For visitors, Seville is one of the most beloved places in Spain. Founded more than 2000 years ago, Seville is now the artistic, cultural, and financial center of southern Spain. The climate is Mediterranean, with mild winters and sunshine year-round. The city of Seville is universally famous for its vibrant culture, excellent cuisine, bullfighting, and Flamenco music.
Cultural & Historical Tour Options
IBERO Service and the IPI Organisers have coordinated two tour packages for the IPI-ConfEx 2008 attendees. To reserve your placement on the tour please complete the form and fax or e-mail to IBERO Service. Click Here to view the Tour Registration Form, which provides further details of the Tour Packages. Do NOT send your reservation to the IPI Organisers.
Seville: Art & Traditions featuring Alcazar and the Santa Cruz Quarter,
Sunday, 2nd March, 09:00 - 12:00
Guests will visit the impressive Alcazar, the ancient Palace of the King Almotamid and the home of the Royal rulers of Andalucia for centuries. This palace has a unique architectural structure that is combination of both Moorish and Spanish influence.
Next, we will continue with a walking tour through the mysterious Santa Cruz Quarter, a gleaming maze of white houses and flower-filled patios. Seville´s noble families resided here.
Then the tour will visit the famous bullring of Seville, the famous Plaza de La Maestranza which is without a doubt one of the most outstanding bullrings in the world. It was built in the 18th century and was fully restored in the mid-20th century. A visit to the the museum is included as well where you will see many artifacts from the greatest "Toreros" of all times, such as pictures, paintings, dresses, swords.
The Classic Seville Tour featuring the Gothic Cathedral and Casa De Pilatos,
Thursday, 6th March, 10:30 - 13:00
The tour starts with a panoramic ride through the city, passing by the beautiful Colón avenue with its typical Sevillian houses; the neoclassical Maestranza bullring (the largest in Spain); the Golden Tower, a remnant of Seville´s moorish fortifications; and the Palm Tree Avenue, where most of the beautiful buildings left from the Ibero-American Exhibition in 1929 are located, and the María Luisa Park with its unique impressive square of España that has ornamental tiles representing an historic moment of each Spanish province.
Once in the old part of the city, guests will visit the impressive 5th century late Gothic Cathedral built on the site of a Mosque, and that is the third largest in the world (after St. Peter´s in Rome and St. Paul´s in London). The immense nave with the beautiful carved choir, and numerous side-chapels are filled with art treasures, including works by Murillo and Goya.
The visit continues to Casa De Pilatos a superb example of Mudéjar Art and Architecture. This palace is an amazing representation of the many cultures and civilizations that molded its make-up through out the successive generations. As you walk through the mysterious palace you will see why the Sevillians feel that within these halls myth and reality are so closely linked that the separation of one from the other is not always very clear. Even the very name of the house hints at the surrounding aura of legend and myth. According to old Seville traditions, Casa de Pilatos is supposed to have been copied literally from the Roman praetor of Jerusalem.
