Make a boat trip in Seville It is another way to get to know this beautiful city of Andalusia. To put it better, it is a complementary way to discover it that you can add to the tour of its streets, neighborhoods and monuments.
Keep in mind that the Guadalquivir river It has been an essential part of Sevillian life from its very origins. Their close presence caused the Romans to found Italica in the zone. Likewise, many centuries later, its navigable nature up to the Atlantic Ocean turned the city into a commercial center of the Spanish Empire. Therefore, so that you soak up local life, we are going to explain everything you need to know about the boat trip in Seville.
Boat trip in Seville: schedules, duration and other information of interest
Quay of the Marqués del Contadero with its promenade boats and the Torre del Oro
A boat trip in Seville allows you to also discover some of its most emblematic neighborhoods and have another perspective of their main monuments. In addition, you have different options when choosing the type of boat and the price. But we will talk about all this later.
Almost all the ships that offer you tours along the Guadalquivir have their base in the pier of the Marquis del Contadero. However, if you want to ask about it, you better call it from the Torre del Oro. It is next to this monument and is how it is popularly known. As you can see, it is in full tourist area, since the Tower is one of the most visited points in the city.
On the other hand, if you travel by car, you have a parking very close. Doing it on the street will be more difficult, precisely because it is central. Likewise, if you arrive from the other bank of the river, the closest bridge to cross it is the one of San Telmo, which joins the Plaza de Cuba with the Paseo de Delicias.
As for the schedules, each company has its own. But, as a general rule, They start at eleven in the morning and end at nine at night. in summer, while they finish at seven p.m in winter. The trip usually lasts one hour, but this is not fixed either. Depending on the type of boat you hire, you can enjoy a longer tour. We can tell you the same about prices. In general terms, they are between fifteen and twenty eurosAlthough, if you hire a cruise, it will be much more expensive. And this leads us to talk about the types of ships that offer you a boat trip in Seville.
ship types
Typical ship for a boat trip in Seville
The classic trip is the one you get boats suitable for many seated people. Therefore, they are large and usually have a panoramic deck to improve the experience. However, they also have a lower one so that you can protect yourself from the rain in case it appears. In addition, they have toilets and allow you to bring your pet.
But you can choose a ride on luxury yacht for a small number of people. This option is very popular among organized groups of travelers. They are usually boats of about twenty meters in length and have a bar for you to have a drink, an interior lounge, music and a dance floor. They also have an upper deck so you can sunbathe and even offer you a immersive experience. It consists of a 3D video with impressive aerial views of the city. In this case, the yachts leave the pier new york, next to the Remedios bridge.
Another possibility is that you hire a luxury cruise that includes lunch or dinner. It is more expensive than the previous ones, but it is also highly valued, especially by couples due to its romantic component. As for the menu, it usually consists of typical Sevillian dishes, how could it be otherwise.
Finally, you can choose a small individual boat. This one offers you fewer comforts than the two previous options, but it also has its charm, especially for small groups of friends. It has a small crew and is uncovered, although it has a tarpaulin as a roof to protect from the sun.
Except for the latter, the other ships have a professional guide that will give you information about the places and monuments that are seen on the banks. However, on more modern ships it has been replaced by audio guide in different languages.
What can you see during your boat trip in Seville
Triana bridge with the Carmen chapel at its end
As important as all of the above is that you know what the boat ride on the river is like. That is, what allows you to see. Already at the exit, as we told you, you have the precious tower of Gold. It belonged to a fortified enclosure and construction began in the XNUMXth century. However, the second body is already from the XNUMXth century and the third, cylindrical and ending in a dome, from the XNUMXth century. In addition, it has been restored several times. It is a historical-artistic monument and houses the Naval Museum.
