Side Trips

Carmona

34km (21 miles) E of Seville

If you're driving to Carmona, exit from Seville's eastern periphery onto the N-V superhighway, following the signs to the airport, and then to Carmona on the road to Madrid. The Carmona turnoff is clearly marked.

An easy hour-long bus trip from the main terminal in Seville, Carmona is an ancient city dating from Neolithic times. It grew in power and prestige under the Moors, establishing ties with Castile in 1252.

Surrounded by fortified walls, Carmona has three Moorish fortresses -- one a parador, the other two the Alcázar de la Puerta de Córdoba and Alcázar de la Puerta de Sevilla. The top attraction is Seville Gate, with its double Moorish arch, opposite St. Peter's Church. Note, too, Córdoba Gate on Calle Santa María de Gracia, which was attached to the ancient Roman walls in the 17th century.

The town itself is a virtual national landmark, filled with narrow streets, whitewashed walls, and Renaissance mansions. Plaza San Fernando is the most important square, with many elegant 17th-century houses. The most important church is dedicated to Santa María and is on the Calle Martín López. You enter a Moorish patio before exploring the interior with its 15th-century white vaulting.

At Calle Emmedio there's a Roman amphitheater as well as a Roman necropolis containing the remains of 1,000 families that lived in and around Carmona 2,000 years ago. Of the two important tombs, the Elephant Vault consists of three dining rooms and a kitchen. The other, the Servilia Tomb, was the size of a nobleman's villa.

Carmona can be viewed relatively easily on a day trip from Seville, but because it has some of the most romantic and evocative hotels in the area, many visitors try to schedule an overnight visit.

Italica

9km (5 1/2 miles) NW of Seville

If you're driving, exit from the northwest periphery of Seville, following the signs for highway E-803 in the direction of Zafra and Lisbon. A bus marked M-172 goes to Itálica and departures are from the Estación de Autobuses at Plaza de Armas. Buses depart every hour for the 30-minute trip.

Lovers of Roman history will flock to Conjunto Arqueológico Itálica, Av. De Extremadura 2 (tel. 95-562-22-66 or 599-82-62; www.museosdeandalucia.es), the ruins of an ancient city northwest of Seville on the major road to Lisbon, near the small town on Santiponce.

After the battle of Ilipa, Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus founded Itálica in 206 B.C. Two of the most famous Roman emperors, Trajan and Hadrian, were born here, and indeed, master builder Hadrian had a major influence on his hometown. During his reign, the amphitheater, ruins of which can be seen today, was among the largest in the Roman Empire. Lead pipes that carried water from the Guadalquivir River still remain. A small museum displays some of the Roman statuary found here, although the finest pieces have been shipped to Seville. Many mosaics, depicting beasts, gods, and birds, are on exhibit, and others are constantly being discovered. The ruins, including a Roman theater, can be explored for 1.50€ ($2.40). The site is open April to September, Tuesday to Saturday 8:30am to 8:30pm and Sunday 9am to 3pm. From October to March, it's open Tuesday to Saturday 9am to 5:30pm and Sunday 10am to 4pm.