Famous for flamenco, spotty dresses and fiestas and, of course, the eponymous oranges, Sevilla, capital of Andalucia, is a stylish and sophisticated city brim-full of life with a truly fascinating history.

Though a full 80km from the Atlantic, the city’s once-immense riches were founded mostly on its activity as the port of the Americas in the Golden Age when it enjoyed a monopoly on trade with the colonies. It was from here that Magellan set off around the world.

Founded in Roman times the city began to flourish under Muslim rule when Sevilla was second only to Cordoba in importance.

And you can truly sense all this history as you explore its Old Town, Europe’s third largest, which has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Cathedral and Giralda tower, the Alcázar palace, and the General Archive of the Indies.

The main festivals, Feria de Sevilla and Semana Santa (Holy week - Easter) are in the spring but the city has a special buzz at any time of the year whether you want authentic flamenco concerts in Triana or just bustling tapas bars serving Spain’s best ham and sherry wines direct from the barrel.