Seville is not only known for its flamenco, numerous plazas, ceramics, and rich history, but the city is also famous for its many orange trees, which can be found on almost every street. In the winter months and early spring, Seville is a vibrant palette of bright orange fruit, but now, at the end of February and beginning of March, the orange picking season begins. You can only understand this unique and local phenomenon when you cycle or walk around here yourself.
A brief overview
For centuries, orange trees have been a symbol of Seville. Naranja amarga, which means bitter oranges, can be seen everywhere, but unfortunately, they are not edible. The oranges here in Seville are there to beautify the city and create more shade.
The orange trees you see in Seville were introduced by the Moors and have now become an iconic part of the city. When you are in Seville, you will probably think that the fruits are deliciously sweet and fresh, but unfortunately, they taste extremely bitter. They are perfect for certain scent stimuli, but less tasty to snack on.
The picking season
When is the harvest season? It runs from around November to early spring, sometimes even later, but only if organic farming is practiced. Seville can supply up to 46% of the region’s citrus production, and oranges are expected to be available at organic markets until July. This is all thanks to Seville’s favorable location in Andalusia.
If you cycle or walk through the streets of Seville during orange season, you will see trees laden with oranges or oranges lying on the road after they have ripened and fallen from the trees.
During the harvest season, various teams of workers are deployed throughout the city to strip the trees of their fruit. They do this using ladders, long picking sticks and lorries that collect thousands of kilos of oranges. They often do this work early in the morning to avoid the hustle and bustle of the city as much as possible. The harvest season also creates a huge number of extra jobs in the city, from pickers to processing workers.
From orange tree to reuse
After the oranges have been picked, they are collected and taken to various destinations. Some of the picked oranges are processed into marmalade or oils.
Nowadays, a large proportion is also used for sustainable projects, such as generating energy from organic waste. This gives the oranges a second life and keeps the city not only beautiful during the harvest season, but also clean and sustainable, because in the past, many oranges were left to rot on the streets or caused nuisance, and this sustainable project makes a positive contribution to clean energy.
Oranges are more than just art.
You will probably recognize the trees by their scent, but they are much more useful than you might think. Oranges are used for many other things, such as making various marmalades, liqueurs, perfumes, oils, and local wines from the peel of the oranges.
The smell of the oranges in the spring has a name. In the spring the oranges threes bloom and the flowers release a scent called azahar. The locals says that it is one of the best smells in the city, you can smell it the best around the Seville Cathedral.
Experience orange season
If you would like to experience Seville’s orange harvest season for yourself, hire a bicycle from us and take a trip through all the streets and squares where orange trees grow. In winter, the trees are laden with oranges, and in spring and summer, you can experience the harvest season and the growing process. A nice cycling route starts at the cathedral, then goes to the Patio de los Naranjos, continues through the Santa Cruz district, taking you to Plaza Doña Elvira and Plaza de la Alianza, then cycles into María Luisa Park and Plaza de España, ending your cycling tour at Avenida de la Constitución.
Our daily cycle tour also takes you past many of these places and, of course, the city’s highlights. This way, you can discover not only the many orange trees and their unique scent and atmosphere, but also the history of Seville. If you have any other questions, we are more than happy to answer them. Whether online or in our shop, we are happy to help!
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