‘ Vibrant 16th century beauty at Casa de Pilatos & traditional seafood paella in the heart of Seville’
La Casa De Pilatos (Pilate’s House) is a wonderful hidden gem in the heart of Seville. I stumbled across it through pinterest and I was drawn to its beautiful 16th century Sevillian architecture. With a touch of Renaissance flair, the palace has a Gothic Mudejar style to it that spills with breathtaking ceramic details. It is much less known than the Alcazar and for that reason, it is also far less crowed and peaceful. It costs about 8euros/ticket to get in and it includes a guided audio tour of the entire palace. It is located in the historical centre, making it a short walk from all the other must sees.
Casa De Pilatos also held my favourite backyard garden of Seville. With the gentle water dripping from the fountain and the right amount of manicured bushes paired with imperfect terracotta pots aligned against cracked walls, created that dreamy Sevillian ambiance. The sun was perfectly shining through the curved arches of the palace and the entire setting was very calming and culturally stimulating. While I believe Alcazar is a must see in Seville, that for sure requires a bit of planning as you should get pre-bought tickets, Casa De pilatos is charming and cozy with easy access. I would defiantly suggest to visit both places, but for example if you can’t get into Alcazar, casa de pilatos will give you that same royal flair in a smaller scale.
After visiting the civil palace, we did a bit of hand-made tile shopping just outside the casa and strolled back into ceramics quarter for some paella lunch. Restaurant La Cueva, located on Calle Rodrigo Caro, 18 opens up to a little square that has a tiny park in the middle surrounded primarily with ceramic shops and places to eat. You will smell the caramelized almonds cooked in little bakeries that linger through the narrow streets. The sweet sugar almonds made the perfect dessert while shopping for ceramics, while for lunch we shared a delicious seafood paella under the shade of naranja trees. With our hands stained from saffron from peeling the gambas, we scooped the remaining juices of the bottom of the pan to savour those wonderful flavours of Seville.
Dressed in a rusty pink slip skirt and a silk blush blouse, I loved the way this outfit fit right into the Spanish aura. I got this darling straw basket from a little shop in town that was so easy to carry most days as it was so light and airy.
Dramatic rooms are almost spooky but so beautiful at the same time.
