Discover Seville & Córdoba with Pepe Tours!

Built on the banks of the Guadalquivir River, Seville is heir to a rich Arab legacy, and to the condition of being a prosperous trading port with the Americas. Every street and square that makes up the historic quarter of the Andalusian capital bursts with joy and bustle. This area has an interesting collection of historic buildings, many of which have been declared World Heritage Sites.

The cathedral rises up on the site of the great twelfth century mosque, that nowadays only retains its minaret, also known as the Giralda, thanks to the weathervane that has lain on its peak since the sixteenth century. Likewise, 'Las Abluciones courtyard' and the current 'Del Perdón' door are also parts of the old mosque. It was converted into a Christian temple when the city was conquered by Fernando III of Castile in 1248. This stages of construction pass through the Mudejar, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque periods, an academic period of Neoclassic works, and, finally, a stage during which attempts were made to complete the previous stages, purifying the styles.The remains of Christopher Columbus lie in the cathedral.It is one of the world's most beautiful Gothic temples. The dimensions of this cathedral make it the third largest church in the world.

'La Plaza de España' was built because of the Ibero-american Exhibition of 1929, held in Seville. Its creator was Aníbal González. He mixed a style inspired by the Renaissance with typical elements from the city: exposed brick, ceramics and wrought iron (worked by Domingo Prida). Its floor plan is semicircular. It is dominated by 2 towers, one on each side of the enclosed area, which frame the central building where the main rooms are. Between the two towers runs a network of galleries with an arcade of semicircular arches leading to exits in different parts of the square, where a fountain stands. Painted ceramic benches representing all the provinces in Spain are arranged round the square.

Situated deep in Andalusian Autonomous Region, Cordoba is a compendium of history and modernity. This ancient city, which has been declared World Heritage Site, is a living legacy of the diverse cultures that settled in it throughout history. Very few places in the world can boast of having been the capital of Hispania Ulterior under the Roman Empire, and the capital of the Umayyad Caliphate. Such splendour is palpable in the intellectual wealth of this centre of wisdom and knowledge, that has seen the birth of figures like Seneca, Averroes and Maimonides.

To take a stroll through the historic quarter of Cordoba is to discover a beautiful network of small streets, alleys, squares and whitewashed courtyards arranged around the Mosque-Cathedral, which reflects the importance of the city during medieval times and which is a real symbol of the capital. Its fame spread after it was built, due to its ingenious construction and its wealth. The "forest of columns" (there are nearly a thousand of them), set on top of the Visigoth basilica, is one of the main attractions of this place. The Cathedral and Mosque now form a unique architectural space because, during the Reconquest, it was decided that a Gothic-style cathedral would be built inside the mosque itself. With the passing of time, Plateresque and Baroque elements came into play. Thus, barrel vaults and Baroque ornaments fuse with geometrical motifs and verses from the Koran.