Recommended Seville tours

My family and I had a wonderful 10-day trip through Spain in June ’05. We fell in love with Seville, where we had a fabulous local guide. Concepcion Delgado (phone 902-158-226 or mobile 616-501-100 or visit www.sevillawalkingtours.com) speaks excellent English and loves sharing her city with others. Anyone with only one day in Seville ought to begin the day with her tour.

She leads a daily 2-hour walking tour of the old part of the city. It starts at the statue in Plaza Nueva at 10:30 (Monday through Saturday) and costs €10 (near $12). There will be, at most, 15 people in the group.

Our 10-year-old daughter was as fascinated with Concepcion’s explanations and stories as we were. We learned so much about the city during a tour that we changed our plans and stayed an extra day in Seville.

In addition, Concepcion offers afternoon tours of the city’s most important sights: the Cathedral (the largest Gothic church in the world) and the fabulous Alcazar (the Moorish palace and gardens). These each start at the statue in Plaza del Triunfo at 1 p.m., last an hour and 15 minutes, and cost €6.

The tour of the Alcazar (offered on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday) explains the evolution of the palace, its incredible architecture and its beautiful gardens. Her tour of the Cathedral (on Monday, Wednesday and Friday) provides an understanding of its history and the vast range of art that it contains.

Visitors to Seville should call to confirm tour departure times and to reserve a place.

MARVIN L. ROGERS
Columbia, MO