One of the most evocative and enduring images of Spain is the sight of an orange tree, shiny-leaved, with its intoxicating perfume and juicy fruits set against a clear blue sky. Luckily it's an achievable dream for none of the citrus are difficult to grow given reasonable conditions.
There´s a saying that Sevillanos are so astonished the British actually want to use their bitter oranges to make marmalade, that they reckon the pith is secretly used to make gunpowder. If you have ever made the mistake of biting into one of the oranges from Seville´s tens of thousands of trees when visiting, you will understand why.
One of Seville’s most amazing attractions can be enjoyed free of charge as you walk the streets: more than 14,000 bitter orange trees that decorate the “calles” and infuse this charming city with the heavenly scent of their blossoms every spring. In fact, these ornamental, bitter orange trees outnumber every other species of tree in the city of Seville.
One of the first things you may notice when shopping for food in Andalucia is how fresh and affordable the fresh produce is. Oranges are a special treat with fresh crops supplying supermarkets and shops throughout the late fall, winter and early spring seasons. This is the perfect way to get your Vitamin C, fresh off the tree.
Oranges are big business in Spain. Andalucia topping the charts in production ahead of Valencia since 2019. However, the “naranjo” (orange tree), its blossoms and its fruits have a long tradition in Andalucia with Moorish poets singing their praises in Islamic Spain and historians reminding us that these trees were also valued by Greeks and Romans who surely cultivated them in their Iberian colonies.
Visitors to Seville will notice a symbol on many signs around the city, from taxis and buses to sewer covers, consisting of the letters ´NO8DO´. This is the city´s logo, and legend says that it originates from the 13th-century coat of arms awarded to Sevilla by King Alfonso X the Wise.
When you visit Seville, you will undoubtedly go out for tapas. These small, tasty dishes, now found all over the world, originated in Sevilla.
One of the most controversial of Seville´s many claims is that Cristobal Colón (Christopher Columbus) is buried here, in Sevilla´s mighty Gothic cathedral, variously described as either the third, second or biggest cathedral in the world (the other contenders being St Peter´s in Rome, and St Paul´s in London), depending on who you talk to.
The 1992 Expo put Seville on the map. Andalucia had become poor and backward during the Franco era, and an injection of cash for new roads, a high-speed rail (AVE) linking Seville to Madrid and a new airport transformed the city.
There´s a saying that Sevillanos are so astonished the British actually want to use their bitter oranges to make marmalade, that they reckon the pith is secretly used to make gunpowder.
Seville is a city of dualities. If you´re a football fan, as many Sevillanos are, you´re either a betico or a sevillista, supporting Real Betis Balompie (green and white strip) or Sevilla Futbol Club (red and white).
