Much of Seville's interesting history can be seen first hand at one of the many buildings and other sites still standing in the city. Alternatively there is an abundance of museums and art galleries where one can gain insight into the past and present culture that makes up Seville.

Below we have included a bit more information on some of the finer details worth knowing. Learn about the different neighbourhoods or districts that make up the city or read up on the fascinating facts that everyone should know.

Seville is a marvel. It’s a city of various diverse (and wildly beautiful) neighbourhoods: the narrow alleyways of the Barrio de Santa Cruz are lined with glorious old palaces and stunning plazas… the Alfalfa, Triana, the Macarena and Santa Catalina, meanwhile, all teem with life.

A visit to Seville would not be complete without knowing the art of the Andalusian capital, and Andalusia is world famous for its passion for flamenco dancing. That's why we offer an unforgettable evening where you can enjoy a real spectacle at a flamenco show while enjoying a delicious tapas dinner.

Let the spirit of flamenco sweep you off your feet with a lively introduction to the roots and culture of this fiery dance form.

According to legend, Sevilla was founded by Hercules and its origins are linked with the Tartessian civilisation. Called Hispalis under the Romans and Isbiliya by the Moors, the high point in its history was following the discovery of America in 1492, when wealth flooded in from the "New World". For all its important monuments and fascinating history, Sevilla is universally famous for being a joyous town.

Some important Feria terms so you can sound like a local. Albero - traditional yellow sand (its colour is emblematic of Sevilla) on the ground of the recinto - can get dusty in hot weather, turns to mud when it rains. Alumbra(d)o - when all the portada´s lights are switched on, at midnight on Monday. This is the traditional beginning of the Feria

The Real Club Sevilla Golf course requires strength and strategy to navigate the stands of well established trees and natural lagoons. Although flat with wide fairways, the trees make things more difficult and the undulating greens will test one's short game.

From Seville airport, you can head straight up into the Sierra de Aracena, a beautiful and little-known part of Andalucia. Visit a British-influenced mining town where football and golf were first played in Spain, and find out about this fascinating colony. You can also head to Cordoba, an easy two-hour drive, and then to Granada - with Seville, the three major historic Moorish cities of Andalucia.

Home to the Exposición Universal 1992,known as Expo 92, this area to the north of Triana now houses a technology park; La Cartuja, a 15th-century monastery which has a contemporary art centre; university departments; a theme park, Isla Magica and some excellent concert venues. You can visit some of the Expo 92 pavilions

Los Remedios is an area of wide, straight avenues (strangely for Seville, with its narrow, windy streets) and large blocks of modern flats inhabited by the smarter end of society - this is the city's only purpose-built residential district.

This area is between Plaza de Encarnacion and Plaza Nueva, and its main attraction is the shopping zone around calles Sierpes, Cuna and Velazquez/Tetuan. Come here to find excellent quality Spanish-made leather shoes, boots and bags, as well as the traditional fans and embroidered shawls - or just do as the locals do, and walk around browsing and discussing, before stopping for a coffee. Zara and Mango abound; other fashion chains include Blanco, Pull & Bear and Sfera.

This dark period in Catholicism´s history is still endlessly, if morbidly, fascinating, and it is rumoured that a museum on the Spanish church´s merciless 300-year purge of ´heretics´ is being planned in Seville.

If you're visiting for more than a few days then you might be interested in getting to know the surrounding area as well. With world class destinations like Cordoba and Granada (the home of the Alhambra) just a short drive away, why not take the opportunity to visit their top attractions before heading home.

As a hub for key conferences, Seville offers the perfect gateway into exploring other alternative areas of Andalucia. Find out more information

A hand-picked selection of mid-range hotels in Seville city centre, generally three and four-star hotels.

Feria Paraphernalia. Each and every decorative element used in Seville’s spring fair has its own unique history. The paper lanterns that are strung across the fairgrounds first made their appearance on the scene at the 1877 fair.

One of the most controversial of Seville´s many claims is that Cristobal Colón (Christopher Columbus) is buried here, in Sevilla´s mighty Gothic cathedral, variously described as either the third, second or biggest cathedral in the world (the other contenders being St Peter´s in Rome, and St Paul´s in London), depending on who you talk to.

The 1992 Expo put Seville on the map. Andalucia had become poor and backward during the Franco era, and an injection of cash for new roads, a high-speed rail (AVE) linking Seville to Madrid and a new airport transformed the city.

In 1519 Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan set sail from Seville with a fleet of five naos (carracks or carvel-built wooden sailing ships) to find the Molluca spice islands, in modern-day Indonesia. Three years later, only one of his naos returned, the Nao Victoria, captained by Juan Sebastian Elcano – Magellan had been killed in a conflict in the Philippines.

Those from Seville, Andalucia or, in fact, anyone who really wants to enter into the spirit of the "feria" dress up in their finery, ideally the traditional "traje de corto" (short jacket, tight trousers and boots) for men and the "farales" (flamenco style dress) for the women.