Plaza de España in Seville, Spain

Plaza Espana Blue Hour

Plaza de Espana at Blue Hour

Although this large open square, Plaza de España, may look several hundred years old, it was built relatively recently, 1929, when Seville, Spain hosted the World’s Fair.  Access to this plaza and the huge adjacent gardens is free and it is so large it is never very crowded.  Great local music was being played and echoing around the tiled hallways as I explored this plaza.

Visiting popular sites such as Plaza de España is what the double decker Hop-On-Hop-Off (Ho-Ho) buses are good for.  Irritating as they are, we keep riding them, for multiple days at a time.  They give you an OK overview of the area when one does not have a rental car.  It was unbearably hot when we were in Seville, with high humidity, or we would likely have explored more.  It doesn’t help that we do not get around till mid afternoon…..  Turns out a Segway is a great way to explore on such days so I took my first lesson and then a 90 minute Segway tour around this landmark and adjacent gardens.  A very enjoyable tour, on several levels…

Segway Tour Guide

Ana, the Tour Guide from Natureway, Segway Tours

If you are ever in Seville and need a good Segway Tour, I had a lot of fun on this one:   Natureway Segway Tours

Plaza de España Seville, Spain

Plaza de España has a canal encircling about half of it where one can rent rowboats and paddle around a while, under bridges and past fountains.

Espana Rainbow

Plaza de Espana Fountain Rainbow

 

Espana Canal and Boat Panorama

Plaza de Espana Canal and Boat Panorama

 

Rub a Dub Dub

Rub a Dub Dub, Peeking through the banisters of a bridge.

 

Espana Yellow Tiled Bridge

Espana Yellow and Blue Tiled Bridge

 

Plaza de España Rowboat peeks out from under a bridge

Plaza de España row boat peeks out from under a bridge

 

Plaza de España Rowboat Couple

Plaza de España row boat couple, plus the ever present evening swallows.

One section had what appeared to be colorful burial crypts or coffins so I was disappointed to learn they are simply tiled benches from all of the many provinces of Spain.

Plaza de Espana Alcove Benches

Plaza de Espana and its 50 Alcove Benches

 

Not only was this vast plaza and adjacent huge park created for the World’s Fair, but the streets surrounding this plaza were lined with beautiful, opulent homes for the wealthy citizens of Seville of the time.  The goal was to build some lasting structures to prevent “ugly commercial buildings” from encroaching on this area after the fair.

The Plaza de España has been the site of movies from Laurence of Arabia to Star Wars.

Plaza Espana Night

Goodnight from the Plaza de Espana

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