Seville, the city of Carmen, Don Juan and Figaro, is the self-styled greatest city of the south of Spain, full of all the archetypal Andalucian cultural delights.

Once described by Byron as "a pleasant city, famous for oranges and women", Seville carries an illustrious history and a reputation for the intensity and enjoyable nature of its lifestyle.

The city also displays a peculiar dichotomy between its wealth - mainly gained through its food processing, shipbuilding, aircraft construction and tourism industries - and the fact that it is situated in an area of great agricultural paucity.

Traditions and culture in Seville

Seville was a centre of artistic splendour in the 17th century, with painters such as Velazquez, Murillo and Valdes Leal leaving behind their legacy in the shape of their works.

In 1929, the city hosted the Latin American Exhibition, which brought about important urban improvements, and the Expo of 1992 also helped to shape its image as a vibrant and diverse destination.

Nowadays, the city boasts two festivals which are colourfully and exuberantly observed by the locals - the Semana Santa (holy week at Easter) and the Feria de Abril (starts two weeks after Easter Sunday and last for a week).

Seville is also credited with the invention of tapas and has over a thousand bars, allowing hungry visitors to try a dish in every eatery along a particular street.

Things to do in Seville

The city certainly serves up a feast for arts lovers, with five theatres and a number of different musical festivals throughout the year.

Furthermore, the southern Spanish art of flamenco is joyfully embraced in Seville, with the unmissable chance to sit quietly at night with a small group of friends with nothing but a guitar, a voice and the moving body of a dancer to take the attention.

No holiday guide would be complete without a mention of the locals' ability to enjoy their nightlife, and the city offers a wide range of bars and clubs.

The many open-air bars along the river are particularly appealing on warm summer evenings, while the streets of Marques de Paradas, Julio Cesar and Adriano are lively for late-night drinking.

Day-trips to other Spanish cities are also a possibility so anyone looking to book flights or find flights online should also be able to get a value hotel and use it as a base for further travel.

Weather in Seville

Weather is a crucial part of holiday information that travellers will always be keen to look at. The good news is that the city plays host to blazing hot sun every day from June to September, with virtually no rain and temperatures reaching 40C during the day and 18C in the evening.

The winters are milder, but still tend to be clear and sunny, with the occasional warm and overcast day. The evenings are noticeably cooler, but temperatures can still reach 20C during the day.

Destination checklist for Seville

Seville has a population of around 700,000, with a total of 1.5 million in the metro area

The city is one hour ahead of BST time.

The official currency is the euro.

Spanish is the official language spoken.

Seville's international dialling code is +34.