Guadalquivir River Cruise

For two centuries after Columbus, the Guadalquivir was the busiest river in Europe. Seville held the royal monopoly on trade with the Americas, and every galleon carrying silver and gold from the New World had to sail up the river and unload at the Arenal, beneath the walls, where the House of Trade weighed and taxed the treasure. A cruise is the easiest way to understand that story and to see the city from a different angle. Most sightseeing boats leave from the quay below the Torre del Oro, the Tower of Gold, a twelve-sided tower built by the Almohads in the early thirteenth century as part of the city's defences; a chain could be stretched across the river from here to block enemy ships. Today it houses a small naval museum, and its name may come from the golden sheen of its original tiles or from the treasure stored nearby. From the water, the old town unfolds along the east bank: the Real Maestranza, the eighteenth-century bullring with its white-and-ochre façade, the Arenal district and the Cathedral and Giralda behind. On the west bank is Triana, with the colourful houses and bars of the Calle Betis and the iron Isabel II bridge, the Triana Bridge, opened in the mid-nineteenth century. Further north, the boats pass the futuristic bridges and pavilions of the 1992 Universal Exposition on the island of La Cartuja and the glass Torre Sevilla, the city's only skyscraper; to the south, they glide beside the palm-lined Paseo de las Delicias and the pavilions of the 1929 exposition. Commentary, live or recorded, explains the sights in several languages, and the hour passes quickly.

Choosing a cruise: the link goes to Seville's bookable sightseeing cruises, which range from a classic one-hour panoramic trip from the Torre del Oro to sunset sailings with a drink and appetiser, and longer lunch or dinner cruises with a multi-course meal. For a first visit, the one-hour sightseeing cruise is enough; for a special evening, a sunset sailing is the pick, when the low sun turns Triana gold and the bridges light up. Boats generally have an open upper deck and a covered lower deck, so you can choose sun or shade. Departures are frequent in high season and less so in winter, and sailings can be suspended in bad weather or when the river is high.

Visiting the Torre del Oro: the tower is open to visitors for a small fee and contains a modest naval museum with models, maps and instruments that tell the story of Seville's maritime past. Its real reward is the small terrace at the top, with views along the river to Triana and the Giralda. Allow thirty to forty-five minutes. The riverside promenade between the Torre del Oro and the Triana Bridge, the Paseo de Cristóbal Colón, is one of the best walks in Seville, especially in the evening, when Sevillanos come out for their paseo.

Make a half-day of it: walk from the Cathedral down the Avenida de la Constitución to the Torre del Oro, take the cruise, then stroll north along the river past the Maestranza bullring, which offers guided tours, and cross the Triana Bridge for tapas on the Calle Betis, ideally at sunset. With children, a cruise is a welcome rest for tired legs, and the boats are generally pushchair-friendly at the quay. In summer, an evening sailing is far more comfortable than an afternoon one. The river is also popular for kayaking and paddleboarding, which some operators offer from the Triana bank.