Seville - the Basilica de la Macarena

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We are off to Seville! We departed from Madrid’s Atocha train station, traveling to Seville via the high-speed AVE train. We went first class, which was a fun experience, and included in our ticket cost was meal service, including wine. It took us only a short 2.5 hours to get from Madrid to Seville.

We arrived in Seville and had a short cab ride to our hotel. The Hotel Simon was formerly an 18th century mansion and is decorated with period antiques, has a charming inner courtyard, and is located a block away from the cathedral in a very central location.
With the afternoon still free, we took a cab to the northern Seville area to visit the Basilica de la Macarena. We got there just in time for siesta closing, so decided upon a refreshment break and exploration of the surrounding 12th century Moorish walls, to kill the 3 hours until reopening.

The Basilica de la Macarena was very interesting. Inside is the main altar dedicated the Virgin (Mary) of Hope figure, with her human hair and crystal tear drops. Upstairs we see the two major floats used in the city’s annual parade, the largest one depicts the sentencing of Christ and the smaller one celebrates the Virgin Mary.

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Photos

Basilica de la Macarena
The Virgin of Hope

Old Moorish city walls
Me posing