Neighborhood of Triana
Plaza del Altozano in Triana
Once your boat trip in Seville has begun, you will be able to see the popular Triana neighborhood on the left, under which bridge the boat will pass. The latter was built in the mid-XNUMXth century with plans by French architects Gustave Steinacher y Ferdinand Bernardet. Perhaps for this reason, it bears similarity to the carrousel bridge de Paris. It stands out for its solid appearance, its two pillars and its iron arches.
Next to him, you have the Altozano square, in which the modernist buildings of the beginning of the XNUMXth century and the market stand out, in whose basements are the remains of the castle of San Jorge. It is also decorated with a statue dedicated to the bullfighter Juan Belmonte created by White Venancio and another that pays homage to Flamenco and is due to Jesus Gavira.
Also, at one end of the bridge you can see the small and beautiful chapel of Carmen, built at the beginning of the XNUMXth century and whose manager was the Sevillian architect Hannibal Gonzalez, to which we also owe the wonderful Plaza de España in the city. As for the chapel, it is a beauty made of exposed brick and ceramic with two bodies joined by a rectangular part.
Finally, other wonders of the Triana neighborhood are the churches of Nuestra Señora de la O, San Jacinto and Santa Ana and Chapels of the Sailors and of the Patronage. but also the old corrals, patios and neighboring houses, with its sources and brokers.
The legacy of the Universal Exposition of 1992
Barqueta Bridge, built for Expo 92
After crossing the Triana bridge, also called the Isabel II bridge, the ship will reach the area where the Seville Universal Exhibition of 1992. As a result of it, many interesting constructions have remained. In fact, several of the pavilions have been included in the General Catalog of Andalusian Historical Heritage. This is the case of Spain, Hungary. Andalusia or Finland, among others.
Other buildings also remain as Triana Tower y gardens like those of the Guadalquivir and Americano. But, above all, you can see the bridges built for the exhibition during your boat trip in Seville. Among them, the one with the Barqueta, with its impressive structure that resembles a harp, and that of the Santísimo Cristo de la Expiración or of the puppy, which, curiously, was built before channeling the river under it. But above all, the charterhouse footbridge, which holds the Guinness record for its slenderness in relation to its length, and the impressive Alamillo bridge. The latter is due to the architect Santiago Calatrava and stands out for its unique and enormous pillar from which the counterweight braces start.
Monastery of the Cartuja
Monastery of the Cartuja
Finally, from the boat you will be able to see this monastery, which is located on the same island of La Cartuja where Expo 92 took place and which is also known as of the Virgin of the Caves. It was built throughout the fifteenth century commissioned by the Archbishop Gonzalo de Mena and, already in the XNUMXth century, it became a pottery factory. Currently, it is a national monument and headquarters of the Andalusian Center for Contemporary Art and the Rectorate of the International University of Andalusia.
It is a heterogeneous monumental complex in which elements of various styles are combined. But you must pay attention, above all, to the church, with Gothic features and Mudejar touches, which, for almost thirty years, housed the tomb of Christopher Columbus. The cloister and the sacristy also belong to this last style, while other buildings in the complex show classical and baroque features.
Other aspects to take into account on your boat trip in Seville
Facade of the palace of Pedro I in the Real Alcázar of Seville
To finish explaining everything you need to know for your boat trip in Seville, we will mention some things that you will also find interesting. So, these boats are in great demand, so we recommend that you make your reservation in advance. Also, if you can't go later, they allow you to cancel it for free. For the same reason, it is better to arrive at the dock on time. It is good that you do it about twenty minutes before the departure of the boat. On the other hand, the ships They are usually adapted for people with reduced mobility. It is also important that you know that the maximum number of children per person is three.
In conclusion, we have shown you everything you need to know for your boat trip in Seville. We can only wish you a good trip and that you enjoy this beautiful Andalusian city, with as much history as monuments. In fact, we have only told you about those that you can see from the river, but there are also, as you know, the cathedral with its Giralda, the Real Alcazar, the Archivo de Indias and many others. Go ahead and visit Sevilla.