year.
During the stroll you will come across several Christmas markets, where you can buy ornaments, Nativity figurines or the traditional polvorones from Estepa, a type of shortbread made with almond meal and lard. The main markets are located in Muelle de las Delicias, Alameda de Hércules, Plaza de la Encarnación and Plaza Nueva.
No one can leave Seville without trying its mantecados, marzipans and other Christmas sweets. That’s why it’s necessary to stop by the Convent Sweets Exihibit, which celebrates its 37th edition at the Real Alcázar between the 4th and the 7th of December. Here you can sample and buy traditional pastries and cookies made by cloistered nuns. But if you aren’t in Seville during those days, not to worry. There are stores specialized in these delicacies and they are open year-round. Mantecados la Colchona, La Despensa de Palacio, La Campana or La Dulcería de la Rondeña are some of the best.
For the superstitious ones, there are two lottery retailers where you must make a stop to buy some tickets: Sagasta los Millones and El Gato Negro.
On a different note, you can’t skip the Nativities: at the City Hall, the Cathedral, the Hospital de la Caridad, the Church of el Santo Ángel, the Bellver Museum, the Church of el Salvador… In addition, the Nativity Fair takes place every year next to the Archive of the Indies, where storekeepers and artisans in the sector offer their goods.
If this isn’t enough for you, the City Hall organizes audiovisual shows every year in some spots around the city, like San Francisco Square.
The little ones will have a great time in Sevillalandia, an amusement park with rides and shows at FIBES (the Conference and Exhibition Center), and Sevilla On Ice, a huge ice-skating rink at the Muelle de las Delicias.
The Maestranza Theater joins the celebration with an Extraordinary Christmas Concert on December 29. The Cathedral and other churches tend to also offer religious music concerts during this time of the year.
As a grand finale, the Cabalgata takes place on January 5 to celebrate the Three Wise Men. Organized by the Ateneo de Sevilla, it runs the streets of the city with over 30 carriages, sweetening children’s and adults’ hearts alike with its candy.
However, the rest of the city’s cultural activity doesn’t stop during these months: museums, monuments, tablaos and restaurants await visitors with open arms. The combination of culture, gastronomy, leisure and warmth make Seville the perfect place to spend a dreamy Christmas.
We at CoolRooms Palacio de Villapanés would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
