Seville

• On the Ship where every one knows your name
• Paris is perfect, if you ditch the men! - France
• An appetite of Venice - Italy
• Party time in Tapas Central - Spain
• Croatia uncovered! - Croatia
• I'll have the state room please - Portugal
• Seeking Spain's hidden gems - Spain
• Let's tryst again - Sicily
• Dallying with Delia - Majorca
• Wax gets the works - Majorca
• B&B at the Palace - Italy
• The Golden Oldie - France
• Amazing Amalfi - Italy
• Follow the Stars - Europe
• Tuscany - Italy

SEVILLE - THE CITY that brought us tapas, where the scent of orange blossom hangs in the air as you stroll river banks and elegant boulevards. But it’s party season too and the locals will want you to join in.

Tower power

The Giralda tower (left) is Seville’s symbol and you can see it from all over the city. It may be attached to the world’s biggest cathedral but it started out as a minaret for the royal palace mosque when the Moors ruled southern Spain more than a thousand years ago.

The climb to the bell tower, 250ft up, is made easier by a ramp and the rooftop views of this beautiful city are worth the effort.

Entrance is via the awe-inspiring cathedral and admission for both is a well-spent £4. Hot to trot

The best way to get to know your way around is to hop on board one of the hundreds of beautiful horse-drawn carriages that throng the city centre.

The pace is leisurely and the sound of hooves acts as a fitting backing track as you trot past Moorish castles, carefully planted gardens and the city’s legendary bullring.

Early evening, when the heat has gone out of the day, is the perfect time to take a ride. Drivers are regulated so expect to pay around £21 for a greatest hits tour and £28 for the more leisurely version.

Dancing in the street

The city wears its pious face for religious festivals, when there are processions through the city. But the faithful also throw themselves into all-night street parties that can go on for a couple of days.

For the biggest carnivals, flamenco dresses are dusted down, horses are groomed and the whole city decamps to the fairground where row upon row of marquees are set up and everyone drinks all day and all night for days.

You need an invitation to one of these casetas, but a smile and a thirsty look should secure entrance to the liveliest party you’ll ever see.

Very Moorish

The Maria Luisa park is a perfect place to spend a peaceful afternoon in the heart of a bustling city.

It’s full of shady lawns and tranquil meandering paths and there are a couple of excellent cafes. But the Plaza de Espana is the highlight.

This mock-Moorish semicircular fantasy in brick and tiles formed the backdrop for part of the film Lawrence of Arabia and encloses a moat and a circular plaza.

The building contains tiled niches representing every province of Spain, complete with multicoloured, tiled depictions of a moment from Spanish history - just right for sprawling across on a warm afternoon.

Super savour

Seville has given many things to the world but the best has to be tapas. The city has thousands of bars, from the ultrasmart and trendy to the super-scruffy, but you’ll find good value tasty morsels in every one of them.

The Jewish quarter of Santa Cruz near the cathedral is a great place to follow the tapas trail. Start in Calle Mateos Gago and just follow your nose through the winding alleyways and leafy squares.

The range of dishes is vast but if you want to eat like a local, stick to jamon serrano (ham), prawns, olives and stews.

As for drinks, go with cold beer or, better still, bone-dry fino sherry or a glass of Spanish wine.