It’s September. Suddenly, as if by magic, the city comes to life, breaking the silence that had befallen its streets for the past few weeks. The holidays complete, workers and students alike pour into the city once more, ready to start back after the summer break. Home again, returning from afar, stepping into the familiar routine.
For some, however, it will be the first time they set foot in this beautiful city. Students in their hundreds, both national and international, arrive with excitement and expectation for what the next few months will bring, their suitcases full of determination to make the most of their time here, a certain longing for adventure, but perhaps also a little fear of the unknown.
Maybe it’s the first time they’ve left home. Or maybe it’s their first time abroad. Either way, neither are tourists, though that’s a role they may fill at times. After all, you can’t come here and not see the sights.
So, jump on a Tussam bus and take a look around. Get a feel for this sunny Andalusian city. Explore its main streets, get your bearings, learn how to get to Plaza de Armas bus station, Santa Justa for the trains, the old Tobacco Factory (now turned University of Seville) or where to go for some cheap tapas and tinto de verano on a night out.
This destination may have been a choice, it may have been the only available option. People come for a myriad of reasons. Yet maybe, just maybe, this city will shape your life and your future in a way far more meaningful than you’d ever imagined.
Make the most of your time here, visit the usual sights but then go deeper, meet its people, become a local, discover their traditions, find yourself a favourite bar, a favourite shop, a favourite park bench… After all these years I’m still wowed by this city and its many secret spots, hidden from the busy tourist’s eye.
You may be here for four, six, nine months, maybe a year, maybe four. Make yourself at home in this city. Invest in getting to know it, really getting to know it. You may just find you fall in love.
Welcome to Seville! Perhaps I’ll see you around!
The Spanish Berry 